Ciao, Operative! We head to Italy for a delightful, food-fantastic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from Tenuta Terraviva is an Italian red that is made from the Montepulciano wine grape in the Abruzzo region of east-central Italy. The Tenuta Terraviva estate is a spectacular site where remarkable wines are born.

This 100% Organic Montepulciano has excellent density with a deep maroon hue that turns a light purple at the meniscus. It’s got a rich and earthy nose steeped in the terroir of the region with notes of terracotta, dusty bramble, black currant, and dried Italian herbs. The palate has got loads of tangy red fruit with pomegranate and cherry up front, as well as apple. It’s got a nice rich coffee mid palate. If you’re a fan of Italian wines, you’ll be right at home with this food-friendly, light-bodied Montepulciano with crisp acidity. Treat yourself to a hearty bowl of beef ravioli topped with a meaty Bolognese and then take a sip. Prego!

The *Abruzzi*, located along the east-central is home to the *Montepulciano d’Abruzzo D.O.C.*, perhaps the region’s finest wines. Generally made with the Montepulciano grape with the allowed addition of up to 15% Sangiovese the wines come in two styles, one, like this one, are deep, rich and round, and the other tends to be more tannic and firm. The vineyards in the rolling hills above the coastal plain (where most of the mass-produced wines are made) offers a distinct soil and climate capable of top-shelf wine.

Here’s what the wine press has to say:

91 Points - Nose with black cherries, spice and licorice and hints of plums. Black cherries, blueberries and licorice and spice compose the pallet. Good wine with nice complexity, a bit hot on the mouthfeel, in a nice way. - Fernando R.