About the Wine

If you’re looking for amazing wine at a great price, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is your go-to. James Suckling described Montepulciano as “solid, rich, easy-to-like, and best of all wallet-friendly wines.” We love this wine and so do our clients. In fact, we can't keep it in stock. People who love bright blueberry and blackberry fruit, a hefty dose of oak and vanilla, and a mocha finish will love this wine.

Torre Zambra dates back to 1910, making it one of the oldest wineries in the region of Abruzzo.

It all started when Vincenzo Cerchio bought 50 acres of land from the Zambra Family. Inside this land, there was a picturesque vigilance tower called “Torre Zambra.” Vincenzo decided to keep the name and started planting his first vines of Montepulciano and Trebbiano. These first vineyards were destroyed by World Ward II, but Cerchio’s family's dream wasn’t. They replanted the vines and rebuilt the winery, and in 1961, their first label was released.

Today, the winery is owned by the 4^th generation of the Cerchio family, Federico De Cerchio. Federico’s mission is to “share with wine lovers the unforgettable sensations that only the great native vines can bring.”

The Cerchio family owns 4 different estates including Torre Zambra Villamagna. The strategic location of the Villamagna vineyards, on hills facing southeast, with soils composed of clay and limestone, that are rich in humus and nutrients, and its proximity to the Adriatic sea, and the Majella mountains slopes, creates a very unique and rare microclimate that makes this region a true paradise for the vines, and one of the best terroirs in the world, so much that in 2011, Villamagna obtained the Designation of Origin and is one of the smallest DOC in the world.The Wine Economist spoke about this appellation saying that “its importance exceeds its size and points the way forward for Abruzzo and its Montepulciano wines.”

2019 Torre Zambra Villamagna Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is produced from single-variety Montepulciano grapes coming from the Villamagna AOC. This wine is ideal for wine lovers that enjoy an amazing Californian red wine, but with the classic elegance that characterizes Italian wines. 

Aging: 20 months in French and Slavonian oak barrels. 

Tasting Notes: 100% Montepulciano. The Villamagna is a very elegant wine. The nose starts with withered fruits and continues with notes of cocoa powder, ground coffee, and leather. In the mouth the wine is intense and endless, with perfect follow-through, caressing mouthfeel, and a peppery finale. Pair this wine with braised and grilled red meats. 

Reviews

~98 Points, Luca Maroni.

A rich Montepulciano here with lots of crushed black fruit and nicely placed oak. Full body and fine-grained tannins that pull a little, but don’t impede the progress of the fruit. It doesn’t feel like 15% alcohol, which is a credit to the winemaking here. Give it a year or two to integrate even better. Best from 2024. ~92 Points, James Suckling.

The 2019 Villamagna seduces from the first tilt of the glass with a mix of dusty black cherry, fresh mint and confectionary spice. There's a pleasant inner sweetness that complements its silken textures as polished red fruits and notes of clove resonate toward the close. The 2019 leaves a staining of primary concentration; and yet, the mouth is left watering as subtle tannins and residual acids mingle through the finale. The Villamagna is a varietal Montepulciano that's already so easy to like, but also has the balance for medium-term cellaring. ~92 Eric Guido, Vinous Media

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