95 points Vinous Media
Drinking Window 2027 - 2035
The 2021 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Cocciapazza has come along beautifully after another year in bottle. Dried violet, sweet smoke, ash, dark chocolate shavings and crushed blackberries form its brooding bouquet. It's silken and elegant in feel, with a wave of ripe red and black fruits flowing across a core of tactile minerals and spice. A coating of grippy tannins lingers along with hints of sour citrus as a pleasantly bitter balsamic tinge slowly fades. The Cocciapazza is a long-distance runner.
- By Eric Guido on May 2025
Fausto Albanesi’s wines are a perfect example of how new oak can be an excellent pairing with Montepulciano when used judiciously. His lineup of reds impresses from top to bottom, with one of the best entry-level offerings in the region. At the top of the pyramid, the rich and sensual Mazzamurello and the complex and structured Cocciapazza provide collectors with a choice of instant gratification over the medium term or delayed satisfaction over the long term. During this visit, Albanesi opened a 2004 Cocciapazza that was a model of perfect maturity. It’s important to note that even in today’s market, the current release sells for under $50. That’s a remarkable relative value in my book. As for the whites, they are just as enjoyable, if a bit less complex, but that’s splitting hairs. The new Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Diverto, sourced from sandy soils just four kilometers from the coast in Francavilla al Mare, is a shining example of the depths that these wines can achieve—vertical, deeply mineral and built for the cellar. In the difficult 2023 vintage, Albanesi fared better than many of his neighbors, with a 30% reduction in red wines but far less effect on the white wines.