Fattoria La Valentina - Another Round, One Year Later

As fate would have it, I posted on the previous vintages of La Valentina's Pecorino and Montepulciano as well as the 2015 La Spelt (the same vintage tasted here) exactly one year ago. La Valentina works exclusively with local varieties, also making the region's historical "giant" Trebbiano and Fiano. While the Pecorino and La Spelt Montepulciano kept stride with my expectations, I was a bit disappointed in the workhorse Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. 

89
Pecorino Colline Pescaresi 2018 13.5% $17
Consistently my favorite wine from La Valentina, this vibrantly pure Pecorino made entirely in stainless steel tastes of pine nuts and lemon rind. Its mouthfilling palate exhibits some creamy glycerol that is balanced by spritely acidity. While the 2017 showed some pithy bite, the 2018 - which is also slightly more robust in alcohol - does not. The last impressions are of spice drawer and hay, which linger on the finish. I love this wine's savory character! 
Drink: 2019-21

90
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva La Spelt 2015 13.5% $22
"La Spelt" refers to faro wheat, which used to grow in the area. In contrast to the Classica Line Montepulciano d'Abruzzo below, this wine sees exclusively oak aging with 40% going into barriques or larger tonneaux and 60% going into 2,500-liter Slavonian oak casks. It is also made from the best lots of Montepulciano. As a result, it is a richer and more robust wine with polished tannins and supporting acidity giving the full body a well-built frame. Drinking well now, this has a good road ahead of it.
Drink: 2019-22 

85
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2016 13% $15
Boisterous with pure red cobbler fruits and stewed figs, this wine is rounded and succulent. Though only medium in alcohol, its richness comes across as slightly cloying thanks to its mild acidity. Most will enjoy this wine's seamless tannins, but it could really use some more acidic lift. This wine sees 20% aging in second use barriques and 2,500-liter Slavonian oak casks 80% aging in stainless steel.
Drink: 2019-20