Oil

Podere Castorani 2009 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo “Majolica” (Abruzzi) –It’s wine. It’s red. It’s drinkable. It’s drinkable red wine. (8/10)

Cornacchia pet

Barone Cornacchia 2005 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzi) – Open and crisp, with freshly-crushed raspberries in a U-shape of food-welcoming simplicity. What you taste is all you get, but it’s a good, cheap companion for a night. (8/08)

Zamfir

Bosco 1997 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Pan” (Abruzzi) – Much more advanced than the previous bottle, likely due to cork failure. It’s past mature, in fact, with a dried-out character that’s not very appealing, and the bare bones of acidity and light, drying tannin are left naked to the palate. (8/08)

Pizza Pan

Bosco 1997 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Pan” (Tuscany) – 85% montepulciano, 15% cabernet sauvignon. Juicy and full-fruited…still…and showing very little sign that it’s eleven years old. Dark blackberry, not quite jammy but possessing that sort of concentrated density and stickiness, dominates, with a dusting of fresh, crunchy black pepper and some minor herbal notes. It’s good, despite some lingering signs of confection, and might make more sense as a New World version of this same wine, but it’s hard to complain about what’s there for the drinking right now. (7/08)