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 neutral mass-produced wine in Veneto or Friuli gains character in the hills of Chieti. The clayey soils and the combination of Adriatic breezes and Apennine coolness give the international grape variety a freshness and flavour that you will look for in vain elsewhere. The grapes are harvested early in the first half of August to preserve acidity and flavour. After gentle vacuum pressing, only the pre-fermentation must ferments at a low temperature. A short period on the lees gives the wine additional texture and depth before it is matured in stainless steel.

The small vine wood on the neck of the bottle is more than just a nice gesture – it is the trademark of Zaccagnini and symbolises a philosophy: nothing from the vineyard is wasted, even the pruning finds its place. Since 1978, the Zaccagnini family has been working in Bolognano, deep in the mountainous hinterland of the province of Pescara, where the vineyards lie like an amphitheatre, protected by snow-capped mountains. Here, where fresh winds blow daily through a mountain gorge, the Montepulciano grape thrives in ideal conditions. After gentle manual harvesting and temperature-controlled maceration, the wine matures for six months in Slavonian oak barrels before finding its final harmony in the bottle for a further three months.

The Riserva version of the famous "Tralcetto" is a modern expression of Montepulciano from Abruzzo - more powerful, denser, but always clear in its style. The 2021 vintage was selectively harvested by hand and aged for 9 months in large wooden barrels after traditional mash fermentation, which gives the wine structure and depth without masking the fruit.

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.

Trebbiano can be more than just a fresh summer wine – as Zaccagnini's San Clemente has been proving for years. Named after the Romanesque abbey of San Clemente a Casauria, a national monument in the heart of the Valle Casauria, this wine is a commitment to the depth of an often underestimated grape variety. The grapes come from old vines on clayey soils with a south-westerly exposure, where the constant ventilation between the Apennines and the Adriatic ensures perfect ripeness. The grapes are harvested by hand at the end of September, beginning of October – later than Tralcetto, riper and more concentrated. The actual transformation begins in the cellar: 14 days of maceration at a cool 14-16°C extract texture and complexity without sacrificing freshness. The wine then matures for six months in untoasted barriques – the wood provides structure, not flavour.

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.