Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Masterclass in New York.

Very exciting to attend the Simply Italian Great Wines US Tour happening in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

So many producers from Italy arrived to share their delicious wines, many of them familiar from other Simply Italian Great Wines from other years, and from visits.

Today in New York, guests could attend a walk around tasting and several masterclasses. These masterclasses, led by experts in the regions, focused on both regions and leading grape varieties.

I attended the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo seminar, led by Joe Campanale, author and proprietor of two Italian restaurants in New York, and Davide Acearra of the Abruzzo d’Montepulciano region.

Mr. Acearra began with a description of Abruzzo and its unique topography, such as the way the grand mountains are only forty minutes by car from the sea.

This demonstrates the diversity of the climate, which impacts the flavor of wine from the specific terrior.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

In addition to the climate and topography, Abruzzo boasts several different soil types that has an impact on the wine as well.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the main red grape variety in Abruzzo. It is the iconic red grape variety of Abruzzo, in the same way Pinot Noir is the symbolic red grape of Burgundy.

What I liked best about the tasting component of this seminar is the way that we saw diverse examples of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, including delicious wine produced by a cooperative and also by the daughter of Abruzzo’s most iconic producers.

The Tasting

The wines below are 100% Montepulciano d’Abruzzo as mandated by the consortium.

This is a classic good everyday drinking red wine representing very good value for the price.

2021 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from Gennaro Pigliacampo winery

This recent release shows the potential longevity of these wines. Though youthful, its extensive aging process (months in stainless steel followed by additional aging in barrique then bottle) showed that it can improve with additional years in bottle.

2020 Vere Novo from Cantina Mazzarosa

This wine comes from one of the oldest wineries in Abruzzo. The grapes are whole bunched pressed which imbued it with a savory nature.

2019 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo  from Fosso Corno  

The extensive aging process of this Riserva wine included 9 month aging in oak  

Over four years old, this wine still tastes very fresh with remarkable acidity and balancing tannins.

2017 Cape Le Vigne from Famiglia di Carlo

Long maceration on the skins is partly responsible for this wines excellent balance and great depth of flavor. 

2017 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from Tocco winery

Carefully selected grapes and wild yeast are two of the key elements responsible for this wine’s depth of flavor.

I was lucky enough to have visited this estate earlier this year. Stefania is the daughter of the iconic Emidio Pepe, and started her bio-centered winery on her own.

When Stefania started her project, she was a literal one woman operation – and the same holds true today. This delicious wine is proof positive that she’s succeeded in her quest for quality while remaining true to the land.

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Margiotta Winery is located in Abruzzo’s historic Peligna Valley, and remains a popular destination on the Abruzzo wine route.

I found myself charmed during my Margiotta Winery visit, mostly because of the young, energetic, jean-clad Francesca Margiotta,  representing the 5th generation of winemakers.

With the energy of a Jack-in-the-box toy, Francesca sprang to life at our visit, bubbling over with excitement as she explained the terroir (we couldn’t visit due to the rain) then ushered us into the Margiotta Winery barrel room. 

Margiotta Winery: The Grapes

Margiotta Winery grows indigenous grape varieties (Montepulciano, Pecorino and Trebbiano) that form the basis of elegant wines with character.

The decision to grow indigenous grapes represents the winery’s concept of respecting biodiversity and the natural cycles of the environment.

Margiotta Winery Food pairing

The winery offers several wine tasting packages, including one with enough appetizers (cheese/meat) to be considered a suitable lunch.

Curious about other Abruzzo wineries?

Bosco Winery

Agriverde Winery

Villamagna DOC

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Bosco is one of the oldest wineries in Abruzzo, created in the late 19th century by young Giovanni Bosco who began cultivating vines around the city of Pescara in the south east region of Abruzzo.

Bosco Winery: Ancient Wine Implements

The winery is still family owned. During the pandemic, the family created a museum of the implements found on the property.

Bosco Tour, Tasting, and Lunch

The export director gave us an excellent tour of the winery, including the barrel room and the museum.

In addition to the vineyard tools, the family museum offered furniture and cooking implements used by the family through the years.

We enjoyed many wines during the chef-prepared lunch, including a delicious barrel aged Chardonnay and a toothsome Montepulciano.

Want to learn more about Italian wine?

Related Stories:

Agriverde Winery

Cantina Frentana

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In 2011, the Villamagna DOC was established after several winegrowers decided it was time to create stricter quality standards for the growing of their Montepulciano grapes and the maturation of their wines.

The movement began in the late 1990s, but it took more than a decade to win their own appellation.

Villamagna DOC Producder Tables

Abruzzo is famous for its Montepulciano grape, the way Chianti Classico is known for its Sangiovese and Umbria for its signature Sagrantino grape.

Villamagna DOC: Taste the Difference

The producers of Villagmagna got together during the Abruzzo Wine Experience to offer their wines for journalists to taste.

The format was for journalists to visit the various tables, and taste two wines of every producer, typically a recent vintage and a riserva.

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Wine Resources

After the first tasting, it was clear that the stricter standards that Villagmagna imposes shines through in the wine. The emphasis on strict viticulture protocol and especially the longer maturation requirements result in very fine Montepulciano wine.

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Soil in the Villamagna Doc is a mix of limestone, marl, and clay, which the producers say result in more complex aromas.

The wines are released three years after the harvest to give the wines the possibility to improve with bottle age.

Overall, the wines were rich, with soft velvet tannins, a long length of finish, and aromas and flavors including cherries and violets.

Overall Impression

Though impressed by the high quality of the Villamagna wine, I was also pleased with the way that the producers all worked so seamlessly together.

They appeared intent on raising awareness of the Villamagna region as a cohesive group, not simply producers who shared vineyards in the same geographical area.

Wine Dinner Under the Stars

After the tasting, the producers put on a casual dinner under the stars in the town square.

It was fun to speak to the producers individually and learn their histories. Many of them had attended elementary school together, and have been longtime friends.

I was proud and grateful to raise a glass with them that night.

Want to learn more about Italian Wine?

Related Abruzzo Stories:

Agriverde Winery

Cantina Frentana

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One of the many spectacular wineries I visited in Abruzzo during the Abruzzo Wine Experience was the Agriverde Winery. The export manager who led the tour explained it was the signature certified organic winery chosen by “team Ferrari” to toast the victory during the Formula 1 Grand Prix. 

Beyond that honor, the winery had some of the highest accolades in the wine world – visitors could see the various plaques and certificates in the hall leading to the elegant tasting room.

Agriverde Winery Awards

Though the winery itself looks “low key,” the cellar of the winery had been constructed with the principles of bio-architecture.

Unassuming when viewed from the exterior amidst the picturesque landscape, the architecht used wood, steel, and glass to establish the cellar. He even used eco-friendly paints and glues. Electrical systems are protected against magnetic fields.

The cellar consists of a large underground room, outfitted with air conditioners, to provide a controlled and efficient atmosphere for resting and aging of wines in barriques and tonneaux. 

Respect for Nature

Grape Varieties Used

The winery uses a variety of international and local grapes within the Abruzzo DOC and IGP regions.

Montepulciano, Trebbiano, Cerasuolo, Pecorino, Passerina, Cococciola, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay

During harvesting, they only use manual methods of grape picking to select the more accurate bunch to produce rich-quality red, white, and rose wines, together with top-class dessert and sparkling wines.

Agriverde Tasting

The excellent tasting included the following wines:

Pecorino 2021

White flower, peach, high acidity

Cerisuolo 2021 

From the Montepulciano grape – strawberry fresh fruit, passion fruit  – very refreshing

Montepulciano 2018

Aged in French oak, very high end gastronomic wine.

You can read more about the Agriverde winery here

You can discover more about Italian wine here

Curious about an Abruzzo wine cooperative? Read about the Frentana Winery here

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When most wine lovers think of Italy, red wine like Nebbiolo and Sangiovese typically come to mind. Yet the red Montepulciano grape is king in Abruzzo, a charming mountainous region bordered by the Adriatic sea.

Historically – and even today – much of the wine is produced by cooperatives. In 1964, Emidio Pepe helped put Abruzzo on the quality map what may be called his “Burgundian” approach to terrior, low yields, and gentle pressing.

Today, cooperatives and small wineries are increasingly following his lead in focusing on quality rather than quantity. An example can be found with the Cantina Frentana cooperative. Created in 1958, it had been the first modern cooperative with state-of-the-art technology.

Magic Within The Tower

1958 marks the year of this winery’s birth. The year is reflected in its architecture, a soaring modern tower symbolizing the message of hope, rebirth, and modernization symbolized by this post WWII era.

Architecture is the first thing one notices on the drive to the Cantina Frentana, as the winery’s shape is a five-story circular tower. Stepping inside it’s easy to make comparisons to the Guggenheim Museum in New York with its spiral shape.

On the first floor of the spiral are the cement and inox tanks. Below that likes the maturation cellar, filled with large Slavonian oak botti and smaller barrels.

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Wine Resources

Cantina Frentana: Circular Tasting Room

The next step was the sleek circular tasting room on the fifth floor, overlooking a panoramic view of the bucolic countryside. Music playing during the tasting echoed the Jet Jetson “futuristic” 1950s theme, reinforced by the cruise ship style porthole windows at the top. A spiral staircase helped adventurous guests visit the circular terrace.

Our guide, the general manager Felice Di Biase, led us in a tutored tasting of five wines along with the winemaker paired with a variety of local dishes.

If you’re curious to learn more about Italian wines, click this link. 

Cocociola Grape at Cantina Frentana

Mr. Di Biase kicked the tasting off with a refreshing glass of sparkling Cocociola, an Italian grape variety from the east coast of southern Italy, specifically Abruzzo and northern Puglia. It is a green-skinned grape that produces straw-colored wine with pronounced acidity and grassy, herbaceous aromas comparable to those found in  Sauvignon Blanc.

Cantina Frentana Pecorino Wine

The winery makes two styles of Pecorino, the local iconic grape, a low-priced version for the export market and a higher quality, very toothsome wine for local gastronomic consumption.

I loved the higher end Pecorino, the ultimate gastronomic white wine with a corduroy texture and a long length of finish.

Cantina Frentana Montepulciano

Montepulciano

Montepulciano is the “money grape” in Abruzzo, like Cabernet Sauvignon is in the Napa Valley. You will find many levels of quality in Abruzzo, with the best examples aged in botti.

Mr. Di Biase treated me to the 2017, which would make a fine pairing with steak.

Cantina Frentana: Summing it Up

 It was a treat to visit this first modern cooperative in Cantina Frentana, and experience the magic of what must have been a real historical landmark in 1958 – almost like the round Capitol Records building in Hollywood.

As I tasted the delicious wines, I imagined in my mind’s eye all the local people looking up at this tower for miles around.

Thank you Mr. Di Biase and the Abruzzo Consortium

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Wine From Abruzzo

Abruzzo is beautiful and lush with vibrant green forests that are protected UNESCO World Heritage sites.

It is best known for its Roman artifacts as well as its famous rosato wine known as Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo.

This is a rose-colored wine from Abruzzo made from the indigenous Montepulciano grape.

This is not to be confused with the wine style known as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is  a Tuscan wine made from Sangiovese and other grapes.

Wine From Abruzzo

I have fond memories of my visit to the Abruzzo wine region some years back.

At the time, I was quickly charmed by its humble winemakers, and the delicious white and red wine of the region.

This includes the Montepulciano grape variety for the red wines, and Trebbiano and other varieties for the whites.

In addition to visiting several wineries during that Abruzzo visit, I had the opportunity to visit many museums.

Most offered relics from ancient Rome.

This includes plates, glassware, serving utensils.

Also other aspects of daily Roman life in Abruzzo that had somehow been preserved.

I remember standing in front of all these beautiful exhibits of ancient jugs and plates, and thinking about the people of ancient Abruzzo.

And wine from Abruzzo.

What kind of wine did they enjoy?

The ancient Romans loved wine, so surely those jugs behind the glass wall of the Abruzzo museum held their fare share of wine.

Yet it was not until today, when Winebow invited me to taste some wines made from the Abruzzo Codice Citra cooperative at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that I remembered that magical visit to Abruzzo.

Culinary Curator: Angelis Nannos

On hand to show items that may have been used in connection with wine in Abruzzo, a key city in ancient Rome, was Angelis Nannos.

Do you remember your childhood copy of the book The Cat in the Hat?

Angelis Nannos with his quick movements, rounded John Lennon glasses, and striped “magical” tote bag is the  personification of the cat character in this classic children’s book.

A Civil Engineer from Greece by profession, Angelis created a new life for himself as a Culinary curator.

He took it upon himself to introduce food-obsessed New Yorkers and tourists to the culinary arts available in the city.

Today, Angelis’s mission was to present the different ways wine – and food – was served in ancient days through the artifacts on  at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Then, having seen these artifacts, it was possible to taste the present-day wine from Abruzzo wine at a beautifully set table in the fine dining restaurant of the Metropolitan Museum dining room.

Wines from Abruzzo

Today Winebow introduced Codice Citra cooperative wines, estate grown and bottled wines from a collection of family-owned vineyards.

Passed down from generation to generation, these families maintain small vineyards with great attention to personal care.

Today I was able to taste white wine from the less well known Pecorino, Passerina and (crazy fun-named) Cococciola grapes along with a 2013 Riserva red from the Montepulciano grape.

The 2017 Ferzo Pecorino Terre di Chieti IGP retails for just $26 and was delicious and refreshing.

The 2017 Ferzo Cococciola Terre di Chieti IGP is also priced at $26, and is a crisp “Tuesday night wine” especially during the summer.

The 2017 Ferzo Passerina Terre di Chieti is at the same price point, and is somewhat similar to the Pecorino but has a bit more texture.

At $30, the red Caroso Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva DOP 2013 Riserva was a modestly oaked red wine with just enough tannic bite to accompany a grilled summer steak.

In warm weather, you might even want to serve it chilled.

Abruzzo Wine: The More Things Change, The More Things Stay the Same

I remember thinking that everything is so new and different in the modern age.

Yet in seeing all the ancient artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum today, it was quite clear that not that much has changed after all.

For example, culinary curator Angelis Nannos showed me an ancient grocery list that featured items not so different from today.

A chicken. Chickpeas. A loaf of bread.

And wine from Abruzzo of course!

Just as today, where “modern people” have an ice bucket to keep their wine cold, in ancient Rome they also had a low-tech device to accomplish the same thing without ice cubes or electricity.

Wine from Abruzzo

The white wines and red wines of Abruzzo are a real value in today’s wine world.

The whites are crisp and refreshing, and the reds earthy and delicious.

Ferzo and Caroso wines are excellent values for the price, and well worth searching out.

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