I'm writing today to tell you about the second of three fabulous new Pigro wines. Yes, that adorable piglet has struck again. This offering from winemaker Stefano Moccagatto and importer Giulio Galli is a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

First a word on Montepulciano. Italy's wines are as delicious as they are confusing. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a wine made from the Montepulciano grape in the Abruzzo region. It should not be confused with Tuscany's Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is an entirely different region and produced primarily from Sangiovese. In the Tuscan version, Montepulciano refers to the town. Confused yet?

The Montepulciano grape, when grown in Abruzzo, is quite prolific. It is plump with high amounts of juice. Unlike most other varietals, Montepuliciano is capable of producing nice wine even in huge quantities. The grape has deep purple color and lower acidity with mild, sweet tannins. The resulting wine is a soft and accessible wine that works well with or without food.

There are a few serious producers of Montepuliciano d'Abruzzo but for the most part this region is known for its easy-drinking, superb value, everyday red wines.

The Pigro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($9.99) has the classic, well-rounded plum and blackberry notes with a hint of tobacco and bright acidity on the finish. Try this wine with basil rubbed pork tenderloin, maple glazed pork chops or just about any dish with bacon. I do not however recommend it with pig tails.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

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