Le Pigole

Le Pigole is a "local wine" that is produced by one of the leading independent vineyard owners in Abruzzo.  The producer sells most of his fruit each year to internationally known Abruzzo wineries whose Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines sell for $25 to $30 a bottle in the US.  This cuvee is made for the producer's local friends who own restaurants and I discovered it one night in a restaurant in Pescara.  As opposed to a lot of the heavily tannic wines that are a tradition in the area, this very food friendly wine is made in a much more approachable style.

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The Wine

Le Pigole Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2019

Aromas include dark plums, dark cherries, dark chocolate, and with overall hints of “very fresh” and refreshing fruit aromas.  Flavors include blackberries, boysenberries, and dark plums but with additional hints of ripe stone fruits such as peaches and nectarines.  There is an elegant medium to light body which flows smoothly across the palate, good balance and perfect acidity, a hint of the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo tannins, and a refreshing full finish.

Food pairings would include Filet Mignon, New York steak, short ribs, beef stew, burgers, lamb chops, BBQ ribs, duck, tuna, swordfish, pasta with meat sauce or spicy tomato sauces, lasagna, grilled sausages, jambalaya, Indian Tandoori and lamb dishes, Mexican beef and pork dishes, charcuterie, rich, medium, and hard cheeses.