The estate’s 2005 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a more serious wine that spends 12 months in used French oak barrels. It shows lovely depth in its expression of dark cherries, licorice, smoke and toasted oak, in an elegant, harmonious style. A long, satisfying finish rounds out this delicious Montepulciano from Valle Reale. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2010. I always look forward to tasting the wines of Valle Reale. These are wines of notable personality and character. Readers should also be on the lookout for the Valle Reale Cerasuolo Vigne Nuove, which is consistently one of Italy’s finest roses. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620