Tiberio Archivo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018

Delectable Wine

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The 2018 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Archivio is a dark and multifaceted beauty, slowly unwinding in the glass, inward and viral, hauntingly floral, dusty and rooted firmly in the earth. An enthralling mix of smoky grilled herbs, graphite and tart black cherries come together with sage, lifted by dried flowers and hints of fresh mint leaf. It’s rich yet elegant, like crushed velvet draped across the senses, pliant and potent, lifted by brilliant acidity, while staining the palate with citrus-tinged raspberries. There is so much concentration within, echoing purple-tinged florals and lavender tones as this tapers off with incredible length, lightly structured and with a tart wild berry twang. A salty flourish keeps me coming back to the glass. While this may not be as structured as the 2017, the 2018 instead impresses on its immaculate precision and balance. Archivio is produced from the oldest pergola-trained vines on the Tiberio estate, which grow in clay-rich soils. Around 30% of the wine is matured for twelve months in new barrique, yet the integration is perfect. This is a whole new level for Cristiana Tiberio. (Eric Guido, Vinous, October 2022)