Abruzzo wine is popular the world over. The Montepulciano red wines and Trebbiano & Pecorino white wines of the region are easy-drinking and very food friendly. Discover the wines of Abruzzo with me, Jacky Blisson, Master of Wine. We will explore Abruzzo’s climate, soils, grape varieties, wine styles and more in this educational Italian wine regions video!
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GREAT LOCAL RECIPES
Lentils with “pane fritto”, Scrippelle ‘mbusse, Tagliatelle with abruzzese ragu: https://www.destination-abruzzo.com/post/three-abruzzese-dishes-to-enjoy-during-fall
Pasta alla Chitarra & Pallottine: https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/italian-food/italian-dishes/from-abruzzo-with-love-angela-rapinos-pasta-alla-chitarra-and-pallottine
Cagionetti cookies & more: https://www.destination-abruzzo.com/post/three-traditional-abruzzese-desserts-you-absolutely-have-to-make-for-the-christmas-holidays
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SPONSOR
This educational video is sponsored by The Charming Taste of Europe (co-funded by the European Union). This special project links the flavors of wine from Italy and France and of fresh fruit from Greece, and further introduces the United States and Canada to these exquisite items that recall all of European beauty and grace.
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CREDITS
Pictures: Consorzio di Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo
Music: Rex Banner, Greengrass
Recipes: Angela and Pietro Rapino, Destination Abruzzo
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FOLLOW ME:
Instagram: @jackyblisson
Facebook: @jackyblisson
BLOG: https://jackyblisson.com/
Italy is truly the land of vines producing an astonishing quantity of native grape varieties. One of the most popular reds is of course Montepulciano, which thrives in the mountainous region of Abruzzo, alongside other indigenous varieties like Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and
Pecorino. Today, we’re going to learn all about what makes Abruzzo wine so interesting and foodies are going to want to stick around to the end to hear about the region’s incredible gastronomy. Thanks for joining me. My name is Jacky Blisson. I am a Master of Wine and I love teaching people
About cool wine regions all around the world. Abruzzo is located in central Italy due east of Rome. The region stretches between the Appenine mountains and the Adriatic Coast. The region has a fascinating history but for me the real excitement is happening now. Over the past 30 years quality
Has really skyrocketed with lots of smaller independent terroir driven producers cropping up, the larger cooperatives really upping their game, and a real focus on sustainable wine making. Abruzzo has the seventh largest vineyard acreage in Italy, with just under 35,000 hectares
Of vines. Over half of this is red and rosé wines, about 40% of production is of dry white wine and small amounts of sparkling and dessert wine are also produced here. The vineyards grow in quite a diverse and dramatic landscape. Two-thirds of Abruzzo’s territory is mountainous. Abbruzo’s
Grand Sasso Massif includes the area’s highest peak, the Corno Grande. As you approach the Adriatic Sea, the landscape gradually flattens to gentle rolling hills. Wine is produced in all four of Abruzzo’s provinces. Chieti, in the southeast is by far the largest. The vineyard terrain here
Is quite flat, the soils are really rich in clay and fertile, and the wines tend to be more round and supple. Heading northward up the coast the vineyards of Pescara and Teramo tend to be planted on the hillsides on clay limestone soils. The wines are often firmer, more structured,
And more age-worthy. Finally, L’Aquila is Abruzzo’s mountainous interior province. This is really the historic area for wine making but is quite small today. The wines are higher in acid, firmer, and more mineral. A regional specialty is a dry rosato called Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. Abruzzo’s
Climate is quite mild, especially in the coastal areas. During the growing season, the days are very hot very sunny but the evenings are cooler due to coastal breezes and cold air coming down from the mountains. This is important because it slows down ripening and allows for great acid
Retention in the wines. As of 2023, Abruzzo has just one catchall regional designation, the IGT Terre d’Abruzzo. It also has seven DOCs and two top tier DOCGs. The most significant of the DOCs is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, an appellation that is almost entirely dedicated
To the Montepulciano grape. This grape must make up at least 85% of the blend. On a side note, the grape has nothing to do with the Tuscan appellation of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Montepulciano is a late ripening thick skin grape it tends to give wines with bright red and black
Fruit notes, sometimes earthy, savoury undertones and a hint of tar. If you’re looking for a finer expression from a DOC wine you can look for terms like Superiore or Riserva the grapes for these wines must come from four top subzones. There are higher requirements in terms of grape ripeness and
Longer aging periods are required. The longest aging period is for the Riserva tier wines. The Montepulciano grape is also used for a rosé dedicated appellation called Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. These dry rosato wines are incredibly vibrant with interesting notes of cinnamon, citrus peel,
Red fruit, They tend to have a bitter hint and they’re very refreshing and food friendly. For me, the very best drink almost more like a very light red wine than a rosé. Trebbiano is the main white wine DOC and just like its red counterpoint at least 85% of the wine must be Trebbiano
D’Abruzzo or Trebbiano Toscana. So, as you may have guessed Trebbiano is not a single grape variety but actually a group of grape varieties that share similar characteristics and according to many experts Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is the best of the bunch! Trebbiano d’Abruzzo wines can
Range from very simple, unoaked, crisp quaffing wines to richer, more textural wines often with extended lees aging. They tend to have notes of apple, pear, bitter almond and a really lively, rounded palate. Another DOC that spans the Abruzzo territory is simply called Abruzzo.
It is most commonly used for Abruzzo’s other white indigenous grape varieties like Pecorino, Passerina, Cococciola, and Montonico. Pecorino is experiencing a real renaissance at the moment. This is quite an ancient grape variety for the region that was really rediscovered in
The 1980s. Pecorino wines can be quite citrusy and tropical but they tend to have a herbal, mineral undertone on the palate .They can be quite firm and the best, for me, have a lingering salinity which is amazing. To wrap up our tour of Abruzzo
Appellations there are three smaller ones in Chieti, there’s Ortona and Villamagna, and in Teramo there’s Controguerra. These are really site specific, quite small appellations that are really gaining a niche following. Abbruzo produces fantastic wines but also food. The region
Has protected origins for its olive oil, is famed for its lentils, its truffles, its artichokes, it’s cherries, it’s artisanal pasta made from fresh mountain water, it’s array of cheeses, it’s lamb and of course as a coastal area, it’s abundance of fish and seafood. The food scene
Is incredible and a perfect match for the local wines. For some great recipes to try with the different wine styles check the links in the description. Until next time, salute!
1 Comment
Amazing video thank you Jacky!