Every Italian wine region has its own specialty, and Abruzzo is where you’ll find the country’s best wines made from the Montepulciano grape variety. (Not to be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a Tuscan wine made from Sangiovese.) You’re in for a delicious example with Farinelli Rosso.

Located along the Adriatic coast, Farinelli is the acclaimed, seaside estate of dynamic duo Federica d’Amato and Pasquale Caldora. Their vibrant Pinot Grigio and rosé wines have earned loads of loyal followers among our customers, so they asked their talented head winemaker, Davide Dias, to craft an equally crowd-pleasing red wine for the range. Of course, he was up to the task…

Davide and his team handpicked Montepulciano grapes from high in the Abruzzo hills, where brilliant sunshine ripens grapes to perfection and cooling temperatures retain freshness. The grapes also grow on 30- to 40-year-old vines, which produce lower yields of fruit with more concentrated flavors. The resulting wine offers layers of spiced plum, ripe raspberry and black cherry notes.

This juicy-fresh Montepulciano is exactly the kind of red wine locals would enjoy with classic Abruzzi dishes like Spaghetti alla Chitarra (squared-off spaghetti tossed in a meaty ragu of pork and lamb, or with tiny meatballs).