Revisiting the Villa Cerrina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, an old $5 favorite from Trader Joe's. But does it still measure up?
There's no information given from Trader Joe's but this is a DOC wine so according to the rules for Montepulciano d'Abruzzo it must be at least 85% Montepulciano and up to 15% Sangiovese from Abruzzo, Italy. The wine must be aged for a minimum of 5 months prior to release.
The Villa Cerrina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is available exclusively at Trader Joe's for just $5.99 ($1 more than the last time we reviewed it). It is imported by Americal Beverage Group Inc.
This red wine is made with Montepulciano grapes grown in Abruzzo - central Italy. It is smooth and well balanced with deep red fruit aromas and flavors.
Serve at room temperature with hearty pastas, pizzas and basic red meat dishes.
13% Alcohol
The 2020 Villa Cerrina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo begins with pleasing aromas of black cherry, some dried herbal notes and a little earth.
The wine is pretty rough when first opened but with time it vastly improves. It's tart and simple with good depth of flavor at this low price.
Lots of juicy fruit and hints of earth lead into the dry and long-lasting finish. There's nothing complex about it at all but it tastes good and will pair well with lots of Italian foods.
It's also not quite the no brainer it was when it was just $4.99 (and tasted a bit better) but still offers good value if you're willing to let it breathe a bit.
2020 Villa Cerrina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
RECOMMENDED BUY
You can also find more of our favorite $8 and under Italian red wines here.
