2022 Rosso di Montepulciano

Cantine Dei’s wines are beautifully polished and refined, yet rich and full of character, making them widely appealing to consumers and collectors alike. The winery is located southeast of Montepulciano, yet the wines are sourced from vineyards spread throughout the appellation. As of 2021 the winery is certified organic. Cantina Dei has been focused on the individual terroirs of the area long before the Pieve designation was developed. The portfolio is composed of five different vineyards. Matiana is sandier, used for young wines and Rosato. Lecaliana is made up of sandy clay and used for the Vino Nobile. The Bossona vineyard spans 23 hectares and is the first planted on sand and calcareous clay with fossil soils. It is a real standout. Caterina Dei explained that Bossona is dealing best with global warming but is suffering from Mal dell’Esca (a vine disease that affects the vine’s trunk and is plaguing many of Central Italy’s Sangiovese vineyards). The Cerbiano vineyard covers seven hectares planted on sandy clay soil. And lastly, La Piaggia, another cru at just one hectare, is similar to Bossona but with more clay. Dei remains unsure if she will participate in the new Pieve designation. It’s also important to note that this house created some of the most successful wines of the 2018 vintage. I’d be hard-pressed to call them 2018s if I tasted blind. The Nobile Riserva and Nobile Madonna della Querce are absolutely stunning. While most producers suffered in 2018, Caterina Dei described the year as “balanced and not too hot, no peaks in temperature, rainy summer but at the end of August dry conditions through harvest.” As for the new-release 2020 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, it is one of the most compelling young wines I tasted in Montepulciano this summer. Yields were reduced by 50% due to a pandemic stimulus plan organized by the Consorzio. In this case, the extra selection indeed paid off. I know that I’ll be adding some bottles to my cellar.