Christmas Comes Early from Italy
Wine won the country’s most-prestigious wine award, Tre
Bicchieri. It scored 91 from Antonio Galloni and at $17.99 it is a slam dunk
winner. This is definitely a case buy offering as it will fly. Galloni
called the wine one of the flag bearers of the new wave of very successful
Montepulciano wines. A no brainer at the price.
For years I have been telling my customers about the
importance of Tre Bicchieri, Italy’s most important wine award,
presented annually by Gambero Rosso, which is the foremost authority on Italian
wine. Winning the award is a huge deal; Tre Bicchieri means “3 Glasses” and
each year 20,000 wines are reviewed and only 400 receive the award. Today’s
wine, the 2015 Cataldi Madonna Malandrino won
the award for 2016 and you will flip for it. Further proof of the wine’s
irresistible charms is that Antonio Galloni, one of the most important wine
critics today scored the wine 91 points, a huge score for a red wine under $20.
In terms of a value wine, this is one of the very best coming
out of Italy. To have a wine that wowed Gambero Rosso and Antonio Galloni at
way under $20 is truly a special opportunity and there is no need look anywhere
else for a quality-to-price ratio stunner.
“Malandrino” is a rascal, or to be naughty, and at the price of $17.99 this is
a definitely a naughty wine – but in a very good way; what makes it so
mischievous is that is so good for such a low price. I was shocked by how good
it was. It is made by one of Italy’s best winemakers, Lorenzo Landi, who has made great wines up and
down the country. It is sourced from 6 different vineyards in Ofena, the “oven
of Abruzzo”, and the warm weather produces, big, dark grapes, which in turn
make magnificently complex wines.
Jump on this by the case.
2015 Cataldi
Madonna Malandrino Montepulciano d'Abruzzo,
Italy DOC Regular: $21.99 Our Price $17.99
91pts
Vinous Galloni & Tre Bicchieri Gambero Rosso Winner
Galloni’s Vinous Review: Deep ruby. Enticing aromas and flavors of
mineral-driven red cherry, dark berries and herbs. Very fine-grained, precise
wine with a clean finish featuring noteworthy freshness and noble tannins.
Malandrino is Cataldi Madonna’s most improved wine and one of the flag bearers
of the new wave of very successful Montepulciano wines now increasingly in
fashion. – 91 Points
