Impossible not to love, the 2010 Fratta is Maculan’s groundbreaking blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Fratta proved the Veneto’s winemaking potential when it was first produced in 1977, birth year of Angela Maculan (a second daughter). The wine shows beautiful lines and sharp focus with drying mineral tones that frame dark fruit, dried cherry and exotic spice. It’s a bold and big wine, but there is no doubting the profound elegance of this signature expression. The excellent 2010 vintage has the prerequisites for long cellar aging. Drink 2015-2028. There are wine regions that make brands, and brands that make regions. Maculan (the brand) put Breganze (the region) on the world enological map. One of the most significant winemaking forces in the Veneto, Maculan eventually grew bigger than the territory that shaped it. At odds with the winemaking guidelines of the Breganze DOC, this historic estate decided to segment its production into two schools of wine: The lower-priced DOC products and the higher-priced IGT offerings. “This was an obligatory step,” says Maria Vittoria Maculan, one of Fausto’s daughters. The good news for consumers is that both are excellent despite the huge, surreal differences in price. I’m also told that Maculan will soon introduce two new wines made with the Recantina and the Marzemino grapes respectively. I look forward to tasting them very soon. Importer: Winebow, www.winebow.com