Illuminati Riparosso 2003, D.O.C. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Colour: dark red with purple.
Nose:  quite expressive, with a lot of cherry fruit, a bit jammy and sweet, very ripe nuances, also warm, with a hint of chocolate. Not deep, complex or refined, but good and attractive. Very typically Italian and Montepulciano (grape) in style.
Taste:  medium bodied, round, warm and juicy, with modest acidity, some spicy tannins, medium intensity, quite easy going, with a lot of  ripe and soft fruit with impressions of cherries and berries, a touch of chocolate. The tannins give this approachable wine enough grip to match well with food.
Finish: medium long, with some astringency, many ripe fruit impressions, modest acidity and again a hint of chocolate.

* A well made, quite easy going, fruit driven wine with loads of ripe cherry fruit, a modest acidity and a little twist of earthy tannins to give it that nice and lively Italian character.
 

- Drink this wine between now and 2006, will not improve with age,  because of its low acidity it runs the risk of drying out earlier than the 2001 version.

- Good producer of approachable (modern) Abruzzo wines that generally possess a strong, interesting regional signature. The Riparosso 2003 is less regional in style. Compared to the other slection "Ilico" 2003, the Riparosso is a bit lighter and more elegant.

- lotnr.: L 04 - 141

- tasted: 06-09-’04 several times since: 21-04: more earthy and spicy in character, still attractive.

- estimated retail price ca. 7 euro

- average production: not indicated

- Azienda Agricola Dino Illuminati "Fattoria Nico", 64010 Controguerra (Teramo) Italia, tel.: + 39-0861808008, fax.: + 39-0861810004, e-mail: info@illuminativini.it / web site: www.illuminativini.com
- export agent: Enoteca Nederland,  Mr. Maarten Bonants, tel.: +31-344613736, fax.: +31-344612550, e-mail: info@enoteca.nl