Modello, Trevenezie Rosso IGT (Veneto, Italy) Red Blend 2024 ($16, Enotec Imports)

This is a remarkably distinctive and complex Veneto red when considered in relation to its price—and a delicious and versatile one regardless of price. A blend of Merlot, Raboso, and Refosco, it is light in physical palate weight, yet extremely expressive aromatically and also shows far more palate impact than one would expect from a wine with so much mouth-watering acidity. The surprises don’t end there, as the acidic lift is accompanied by some scents and flavors that seem very ripe, yet the wine doesn’t come off as incoherent at all, and indeed is very well knitted together given all the distinct details it exhibits. For a 2024 release, it also shows some savory notes that one would only find in a wine that is five years old rather than just one. The fruit is mostly red in tone, but the wine is certainly not just fruity, as what it delivers speak as much of cherry liqueur, newly tanned leather, fresh mushrooms, light floral topnotes…and much more. On top of all that, there’s unexpected durability, as I tasted it again on a second night after closing its screw cap after my first taste—and it didn’t budge at all. By the way, I always check the small print on back labels to learn anything that’s less than obvious about the company behind the wine, which in this case yielded “Masi Agricola,” among the most famous makers of Amarone and several other top Veneto wines. As a last “by the way,” this brand also includes a high-value Pinot Grigio—one that’s not as striking as this red, but still a wine to seek out for a try.
92 Michael Franz