Article by Johnny Ray, 03 September 2010, 10 top wines from 10 top independent wine sellers

Tenuta del Priore Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, 2009, 13.5%vol, Italy (£5.99;  www.tengreenbottles.com; 01273 567176).

Ten Green Bottles is the new kid on the Brighton block. Hitherto an online merchant only, specialising in French, Italian and Spanish producers too small for the supermarkets, it opens its first shop this week. This is a great value, terroir-expressive red from Abruzzo, full of ripe, savoury red fruit and silky tannins. Ideal to drink with rich pasta dishes.

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A little about the producer
Tenuta del Priore consists of 30 hectares of vineyards on steep hills, arranged in an amphitheatre on the banks of an artificial lake. The vineyard is 80% red grapes, mainly a native clone of Montepulciano. Trebbiano is well placed in this environment, and covers almost all the white grapes grown here. The soil is rich red clay, sometimes mixed with limestone. The Mediterranean climate lies under the influence here of the Adriatic Sea, bringing dry and cool breezes that allow exceptional concentration of fruit.