View photos

Masciarelli

Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva 2018

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC

Download Listen

The Montepulciano Marina Cvetic represents an intense and remarkable expression of one of the historical vines of Abruzzo.  The 100% Montepulciano comes from 8 of the estate’s top parcels and truly represents the summit of what Montepulciano can achieve. Villa Gemma may be the most famous Montepulciano produced by Masciarelli, the only Italian wine to win the coveted Tre Bicchieri award 14 times (and counting), but many view the Marina Cvetic Montepucliano as its equal in quality, differing only in style, and often benefiting from the fact it is blended from parcels crossing a range of altitudes and soils.

VINEYARD

In a span of only 30 miles between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, the 60 vineyards owned by the Masciarelli estate are spread across all four provinces of Abruzzo and farmed sustainably. The 8 specific vineyards that bear fruit for this wine range in altitude from 480 to 1,200 feet with soils of calcareous clay and lime. In these vineyards, we find not only the traditional Abruzzo pergola vine training, but also Simple Guyot and Spur Cordon training that Gianni Masciarelli pioneered in the region as well.

WINEMAKING

This wine exemplifies Masciarelli’s break with historical, commercially minded wines of the region. After maceration and fermentation in stainless steel, the wine is transferred to French barriques for a further 12-18 months of aging before bottling. The resulting silky texture and round tannins fall into harmony with the gorgeously ripe fruit.

TASTING NOTE

Deep and dark with lifted seductive aromas of red fruits and spice, powerful ripe red and black fruits wrapped in a structured but lush, elegant frame. Tremendous length and complexity.

Color

Red

Grape Varieties

Montepulciano

Appellation

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC

Alcohol

14.5%

Suggested Retail Price

$30.00

Reviews

90

"Appealing violet and spice aromatics"

Wine Spectator - May 7, 2021 "A sleek, medium-bodied red, with appealing violet and spice aromatics winding through flavors of crushed blackberry, dried fig and licorice snap. Trim tannins sculpt the finish, where a note of loamy earth emerges and lingers." - A.N.

92

"Depth, concentration and purity"

Wine Enthusiast - May 7, 2021 "Aromas of brandy-soaked dark cherry, anise, allspice and chopped mint show depth, concentration and purity in this Montepulciano that sees time in French oak. It's rich in feel on the palate, but counterbalanced by a bright core of acidity that pushes along the dense berry and spice flavors. There's a polish to it all that makes it accessible in the near term, but it would also hold well through 2028." - A.P.

90

"Incredibly long yet remarkably fresh"

Vinous - October 10, 2022

"The 2018 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva is spicy with masses of intense, dark cherry fruits, minty herbs and hints of shaved cedar. It’s silky-smooth and juicy in style with an opulent wave of dark red berries and saline-minerality that adds balance. The 2018 lingers incredibly long yet remarkably fresh. This is an easier-to-understand yet fully enjoyable expression of Montepulciano."-E.G 8/22

 

92

"Top-notch Job"

Wine Advocate - July 10, 2023

"The 2018 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva S. Martino Rosso Marina Cvetić is super rich and concentrated but also incredibly smooth and ironed out in terms of texture. The wine does taper down considerably on the palate, offering soft tannins and more reasonable human-sized black fruit concentration. The Masciarelli family does a top-notch job following the winemaking vision of the late and great Gianni Masciarelli."-M.L 7/23

 

More on Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva 2018

View all

The Italian Winemaking Region That’s Uncorking Its Potential

November 20, 2020 - Forbes wrote a featured dedicated to Northern Italy's Abruzzo winemaking region, famed for Montepulciano and Trebbiano grapes. The story hones in on Masciarelli, the pioneering family-owned winery that is celebrating…

Masciarelli Wows in the Washington Post

November 20, 2020 - The article titled “Intense $16 French red seeks its soulmate in beef stew or roast” features Masciarelli’s Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva 2018.  The wine shows notes of "Dark cherries…

Trade Materials

View all

Bottle Images

Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva Bottle Shot

Other Wines by this Producer

View all

Marina Cvetic Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Riserva

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

The Trebbiano Riserva Marina Cvetic represents the ultimate expression for the estate of one of the historical vines of Abruzzo.  Like Montepulciano, Trebbiano was once thought to be a workhorse grape without the potential to produce great wine. The interpretation of this wine is original and has a character. Marina Cvetic wines have full body and are elegant and are a “lone voice” for the most demanding and technical experts.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Masicarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is the benchmark for Montepulciano in Italy and the world. Pioneering winemaker Gianni Masciarelli, who put winemaking Abruzzo on the map, elevated the wines from his native region to new heights, and his Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a tribute to his home as well as a perfect introduction to the grape and to Abruzzo. This wine shows how, when handled with care, the late ripening Montepulciano grape  produces refined wines of soft acidity, ripe and moderate tannins, and bright red berry and cherry notes with a distinct, spicy character.

Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ISKRA

ISKRA is a true outlier, representing a single vineyard handled in a particular way to create a wine of extraordinary distinction and depth.

Villa Gemma Abruzzo Bianco

Abruzzo Bianco

While the Villa Gemma Montepulciano was the wine that announced Abruzzo to the world, the Bianco, created just a year later, further defined what the region and grapes of Abruzzo could produce. This wine, first released in 1985, speaks to the white grape varieties specific to the region and has become on of the most exciting wines produced at the estate.

Villa Gemma Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo

Abruzzo Cerasuolo

Perhaps the finest rosé production area in Italy, and one of the few appellations dedicated only to rosé, Cerasuolo has a long history of producing serious rosé, and showcasing how well the Montepulciano grape is adapted to rosé. Masciarelli first produced this wine in 1986, only 5 years after the winery was founded. With deep fruit and structure but no shortage of pleasure, it is a rosé you can take to the dinner table.

Villa Gemma Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Started in Gianni Masciarelli's grandfather's basement, Villa Gemma is the wine that announced Abruzzo to the world, showcasing what the region and grapes of Abruzzo could produce. Villa Gemma Montepulciano Riserva is the only Italian wine with 14 consecutive Tre Bicchieri awards and, more importantly, was the wine that established Abruzzo as capable of making truly distinct, extraordinary wines. Villa Gemma Montepulciano Riserva is a powerfully - almost undeniably - intense wine of character and complexity, with deep fruit and earthy, spicy secondary charachteristics that could only come from the Montepulciano grape in Abruzzo.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

Trebbiano is the white grape that Gianni Masciarelli fought so hard to legitimize. In Abruzzo, the specific clone is different than the high yielding, sometimes simple version of the grape found elsewhere in Italy. On Abruzzo's soils, this variety of Trebbiano creates immensely expressive, a touch opulent, and age-wort wines.

Rosato

Colline Teatine IGT

Abruzzo and the Montepulciano grape are famous for making arguably the finest rose in Italy, from one of the only appellations in Italy dedicated completely to rose; Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo. This Rosato is the little sister - a fresh and totally delightful expression.