This luxe red blends tones of brandy-soaked cherries and blackberries with heady doses of mentholated tobacco, clove and cured meat. Smooth, creamy tannins and bright acidity yield a full-bodied palate that is rounded and polished. It's accessible now but should hold well through 2028.

The 2016 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva is rich and dark with a mix of ripe plums and cherries, complemented by sweet herbs, violets and hints of brown sugar. Its textures are silky, cast across a weighty framework, with a more savory display of red and black fruits, along with notes of roasted almond and mocha. The density and sheer heft of the 2016 is notable, yet the Riserva maintains balance throughout. There's an underlying structure and acidity here to warrant cellaring, if you so choose.