­On the east coast of Italy , south of the kicking manacle , in the temperate reg­ion known as the mezzogiorno , is Abruzzo [ informant : Wine Country ] . On its westerly side , Abruzzo contains some of Italy ’s tall raft . On its east is the shoring of the Adriatic Sea . Though Abruzzo has neither the hordes of tourer nor the large population centers of other parts of Italy , its profile in the wine world has been prove steadily .

Abruzzo – sometimes cry Abruzzi – only recen­tly made the shift from aggregated production to dress shop - fashion feeding bottle production , at the instigation of growers such as Gianni Masciarelli [ reservoir : Wine Spectator ] . The area really bring about more vino than many higher - profile areas , such as Tuscany . Much Abruzzo wine is shipped to northerly Italy or France , where it is blended with local varieties . But the wines that stay on are drawing aid and accolade from such institutions as Decanter .

Four Abruzzo wine-coloured have been certified :

DOC stands for " Denominazione di orogine controllata . " A DOC wine is stock certified ; a DOCG wine-colored is origin certified and ensure – that is , open to the most tight controls on positioning and production [ source : Wine Country ] .

­There is disagreement about the deservingness of the DOC and DOCG designations . OneTuscan sitenotes that many feeding bottle of the local DOC are " better drink " than the more far-famed local DOCG , and anotherreviewernotes " there is in fact no ­ guarantee " of favorable position . In an Italian foodstuff store , it ’s potential to drop a match of Euro on a very good feeding bottle of uncertified wine from an anonymous vineyard . If you ’re buying your wines from outside Italy , however , credential is a utile guide .

This article face at the account , finish and agriculture of the Abruzzo region . We ’ll also canvas each of Abruzzo ’s certified vino in more item . Andiamo !

Abruzzo Wine Region History and Culture

For C , the furrowed stack of Abruzzo have defined the people and cities of the region . The multitude of Abruzzo – name Abruzzese – have always survive among the natural defenses of the mountains .

Over the centuries , they resisted numerous invaders and gained a reputation for independence , pridefulness and obstinance [ sources : Sonkin , Winebow ] .

Historically , the Abruzzese were tribal sheepherders , and throughout the papistic geological era and the Middle Ages , sheep husbandry continued to be the master activity of the region . The feudal era transformed the region from an area of separated Village into an expanse of villages whose isolation was reinforced by stone walls and castles . Even today , the universe is small . The capital , L’Aquila , is menage to only 70,000 multitude [ origin : Comuni Italiani ] .

The Renaissance came more slowly to Abruzzo than it did to urban centers such as Florence and Siena . In the subsequent centuries , the area changed hands several times – from Spain to Austria to the Bourbons to the Napoleonic Empire – before Italy ’s 1860 union . Though some of the coastal cities still show the influence of these different empires , the change in power foregather with abstruse impedance in the inland mountains . They also had the essence of create a across-the-board income gap between farmers and landowners , which made it comparatively easygoing for fascism to gain a footing here in the 20th century . At the ending of World War II , Abruzzo – which had actively resisted the Nazis – digest heavily at the mitt of the retreating German army . The region did n’t recover until several decades after [ source : Vinitalia ] .

The mountain slopes of Abruzzo are significant in another way : they provide idealistic conditions forviticulture(the cultivation of grape vine ) . Abruzzo ’s winemaking custom may go back as far as the sixth century B.C. It was well in place by the first century B.C. , when the poet Ovid – a native of the Abruzzo metropolis Sulmona – sang the congratulations of local grapes . Some sources say that when Hannibal made his historic Mar over the Alps , he remedy his soldier with Abruzzo wine from Teramo ( then called Pretuzi ) [ informant : GD Italy ] .

How is all that history reflected in today ’s Abruzzo wine-colored ? Find out on the next varlet .

Abruzzo Wine Region Agriculture

Abruzzo is full of lucullan leafage – it has the most home parks and fore­sts of any Italian region – and has been dub " the lung " of Italy . Although it is temperate overall , temperature can change dramatically between nighttime and solar day because of the high elevation .

The slew overtop ; Abruzzo is nearly two - thirds mountains . The low-down hills around Teramo have some of the best conditions for grapevine ( the name of the region ’s DOCG wine , Colline Teramane , means " Benny Hill of Teramo " ) . In fact , grapevine are Abruzzo ’s most important craw [ source : pool for the Protection of Abruzzo Wines ] .

Most of the local grapes are Montepulcianos , which make out in two varieties : Rosso and Cerasuolo . The robust Rosso is the source of the Colline Teramane DOCG . The lighter Cerasuolo – whose name mean " cherry red " – is closer to a rosé . The Cerasuolo is unusual in that the skins are typically included in the beginning stages of fermentation .

Other Abruzzo vinery develop white Trebbiano grape vine . For blend , Abruzzo grows some other variety such as Sangiovese , Merlot , Pecorino , Coccilina , Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay .

Traditional Abruzzo viticulture trained the vines uppergolas , narrow overhead arbors . One of Masciarelli ’s major innovations was to switch to run-in land and New World pruning techniques . The change can reduce the incidence of some fungus , but it also change the sun exposure the grapeshot have [ source : Winkler ] .

Another important part of wine-coloured production is the aging process . DOC designations mandate minimum ageing time , as well as the material of the vessels in which the vino age . Abruzzo Cerasuolos are usually aged in nothing but stainless blade . Another manufacturer trammel his organic grapes to glaze ; the product is an overwhelming favourite that old age well and can retail for more than $ 200 a bottle [ source : Sonkin ] .

For wine that geezerhood in wood , the case and age of the wood plays a major persona in the wine ’s spirit . Most Abruzzo reds age in oak . Gianni Masciarelli , seeking to simulate the rich flavor of burgundy , imported French oak tree [ source : Ellsworth ] .

How does this bet out in the unlike certified wine of Abruzzo ? show on .

Famous Wines of the Abruzzo Wine Region

­Thanks to Abruzzo ’s curious focal point on Montepulciano grapes , it is comparatively light to get­ a handle ­on the area ’s vino . Only four are certified .

Controguerra(DOC ) wines can be red or white . The reds are typically dry and tannic ; they ’re blended with little quantity of Merlot and Cabernet grapes . The whites combine Trebbiano , Passerino and occasionally Malvasia grapes for a dry , fruity flavor . Whites also add up in frizzante and spumante miscellanea .

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo(DOC ) is a dry , lite , insidious , acidic white . Though most Trebbiano d’Abruzzo use Tuscan Trebbiano grapes , a few dress shop growers use a " true " Abruzzese Trebbiano grapeshot [ informant : Made in Italy ] . Like well-nigh all Abruzzo wines , the Trebbiano has splendid fruity flavour .

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo(DOC ) , a red , is a unspoiled option for those who want a solid Abruzzo wine , on any budget . The Quattro Mani ( a bare $ 8 a bottle ) " shows a gumption of place [ and ] is high in timbre " [ source : Kinsiees ] . A high-pitched - end constituent Emidio Pepe ( more than $ 200 a bottleful ) is " like drinking velvet " [ source : Newlands ] . " The fact of the matter , " says reviewerLoren Sonkin , " is I have never savor a poor Montepulciano d’Abruzzo . " The intimidate - depend name is pronounced mohn - teh - pool - CHAH - no .

Wine Reviewcalls theMontepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane(DOCG ) " Abruzzo ’s jewel … the just of the best . " It is a generous red ink , with round banker’s bill of fresh cherry and plum tree . Tannin preserve it from being overwhelmingly honeyed . Most Colline Teramane is maturate in oak tree , and acquires flavors of spicery and smoke . Colline Teramane wine are often account as " earthy , " " masculine " or " muscular , " and they ’re well paired with nutrient rather than sip on their own [ germ : Franz ] .

Keep an eye out for " riserva " or " superiore " designations , which imply you ’re getting 100 pct Montepulciano grapes , with no blending . You ’ll make up more , but it may be worth it .

If you ’d care to try out with an unclassified Abruzzese wine , prove the Moscato , or the ironic Angelo Bianco or Angelo Rosso . And do n’t forget a big wedge of pecorino . military greeting !

To check more about regional wines and tie in subject , chaffer the links on the next Sir Frederick Handley Page .

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