Zaccagnini

A grape variety like a phoenix rising from the ashes: Pecorino was considered almost extinct until the 1980s, displaced by higher-yielding varieties. Then it was rediscovered – and today this ancient Abruzzese grape is experiencing a spectacular renaissance. According to legend, it owes its name to the sheep (pecora), which loved to nibble on the sweet berries as they travelled through the vineyards. At Zaccagnini, pecorino grows on clayey soils in the provinces of Pescara and Chieti. The harvest at the end of August – later than for Trebbiano and Pinot Grigio – gives the wine its characteristic structure. After cryomaceration and gentle vacuum pressing, the must ferments at a low temperature in stainless steel.

The small vine wood on the neck of the bottle tells a story: In Bolognano, the small village in the province of Pescara where Zaccagnini has been making wine since 1978, the local women tie each Tralcetto to the bottle by hand with raffia. A symbol of the connection with the land that has long since become a trademark. The Bianco di Ciccio comes from vineyards on clayey soils, where the vines grow partly on the classic pergola and partly on a trellis. An early harvest at the beginning of August preserves the lively acidity. After gentle vacuum pressing and cold clarification, only the fine must fraction ferments at a controlled low temperature – a process that maximises freshness and aroma.

Cerasuolo is not a rosé – at least not in the fashionable sense. It is an independent type of wine with its own DOC since 2010, deeply rooted in Abruzzo's wine culture. The name is derived from cerasa, the dialect word for cherry, and describes the characteristic colour that has accompanied the region's tables for centuries. Zaccagnini's Tralcetto is a lesson in what Montepulciano can do without prolonged contact with the skins: The grapes are gently pressed and only the must is fermented at a low temperature – at a low temperature to preserve the fruit. Brief ageing in stainless steel, then into the bottle.

Pinot Grigio from Abruzzo? Yes, and how! What often degenerates into a bland, mass-produced wine in Veneto or Friuli gains real character in the hills of Chieti. The clayey soils and the interplay of the Adriatic breeze and the cool of the Apennines lend this international grape variety a freshness and aromatic profile that you'd search for in vain elsewhere. The grapes are harvested early in the first half of August to preserve acidity and aroma. After gentle vacuum pressing, only the free-run juice is fermented at a low temperature. A brief period of ageing on the lees lends the wine additional texture and depth before it is matured in stainless steel.

The small piece of vine wood around the neck of the bottle is more than just a nice touch – it is Zaccagnini's trademark and a symbol of a philosophy: nothing from the vineyard is wasted; even the prunings find a use. Since 1978, the Zaccagnini family has been working in Bolognano, deep in the mountainous hinterland of the province of Pescara, where the vineyards lie as if in an amphitheatre, sheltered by snow-capped mountains. Here, where fresh winds blow through a mountain pass every day, the Montepulciano grape thrives in ideal conditions. Following a gentle hand-harvest and temperature-controlled maceration, the wine matures for six months in Slavonian oak barrels before spending a further three months in the bottle to achieve its final harmony.

The Riserva version of the famous "Tralcetto" is a modern expression of Montepulciano from Abruzzo – powerful and dense, yet always distinct in style. The 2021 vintage was selectively harvested by hand and, following traditional maceration, aged for nine months in large wooden casks, which lends the wine structure and depth.

Chronicon – the name sounds like history, and that is exactly what this wine delivers: a chronicle of what Montepulciano is capable of in the hills of Bolognano. The vines grow around the estate, overlooking the Majella National Park, on clayey soils with a westerly exposure. The grapes are harvested by hand at the end of September, followed by a good two weeks of maceration at a controlled temperature – long enough to extract colour, structure and the typical varietal fruit. Ageing in oak barrels for six to nine months gives the wine a polished finish without over-moulding it.

In the top "San Clemente" line, Zaccagnini takes Montepulciano from Abruzzo to a new level - towards origin, depth and maturity. The 2019 Riserva comes from the Terre di Casauria DOC area, one of the most characterful zones in the region, located between the Majella massif and the Adriatic coast. The vineyards there are located on calcareous and clayey slopes with good drainage and ideal exposure - a terroir that gives the Montepulciano structure, density and balance. The 2019 vintage was selectively harvested, fermented on the skins at a controlled temperature and then matured for around 24 months in a combination of barriques and large wooden barrels. The use of wood remains discreet, accompanying but not dominating.