Entertain in style ...
All of us here at TWH feel the 2019 Villamagna from Torre Zambra represents affordable luxury. This is the third vintage of this wine we've carried. Perfectly timed for the upcoming holidays, our recent Italian container brought forth a few pallets of Torre Zambra wines!
A recent DOC, designated in 2011, Villamagna is considered the finest terroir in the Abruzzo, and there are only 5 producers making it. Torre Zambra's hillside estate vines grow at the 500-1000 foot level with an ideal south-east facing exposure within the village of Villamagna. The soils are limestone and clay with nutrient rich topsoils. The climate is ideal for producing complex, long-lived wines. The mountainous vineyards are influenced by the nearby Adriatic Sea creating desirable temperature changes during the growing season. These are all reasons why so many call Villamagna the Grand Cru of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.
What can one expect when opening a bottle of the 2019 Villamagna? In the glass, a dark, inky black color confirms it is made from 100% Montepulciano grapes. The aromas are an intertwining thread of dense fruit and earth. On the palate the fruit is concentrated at its core, and there are notes of pepper and leather. On the finish, the tannins remain supple and lush, harmonizing with the silky fruit and zippy acidity. It is showy in a way that displays intensity with elegance, and in no way does it taste or feel overdone or hot. We say it over and over; different grapes, different country, but the Villamagna drinks a lot like a Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe. It's a truly fine wine, for a fantastic price.
- Peter Zavialoff
