Montepulciano Jamè: Gold or Silver?

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC by Fattoria Teatina

Jamè in the Abruzzese dialect means: come on, let's go! The name was born from a discussion between the owner of Fattoria Teatina, Pierluigi De Lutiis, and his winemaker Vittorio Festa; when the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo was already ready for bottling, the two had not yet thought of a name for it. "Jamè!! Have you found a name for this wine yet?"

The Fattoria Teatina winery was founded in the 1960s when the De Lutiis family purchased a plot of land in the Teatine hills; in 1999 the estate passed to Pierluigi who, together with his wife Antonella, began winemaking a few years later, giving life to a new venture built on great passion and love.
At the heart of the project is the desire to share their passion with consumers through the products of their beloved land.
The vines enjoy ideal exposure and are situated in a magnificent location: between the sea and the mountains. In a place like this, one cannot help but produce an excellent raw material – which, in this case, is also the result of a deliberate business choice: to sacrifice yields and therefore quantity in favor of quality.

The process naturally concludes in the cellar, where Piergiorgio, Vittorio, Pierluigi, Antonella, and young Francesco complete the work, bringing the excellent production process to its final stage.

The wines of Fattoria Teatina are for all palates – powerful and structured, yet also soft and fruity. Among the main labels:
Soliis Trebbiano d'Abruzzo in purezza;
Qvinto Pecorino 100%;
999 Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo;
Foglio 12, a blend of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon;
Jamè and Jamè Oro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo;
Passito Bianco from Trebbiano, Pecorino, and Chardonnay;
Pierblanco from a cuvée of Passerina and Pecorino, and the RosèRosè, sparkling wines made using the Charmat method.

Jamè etichetta Argento is the estate's first bottled product, from the 2008 vintage – a 100% Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The harvest, strictly by hand, begins between the last ten days of September and the first ten days of October depending on the vintage. The crushed and destemmed grapes are macerated with the skins for one week at controlled temperature, followed by racking and aging in stainless steel tanks for approximately 6–7 months and a brief bottle aging.
A few years later, the idea of using barrique – and therefore longer skin-contact macerations of 10–12 days, 12 months in oak barrels, and a further 6 months of bottle aging – gave birth to Jamè Oro.
Tasting them side by side, we can immediately notice that, while essentially sharing the same base, the two wines present themselves very differently. What they certainly have in common is the power of their alcohol content – 14.5% vol. for the first and as much as 15% vol. for the second – underpinned by an imposing structure.

Visually, Jamè Argento is characterized by a ruby red with marked violet hues, while Jamè Oro presents an intense ruby red, deep and dark. The surprising detail I did not expect – given the barrique aging – is that very faint violet hues are still slightly present; this leads me to conclude that this wine has a long life ahead, and that I can keep the magnum Pierluigi gave me a little while longer…
On the nose, the first is vinous, with fruity notes of fragrant small red fruits, floral, violet, a fresh, intense, and elegant bouquet. Jamè Oro presents a more complex bouquet: the small red fruits transform into hints of ripe fruit, jam; the violet is now wilted, with spicy, vanilla, liquorice, and toasted notes derived from the barrique aging.
On the palate, Argento is round and fruity, supported by a pleasant freshness that leaves slightly tart notes in the finish – very enjoyable. Oro, on the other hand, has greater fullness and body; its structure makes itself felt in the mouth too: soft, with silky and velvety tannins, balanced by a fine freshness, with the aromatic notes carrying through to the taste.

Food pairing: Served at a temperature of 16–18°C, Jamè etichetta Argento pairs well with red meats, medium-aged cheeses, and why not with a zuppa di pesce alla vastese! As our dear Pierluigi recommends. Jamè Oro, served at around 18°C, is ideal with roasts, red meat, and game, and is also excellent with aged and piquant cheeses.

Our journey draws to a close – perhaps next time we will have Pierluigi and Antonella tell us the romantic story behind their Passito Bianco!
Returning to the wines presented today, we can say that they truly reflect the hallmark characteristics of our Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that so many envy us for: strong on one side (firm and structured tannins), gentle on the other (warm, soft, enveloping).

Gold or Silver?....Jamè! The choice is yours…