Francesco Paolo Valentini picked this Montepulciano grape in two different stages: the fist at the end of September in order to preserve freshness, and the second in mid-October to achieve maximum phenolic ripeness. He handles his wines without temperature control, selected yeast or any filtration. Reductive at first, this wine shows a depth to get lost in, with notes of cassis, earth, rosemary and violet. It has velvety, mouthfilling tannins and a sweet fruit finish resembling persimmons. Fascinating and long lived.

The Valentini 2013 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo is immediately crystalline and pure in appearance, although the wine's bouquet opens very slowly, keeping you in nail-biting suspense the entire time. Will it, or won't it? With an extra dose of patience and swirling, this beautiful Trebbiano d'Abruzzo opens a floodgate of aromas, spanning from dried nectarine and passion fruit to powdery ash and curry leaf. All at once, these aromas converge onto the senses with intensity and inebriating beauty. This vintage is radically different in terms of mouthfeel next to the 2014 edition. You are made instantly aware of the dense textural fiber of the wine that is stitched tightly together with a vein of crisp acidity. This bottle goes to the back of your cellar and expect it to get even better in time.

Vivid pale yellow. Mesmerizingly pure aromas of lemon, peach, minerals, jasmine and menthol; this is almost Riesling-like.Then magically combines creamy-sweet and fine-grained elements providing both backbone and lift to its bracing pink grapefruit, lemon, lime and mineral flavors. Gradually expands on the brilliantly pure, utterly seamless finish, that showcases a lovely light touch and tension. This is one of the three or four best Italian dry white wines I remember tasting in the last five years, and is just about as good as Valentini’s own 2010 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, another truly memorable wine. The plus sign next to my score indicates I fully expect this wine to reach 97-98 points in a few years. Even then, I might be erring on the side of conservativism. Time will tell. Bravissimi !

Intense straw yellow. Gorgeous nose of spice, flint stone ands mandarin fruit. At first a little neutral and then unfurls on the finish with minerals and shy mandarin and lemon fruit. Much too young right now, but huge promise. (WS)