2008 La Quercia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy

La Quercia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is rich and supple with a raspberry and blackberry fruit but has the classic crisp finish that allows the wine to stand up to all kinds of foods.  2000 cases were produced, and less than fifty of those made it to Wisconsin. MilwaukeeWine.com will offer this super low price for one week only.

It is a real treat for us to be able to offer such tiny production wines from family owned vineyards, and this one is made with organically grown grapes to boot.

This Montepulciano is a great example of what happens when you match low-yield winemaking expertise with a prolific growing zone, and constantly cut, cut, cut back the vines. Made by winemaker Antonio Lamona, the result is one of the best quality, most expressive and balanced Montepulcianos around. La Quercia, the namesake of the estate, is a type of large, long-lived oak tree that grows on the estate. This wine is also 100% organic, and delivers as a wine that takes no shortcuts.

Winemaker Antonio Lamona is a "true blue", grizzled farmer-type, who is both utterly likeable and totally invested in his wines. Although his father also grew grapes, Antonio is the first in the family to bottle his own and, beginning in the late sixties, he began cultivating vines that are entirely organic. As Antonio says, "We are very proud to make organic wines-we believe that this is the way to obtain the highest quality while also respecting nature and human health." To boot, all grapes are hand-picked and then pressed within 2 hours of harvest. Located on a windy hillside within sighting distance of the Adriatic Sea, Antonio's farm is entirely self-sustaining: they produce their own salami, bread, vegetables, olive oil and cheese. True, you won't find a ‘discoteca' within a hundred miles of the place, but in terms of sheer, natural beauty and down-to-earth hospitality, there's no better place on earth.

Altitude: 220-300 meters.
Grape: 100% Montepulciano.
Alcohol: 13% by volume
Production: 2,000 cases
Barrel aging: 4-6 months in 10 year old Slavonian oak.