Tenuta Ulisse Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Amaranta

As we all know, the Italian wine industry has a huge amount of prestige behind it. Much of this comes from the many winemakers who have been plying their trade in the country for centuries. These people created the foundations on which a global entity was built, and now the Italian wine industry is the envy of the entire world. Even its greatest rival – France – is finding it difficult to compete with the Italians when it comes to wine production and, as importantly, consumption.

These favourable industry conditions have also led to a lot of new companies taking their place in the annals of Italian wine history. Alongside the famous names that we all know and love, there are a lot of newcomers who are looking to establish themselves. Some do this through innovation. They add interesting twists onto old classics, or use production methods that differ from those traditionally used in the creation of certain wines.

Others have their eye towards regeneration of a region. As spectacular as the Italian wine industry is today, there are still many regions that do not get the respect that they deserve. This could be for any number of reasons. In some cases, the region just may not have a particularly strong history with wine, even if there are grapes that are unique to that region. In others, the quality of wine that has come from the region in the past may have left a bad taste in the mouths of consumers, which has led to the degradation of the local industry.

The producer that we are going to look at today is one that has placed its focus on regeneration since its formation. We won’t hold you up any longer. Let’s take a long at the short, but impressive, history of Tenuta Ulisse.

The History

It’s rare that we feature a wine producer that has been in business for just over a decade. Many new producers take a little while to find their footing before they’re able to create truly brilliant wines, but that’s not the case with Tenuta Ulisse. Since day one, this company has placed its focus on creating exceptional wines that belie its young age.

Founded in 2006, Tenuta Ulisse threw itself right into the middle of the winemaking reinvigoration that was going on in the region of Abruzzo at the time. While Abruzzo had never ended up with a terrible reputation for its wine, it was certainly a region that could use a little help.

Tenuta Ulisse did what so many new wine companies do. They took the centuries old traditions that had defined the region and its wines, and then applied new ideas to those traditions. The company showed the hallmarks of a great wine producer from the off. In addition to the dedication to the land that is so important in the Italian wine industry, Tenuta Ulisse approached its work with great passion. And as we all know, a wine company that does not have passion is a wine company that isn’t going to make any headway in the industry.

In juts ten years, Tenuta Ulisse has evolved to the point where it is now one of the most respected companies in Abruzzo. It has done this by placing all of its resources into learning as much as it can about the Abruzzo terroir, in addition to reviving the use of some of the regions ancient grape varieties, many of which had fallen out of favour in the Italian wine industry.

These include the likes of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Pecorino, Trebbiano D’Abruzzo, Pecorino, and Passerina e Cococciola. Of course, you may recognise a few of these grape varieties yourself. But it is through the work of Tenuta Ulisse that they have been given a brand new lease on life.

So who are the minds behind the company? You need look no further than the brothers Luigi and Antonio. Each brother brought with him the great passion that all of the standout Italian winemakers have, but they also had the experience to match their desires. This places them in the perfect position to understand more about the region in which they work. In doing so, they have learned exactly what they need to know to ensure they get the most out of their land, in addition to bringing back the much deserved fine reputation of their grapes.

As the company says itself, each glass of wine that it produces takes you on a journey. The brothers want to create a full blown experience with their wines, rather than something that you’ll drink at dinner and then forget about the next day.

It is this vision that has allowed Tenuta Ulisse to grow as rapidly as it has. The passion pours out of every single bottle of wine, making the company’s products truly something to behold.

So, it’s about time that we took a look at one of those products. After all, you shouldn’t just take our word for it. The wine we’re about to look at is one of the most impressive to emerge out of the Italian 2014 vintage.

Tenuta Ulisse Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Amaranta 2014

Priced reasonably, as it costs less than 20 euros, the Tenuta Ulisse Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Amaranta 2014 offers much more quality than its cost would suggest.

A stunning red wine, the Tenuta Ulisse Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Amaranta 2014 has the ruby colouring that you would expect of a wine that has been aged to perfection, though the observant amongst you will also spot the occasional glimmer of garnet inside the ruby hues.

To the nose, the wine offers an intensity that truly helps it to stand out from other wines in the region. Fruit is the name of the game here, with marasca cherries being one of the most dominant notes. However, you will also spot subtle hints of liquorice, dried flowers, and spices in the bouquet.

However, it is the taste that truly reveals the quality of this wine. The almost creamy texture feels like soothing velvet as it explore your tongue, with the tannic aspects blending nicely with the wine’s alcohol. The structure is impressive, and Tenuta Ulisse has done a great job of balancing the many flavours.