A Mighty Montepulciano

Pris and I were first introduced to the Duchman family of wines at a wine tasting hosted the Brownsville Historical Association back in 2011 that focused on Texas based wineries. Unfortunately, their wines aren’t carried down here, at least I haven’t seen them on my recent wine excursions. However, HEB Central Market does carry them and I always swing through when I can get to San Antonio or Austin. On one particular trip, I happened upon a Duchman 2010 Montepulciano that ended up in my basket, and then in my glass.

Last Saturday I decided to crack into this particular bottle since I’ve found that your lighter Italian varietals don’t have quite as much staying power as your bigger and bolder reds.  Part of the reason for this particular bottle was that I was whipping up some spaghetti with sausage and tomatoes. Italian wine with Italian food, not original but there’s a reason it works so well.

To start with, this Montepulciano is a fruit bomb! Fruit on the nose, the palate, and everywhere in-between. Loads of plum softened by vanilla and a gentle mineral bite assail the nose, in a very good way. Even more fruit loads up the palate. Rich dark berries and cherries rush through the mouth first. Allowing the wine to linger a bit you can appreciate a bite of spiciness, currant, and slightest bit of mineral that has to be a result of the terroir.

The wine paired flawlessly with the savory sauce, as expected. I would have liked to try it with some other meals to test its versatility, but the opportunity did not present itself. However, this wine is excellent all on its own. Like most Italian varietals its quite mellow, fruity, and easy to drink. If you’re not a fan of the bolder dryer reds, you should give the Montepulciano or Sangiovese a whirl rather than reaching straight for the Pinot Noir. That said, if you are a fan of the dryer reds, you may find this selection to be a bit too juicy.

The Duchman 2010 Montepulciano is a great wine, and exemplifies some of the best of Texas winemaking. If you’re looking, you can find it at Central Markets, possibly Whole Foods, and online direct from the winery at: http://duchmanwinery.com/.