Don Cayetano Merlot 2022

Smooth, plummy Montepulciano is at its best grown in the Abruzzo region, on Italy’s Adriatic coast. There it makes deliciously supple fruity reds, and a few ageworthy ones, too. This deeply hued rosato style is another speciality and usually goes under the name Cerasuolo unless, like this, it is declassified and sold for a comparative song. Strict DOC laws limit the amount of wine that can be sold as Cerasuolo, so any surplus must masquerade as Vino Rosado. Our Buyer is on alert for such good deals. Farinelli is made from hand-picked Montepulciano grapes grown on 30- to 40-year-old vines, high in the Abruzzo hills. Served chilled, it makes a charming apéritif and is delicious with bruschetta, cured meats like salami or prawn risotto.