Kurni

The Montepulciano is important Italian red grape variety extensively grown in Central and Eastern Italy. It has no connection with the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, nor the Sangiovese based Vino Nobile di Montepulciano which is produced there. It is adaptable to most soils and is a high yielding and late ripening grape. It is extensively planted in the Abruzzi district and perhaps Montepulciano d`Abruzzo is its most famous incarnation. In the Marche region it is blended with Sangiovese to produce Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno. It normally produces light to medium bodied fruit driven wines, often low in tannins and acidity and which are usually best drunk young. However there are a handful of producers who produce 100% Montepulciano wines from low yielding old vines which are then oak aged and which will continue improving in bottle for 10 years or more.
Region: Marche
Production Area: Cupra Marittima, (Ascoli Piceno)
Appellation: Marche IGT
Vintage: 2005
Varietal Blend: 100% Montepulciano
Vineyard: The 14 acre vineyards is locate at 300 feet above sea level on a south,  southwestern exposure. The age of the vineyards vary from 50 to 10 years old. The plant density ranges from 2.500 to 6.000 vines per acre.
Planting System: Spurred cordon
Soil: Mix of calcareous with clay and sand.
Harvest: mid-October, with manual picking
Yield: About 1.5 tons per acre 
Alcohol: 15° %
Vinification: Long maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks, (approximately 40 days), at a temperature of 28/30 degrees centigrade. 
Aging: In small French oak barrels for 18 to 20 months and 4 months bottle age.
Total Production: 7.000 bottles 

Tasting Notes: Deep, dark, black cherry color. Complex bouquet with aromas of ripe black cherry fruits, coffee and leather. Smoky, ripe,  cherry fruits and spice on the palate. Multi-dimensional, with ripe, round tannins and silky/velvety texture. Perfect balance and great length.
Food Pairings. Red meat dishes, game, mature cheese. 

REVIEWS from The Wine Advocate: Oasi degli Angeli Kurni 2005  – 90 Points
“The 2005 Kurni (Montepulciano) is full-bodied, sweet and Amarone-like in its expression of sumptuous dark fruit, smoke, earthiness, black cherries, blackberries and spices. Made in a lush, rich style, it offers superb density and length, even if the tannins clamp down somewhat on the finish, as the wine doesn’t quite have enough fruit to match its structure. Still, it is a compelling effort. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2015. This small estate has quickly burst onto the scene with the flashy, opulent Kurni, a 100% Montepulciano lavishly aged in French oak. Proprietors Eleonora Rossi and Marco Casolanetti fashion their wine from minuscule yields, then give the juice 100% new oak for the first year of aging followed by another 100% new oak for the second year.” By Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #175, February 2008