Wines from Abruzzo

In the heart of Abruzzo, where snow-capped mountains and the Adriatic Sea lie just thirty kilometres apart, lies the foundation of a small revolution: San Martino sulla Marrucina, the village where, in 1981, Gianni Masciarelli realised his dream of creating world-class wines from the indigenous grape varieties of his homeland. The "Gianni Masciarelli" wine, named after him, now embodies the vision that this charismatic pioneer developed following a formative summer in Champagne – Abruzzo wines that set international standards. The hand-picked Montepulciano grapes for this DOC classic come from the historic Cocciapazza vineyard in Loreto Aprutino, 250 metres above sea level on clay-limestone soils. Marina Cvetic, Gianni's partner in life and in wine, continued the Gianni line as a tribute to the visionary founder, who was the first to introduce the Guyot system and French barriques to Abruzzo.

A top-quality Italian rosé made from selected Montepulciano grapes grown on 45-year-old vines: Spelt Cerasuolo is a rosé with provenance and character – crafted from organically grown Montepulciano grapes from medium-altitude vineyards near Spoltore. In the glass, it is a luminous cherry pink. Aromas of redcurrants, sour cherries, pink grapefruit and a hint of almond blossom. On the palate, it is juicy, powerful and elegant all at once, with a fine texture, well-integrated acidity and a spicy finish. A sophisticated Cerasuolo with depth and style – far more than just a summer wine. SUPERIORE.DE

The grapes for this lovely cuvée, made primarily from Trebbiano and Pecorino, come from older vineyards. Ageing in stainless steel on the fine lees lends it structure and texture. Pale straw yellow with a delicate green hue. The bouquet reveals notes of ripe pear, citrus, white peach and subtle hints of hay and herbs. On the palate, it surprises with a refined density, lively acidity and vibrant fruitiness, which glides into a mineral, slightly salty finish. The balance between creaminess and freshness lends this white wine an appealing tension. A Bianco with a regional character, elegant expressiveness and a clear sense of origin: accessible yet multi-dimensional, a stylish example of Masciarelli's high standards. SUPERIORE.DE

Castello di Semivicoli is a great Rosso from the Chieti area and Masciarelli's first red wine cuvée. The vines in the vineyards of the province of L'Aquila were planted by Gianni Masciarelli in 2003. Medium-bodied purple red. On the nose black berries and nice peppery notes with some tobacco, violets and vanilla. Powerful and silky on the palate, polished tannin and a wonderfully fruity finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The name evokes the fields of ancient grains that once covered the hills of Spoltore before vines took root here. Since 2017, this Trebbiano has borne the name "Oro" on its label – a claim it certainly lives up to. To produce it, the Di Properzio brothers select just three hectares of old vines growing on compact limestone-loam soils near the coast. What sets Spelt Oro apart from conventional Trebbiano is the radical patience involved: After fermentation, the wine rests sur lie for four months in stainless-steel tanks, which are deliberately located outside the winery – exposed to natural temperature fluctuations. It then spends a further year in concrete. It is bottled after fifteen months, unfiltered, unclarified and without any stabilisation.

Cerasuolo certainly lives up to its name: a particularly deep, intense cherry red that makes this wine instantly recognisable. As part of the Villa Gemma range, it stands alongside the serious, powerful Riserva red wine – together with the Villa Gemma Bianco, it brings a fresh, carefree counterpoint to this flagship range. First produced in 1986. One hundred% Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, vinified "in bianco" – without the long maceration period typical of red wine. The grapes come from the Cave and Schiavone vineyards near San Martino sulla Marrucina, at an altitude of 400 metres, on clay soil with a moderate limestone content, trained using the simple Guyot system, with vines around thirty years old and a high planting density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The harvest takes place in the second and third ten-day periods of October.

The owner, Leonardo Pinzolo, cultivates 52 hectares of biodynamically certified vineyards, spread across his family estates in Popoli and Capestrano. The soils here differ from those in the rest of Abruzzo. Combined with the vineyards' higher altitude and proximity to the Gran Sasso mountains, these wines exhibit a decidedly cooler character than is usually found in Abruzzo. In the winery, fermentation takes place spontaneously and without temperature control. With the exception of a few single-vineyard wines, most wines are aged in stainless steel.

The Abruzzo is Italy's greenest region. 36% of its area is protected – comprising three national parks, one regional park and over thirty nature reserves. Valle Reale lies precisely where the Gran Sasso in the north, the Majella in the south and the Sirente-Velino in the north-west meet. The Cerasuolo is produced from the same vineyards near Popoli and Capestrano that also yield the estate's great red wines – Demeter-certified, on stony soils with excellent drainage, swept by the cool winds from the mountain passes and characterised by marked day-night temperature variations. The grapes for the Rosato are harvested earlier than those for the Montepulciano rosso – deliberately so as to preserve the freshness of the acidity. In the cellar, only indigenous yeasts are used, activated using the pied-de-cuve method: no intervention unless absolutely necessary.

The owner, Leonardo Pinzolo, cultivates 52 hectares of biodynamically certified vineyards, spread across his family estates in Popoli and Capestrano. The soils here differ from those in the rest of Abruzzo. Combined with the vineyards' higher altitude and proximity to the Gran Sasso mountains, these wines have a decidedly cooler character than is usually found in Abruzzo. In the winery, fermentation takes place spontaneously and without temperature control. With the exception of a few single-vineyard wines, most wines are aged in stainless steel.

The name 'Spelt' is a reminder of the spelt that once grew on the hills where the vineyard and the village of Spoltore now stand; the village's name itself derives from this ancient cereal. Since 1990, the Di Properzio brothers have been cultivating their vineyards here using certified organic methods, convinced that true quality can only be achieved through respect for natural balances. The grapes come from around 20 hectares in the municipalities of Spoltore, San Valentino and Scafa, at altitudes of 150 to 400 metres on a south to south-west facing slope, on medium-heavy clay soils that lend the single-varietal Montepulciano its power and structure. Following cold maceration and around three weeks' fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, the wine matures for 16 months, partly in barriques and tonneaux, and partly in large Slavonian oak casks, followed by around a year in the bottle.

In the gentle hills between Gran Sasso and Majella, where the silhouettes of Abruzzo stand out against the sky, a palazzo baronale has been enthroned since the 17th century, telling a very special love story. Castello di Semivicoli – once the summer residence of Sicilian nobles, later a military hospital, then a derelict ruin – was purchased by Gianni Masciarelli as a gift for his wife and, after years of restoration work, was transformed into one of the most beautiful wine resorts in Abruzzo. The Pecorino vines that now surround the historic building are rooted at an altitude of 380 metres in the calcareous soils of the Provincia Chieti, which have always been prized for their mineral complexity. Here, where the maritime influences of the Adriatic meet the continental mountain climate, white wines of characteristic freshness and distinct territoriality are produced.

Zanna comes from old vineyards in the best locations around Controguerra. Temperature-controlled fermentation is followed by around two years of ageing in large oak barrels and barriques. Deep ruby red colour in the glass. Black cherry, dried plums, liquorice, leather, tobacco and spices on the nose. Dense on the palate, with ripe fruit, grippy tannins and a long, slightly balsamic finish. A Riserva with a classic style and great development potential. SUPERIORE.DE

In the glass, this Trebbiano displays a pale straw-yellow colour with slightly greenish highlights – a visual hint of freshness and clarity. The nose opens with green apples, citrus notes and white flowers, underpinned by a subtle hint of mineral freshness. On the palate, it is finely structured and balanced: lively acidity, delicate fruit, clear expression and a dry, slightly salty finish. Ageing in stainless steel preserves its precision and varietal character. An uncomplicated, invigorating wine with a Mediterranean character – perfect with light dishes or seafood. SUPERIORE.DE

There are grape varieties that have to wait decades for a visionary to recognise their true potential. Trebbiano d'Abruzzo was one such forgotten variety until Gianni Masciarelli started a revolution in 1981 that changed the face of Abruzzo viticulture forever. He was the first producer in the region to introduce the Guyot training system and French barriques, driven by a philosophy he called "innovazione continua" – continuous innovation in the service of tradition. Today, the vineyards surrounding the historic Castello di Semivicoli combine the fruits of this vision with the poetry of a place that has itself experienced a rebirth. Here, between Gran Sasso and Majella at an altitude of 380 metres, two very special Trebbiano vineyards take root: one with vines over forty years old that still embody the original vigour of the variety, and a younger one that Gianni planted at the end of the 1990s using the modern Guyot system – a symbiosis of grown wisdom and innovative spirit.

In 1991, the personal and professional relationship between Gianni Masciarelli and his wife, Marina Cvetic, gave rise to the range that still bears their name today. The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva is their best-selling wine, available in 55 countries, and has played a key role in strengthening the reputation of this grape variety worldwide – today it is regarded as one of its most recognisable and distinctive expressions. The grapes come from four distinct vineyard sites around San Martino sulla Marrucina, at an altitude of 400 metres: Colle di Paolo, Fonte Filippo, Schiavone and Colle Rosina, on medium-textured clay soil, trained using the Guyot system, with vines aged between 15 and 30 years.

In the heart of Abruzzo, where snow-capped mountains and the Adriatic Sea lie just thirty kilometres apart, lies the foundation of a small revolution: San Martino sulla Marrucina, the village where, in 1981, Gianni Masciarelli realised his dream of creating world-class wines from the indigenous grape varieties of his homeland. The "Gianni Masciarelli" wine, named after him, now embodies the vision that this charismatic pioneer developed following a formative summer in Champagne – Abruzzo wines that set international standards. The hand-picked Montepulciano grapes for this DOC classic come from the historic Cocciapazza vineyard in Loreto Aprutino, 250 metres above sea level on clay-limestone soils. Marina Cvetic, Gianni's partner in life and in wine, continued the Gianni line as a tribute to the visionary founder, who was the first to introduce the Guyot system and French barriques to Abruzzo.

Düsseldorf, ProWein, 1997: Two men meet between the trade fair stands and tasting zones: Stefano Inama, who has given Garganega white wines a new dignity in Soave, and Sabatino Di Properzio, who is in the process of leading Fattoria La Valentina out of the shadow of Abruzzese mass production. What begins as an industry skirmish turns into a friendship – and an idea that Inama formulates with a joke: "Montepulciano is the Barolo of the south. We should do something together." Sabatino's answer, without hesitation: "Facciamo." Three years later, the two buy a vineyard in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore at a forced sale that nobody wants. 4.2 hectares at an altitude of 350 metres, completely south-facing, at the foot of the Majella National Park – and planted with an ancient Montepulciano clone that was abandoned long ago due to its low yields. The grapes form two-lobed panicles reminiscent of the silhouette of the African continent: the "Clone Africa". Small-berried, thick-skinned, with a concentration that more modern clones cannot match. The vines, now over fifty years old, are rooted in loamy mid-mountain soil under the traditional Abruzzese pergola – and yield just 45 quintals per hectare.

Ofena lies seventy kilometres from the main winery, at the foot of the Gran Sasso massif, in the province of L'Aquila. Due to the summer heat, the village is nicknamed "the oven of Abruzzo", as the Gran Sasso completely blocks the cooling sea breeze. And yet the vineyard is situated on a well-exposed high plateau, around 550 metres above sea level, on crumbly, gravel-rich alluvial terraced soils reminiscent of Bordeaux, which ensure excellent drainage. This dramatic night-time temperature fluctuation, combined with the unique soil composition and the altitude, transforms this seemingly contradictory site into a jewel in the Masciarelli portfolio.

The captivating Lumen is the elegant and more international answer to the power of Montepulciano: a cuvée of Montepulciano and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on clay and limestone soils around Controguerra. The 2017 vintage was quite hot and dry and produced concentrated, dense grapes with ripe fruit. After fermentation, the wine matured for around 18 months in French barriques. Dark ruby colour with violet reflections in the glass. Blackcurrant, Amarena cherry, cocoa, tobacco and a fine woody spice on the nose. Powerful and polished on the palate, with a dense texture, ripe berry fruit and a balsamic finish. Smooth tannin structure. Stylistically more modern than the Zanna, Lumen convinces with depth, freshness and a finesse-rich, long final. SUPERIORE.DE

Bellovedere is one of La Valentina's iconic wines: Pure Montepulciano from the single vineyard of the same name in the Terre dei Vestini subzone, vinified only in exceptional vintages. 2021 was one such vintage: harmonious weather conditions with cool nights and a healthy harvest resulted in grapes with structure, depth and great aromatic balance. Fermentation takes place over 30 days in conical wooden fermenters, with ageing in a combination of barriques, tonneaux and cement – a finely balanced style between concentration and finesse.

In 1991, Gianni Masciarelli took a step that was somewhat unusual for the Abruzzo region: he planted Chardonnay, a grape variety with no tradition in the region, and dedicated the resulting wine to his wife, Marina. 35 years later, an exclusive tasting at the Castello di Semivicoli demonstrated just how far-reaching that decision had been – in a direct comparison with a Chardonnay from Burgundy, produced by Albert Bichot, the Abruzzo wine proved its own ageing potential and depth. This special edition celebrates precisely this anniversary. The grapes come from the Fonte Filippo and Bucchianico vineyards near San Martino sulla Marrucina, at an altitude of 350 metres, where the vines are trained using the traditional Abruzzese pergola method combined with Guyot. Fermentation takes place – unusually for the region – directly in wood for 15 to 30 days – a demanding process that lends the Chardonnay structure and depth right from the start.