La Valentina

An appealing Trebbiano in its purest form – organically grown in the hills near Spoltore. Pale straw yellow with silvery highlights. The bouquet offers crisp apple, lemon, white peach and a hint of almond blossom. On the palate, it is lively, crisp and straightforward, with fine acidity, cool fruit notes and a delicate mineral finish. A refreshing, unpretentious white wine with a regional character – purist in style, precisely vinified and ideal for light meals and after-work drinks. SUPERIORE.DE

Cerasuolo – the name is derived from "cerasa", meaning cherry, and also describes the vibrant colour of this rosé made from 100% Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. The Di Properzio brothers have been producing it in Spoltore, near Pescara, since 1990: hand-harvested, 18 hours' maceration, followed by saignée and slow fermentation at a low temperature in stainless steel. No oak, no frills – just the grape variety and the terroir. Cherry red in the glass, with fresh sour cherry, strawberry and a hint of pomegranate on the nose. On the palate, lively acidity, a juicy mouthfeel and a salty minerality that recalls its proximity to the Adriatic Sea. Not a pale terrace rosé, but a wine with backbone – and one of Italy’s often-underestimated rosati. SUPERIORE.DE

La Valentina's reliable classic with substance: a single-varietal Montepulciano from organically farmed vineyards near Pescara. In the glass, a deep ruby red with a purplish sheen. On the nose, ripe cherries, blackberries, a hint of violets and delicately spicy notes of pepper and herbs. On the palate, it is smooth, with juicy fruit, a well-balanced structure and a pleasantly fresh finish. A typical example of its origin – uncomplicated, powerful and remarkably well-balanced. SUPERIORE.DE

This characterful Pecorino comes from the gentle hills of the Colline Pescaresi, where cooler air currents from the Apennines mingle with maritime freshness. Pale straw yellow with greenish highlights. Delicate aromas of lime, white peach, yellow melon and wild fennel. Fresh and juicy on the palate, with lively acidity, delicate fruit and a hint of salty minerality. An elegant white wine that expresses its terroir – crystal-clear, invigorating and authentically Abruzzese. SUPERIORE.DE

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

The extremely successful "Binomio" joint venture between Fattoria La Valentina and Azienda Agricola Inama is entering a new round. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the La Valentina winery, a new wine was born, which is only produced in the best vintages and in limited small editions.