Region: Italy, Abruzzo

Grape variety: Montepulciano

Background: This is another organic and biodynamic wine from the Lunaria guys. Montepulciano d`Abruzzo is made from carefully selected grapes and left to ferment naturally using wild yeasts before ageing in a combination of oak and stainless steel for at least four months.

Tasting notes: Deep ruby red in colour with a pronounced nose of black cherries and a toasty note from the oak ageing. The palate is fairly full bodied with concentrated black fruit notes combines with cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla held together by chewy tannins and a long, fruity finish.

Awards

Best Italian Winery 2012

The Sommelier Wine Awards is a wine competition with a difference. Focused entirely on wines aimed at the on-trade, since it started in 2007 it has grown to become the key competition for wines trying to increase their presence in hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants, as well as the first point of reference for the UK's on-trade wine buyers.

Not only are wines that sell in the High Street supermarkets not permitted to enter, but all of the judges are members of the on-trade, too. The tasting panel for the Sommelier Wine Awards reads like a Who’s Who of the UK hotel, restaurant and sommelier scene.