The tank-fermented and aged 1999 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Villa Diana is a light berry, cola, and dried herb-flavored red wine with a medium ruby color, a soft, supple texture, and pure fruit. It is an easy-going effort for uncritical drinking with pasta or burgers. Enjoy it over the next 1-2 years. A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

This wine is a soft, lightweight red which is to be prized for its uncluttered personality, attractive strawberry, cherry, and cranberry fruit, silky texture, low acidity, and light-bodied finish. The wine is all tank-fermented and aged, and can be served slightly chilled. Nearly 100,000 cases of this wine are brought into the United States, so no complaints about availability ... please! This wine is meant to be consumed over the next year. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 1996 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Villa Diana exhibits a light ruby color, a straightforward, strawberry and cherry-scented nose of light to moderate intensity, elegant, clean, fresh flavors, and a short, compact finish. It requires consumption over the next 12 months. As I have pointed out for a number of years, top-class bargains can be found in Abruzzi, a region situated in the southern Italy, along the Adriatic coast. The wines produced are named after the grape of the same name - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Cantina Tollo's wines are pleasant, well-made, clean offerings that represent bargains given today's super-high wine prices. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

Villa Diana's soft, round, richly fruity, medium-bodied 1993 Montepulciano does not possess the extraordinary extract and intensity of the Monti offering recommended elsewhere in this report, but it is a fine wine bargain. It is designed to be drunk now and over the next 1-3 years.A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

Consumers and retailers are intelligently stockpiling just about any Montepulciano they can find. These big, dense, chewy wines, which are sold for a song, are Italy's potential gold mine. The 1992 Villa Diana is a terrific wine for the price, offering a dark ruby/purple color, tart, crisp, richly fruity flavors, medium body, excellent purity, and a nicely textured mouthfeel. It should drink well for another 3-4 years. A super value!