# Montevetrano (2018)

- **Producer:** Montevetrano
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Aglianico
- **Region:** Campania, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €72
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** liquorice, black cherry, black plum, sour cherry, blackberry, vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, cedar, cloves, earth, wet stones

## About this wine

Montevetrano is an IGT Colli di Salerno red wine produced by Azienda Agricola Montevetrano di Silvia Imparato in Campania, Southern Italy. The wine is a blend primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Aglianico, with the specific percentages varying by vintage. The estate is situated in San Cipriano Picentino on a hillside with soils rich in skeleton. The project began in the mid-1980s, with the first vintage released in 1991. Silvia Imparato leads the estate, collaborating with enologist Riccardo Cotarella. The wine is recognized for its complexity, elegance, persistence, and structure, with a notable aging potential, and is considered a distinctive expression of its territory.

## Interesting facts

- A blend of Bordeaux varietals with Southern Italy's Aglianico.
- Born from a project started in the mid-1980s.
- Silvia Imparato, the driving force, was a former photographer.
- Limited production, with only 1,300 cases made.

## Food pairing

The wine's full body and structured tannins are well-suited to complement the richness and protein of red meats, while its complex fruit and spice notes can echo or contrast with various culinary preparations. The good acidity helps to cut through fattier dishes, cleansing the palate.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Montevetrano begins with hand-harvested grapes from vineyards over 20 years old. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks, with a 15% 'salasso' (bleeding) and a long maceration period of approximately 20 days. Malolactic fermentation is completed. The wine is then aged for 12 months in 225-liter barriques, with 50% being new French oak. A minimum of 6 months of bottle refinement follows before release.