Valentini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 - 75cl

Valentini is the great secret-that-isn't of Italian wine — a family estate in Loreto Aprutino, in Abruzzo, that farms substantial holdings but bottles only a tiny fraction under its own label, selling off everything that doesn't meet the mark. What's left is a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo unlike any other: dense, savoury, famously slow to reveal itself. The estate holds it back for years, and this 2017 spent at least four before release.

The nose runs deep — ripe blackberry and cherry, sweet spice, tobacco and a curl of woodsmoke, then coffee, plum, chocolate and something earthy and forest-floor beneath. The palate has extraordinary tension: full-bodied yet velvety, a vibrant acidity running right through it, tannins firm but already beautifully knit in. This is Montepulciano taken as seriously as any grand red in the country.

Patience is the whole point with Valentini. It's approachable now with a long decant, but the reward is in the keeping — this will drink wonderfully into the 2040s, growing more savoury and unctuous as it goes. Rare, sought-after and priced to match. If you find a bottle, cellar it.

How to Serve

Decant an hour or two ahead and serve at 18°C in a large glass. It's built to age, so if the bottle has years on it, decant gently off the sediment and treat it kindly.

Where to Drink It

• Brat, Shoreditch — live-fire cooking for a smoky, savoury red.
• Trullo, Islington — honest Italian food and a well-chosen list.
• The River Cafe, Hammersmith — where a wine this serious belongs.

Food Pairings

Grilled or roast lamb with rosemary and garlic, or a rich beef and mushroom stew — the earthy, smoky notes in the wine come alive against it.