Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery

It’s exciting that, among some three or so Montepulcianos that are produced in the U.S., a very good one is grown and made in North Carolina at Raffaldini. This variety is native to central Italy, where it is used for the red wine of Abruzzi (Montepulciano d’Abruzzo), as well as in the Marches DOCs of Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno, where it is blended with Sangiovese.

According to Steve Lyons, a partner with the Raffaldini family and a grower in the Yadkin Valley, four acres of Montepulciano were planted in 2002. “We will be adding two more acres in the spring of 2007,” said Lyons. That is good news. The 2005 has been “flying out the door” since its release this fall—not too surprising when you taste its dark cherry and ripe blackberry flavors. The color is as dark and dense as Petite Sirah.

The Raffaldini family has a long heritage with wine in Italy, dating to the 1300s in Mantua (notable as the birthplace of the poet Virgil). The current generation settled in the Swan Creek area of North Carolina’s Piedmont region, experimenting with several Italian varieties, including Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Vermentino (previously reviewed) and soon, Aglianico. The 2005 Montepulciano is the best of Raffaldini’s red wines, which are gaining in concentration and character with each vintage, demonstrating that Italian grape varieties have exciting potential in this part of the country.

Reviewed January 9, 2007 by Barbara Ensrud.