2003 Gattavecchi Riserva dei Padri Serviti Montepulciano Nobile

Hello!! We had this delightful Italian wine with steaks and polenta. It was a deep brick red and had a big, full nose. It had aromas of plum, plum, plum with some vanilla and a little cherry. On the palate it was very smooth with soft acids and well integrated tannins. The flavor was plum, cherry, raisin and vanilla with a distinctive touch of root beer. It covered the entire palate and had a lingering finish. It hit the entire palate and was overall smooth and elegant. This wine came from Total Wines in Atlanta and was $25 a bottle. The '04 vintage is also available, and is supposed to be an even better vintage. The '04 is rated at 91 points by Wine Spectator. These wines are particular favorites of myself and Al. Years ago, we ordered a bottle at a restaurant on a whim and were blown away. It really turned us on to wine in a whole new way. It's become a standard for us. Montepulciano had suffered in reputation since then, but there have always been excellent examples available, if you just take the time to find them. After all, it was these wines and these winemakers that gave rise to the Super Tuscans. But there are still winemakers in Italy producing excellent Nobiles. I'm picking up a couple more bottles.