Chomping at the Bit: New Releases from Abruzzo

BY ERIC GUIDO |&nbsp;AUGUST 24, 2023Abruzzo could be
the next emerging region in Italy. Beneath the ocean of forgettable tank wines
and vast vineyards that feed the large production cooperatives, there’s a
murmur of a high-quality, artisanal revolution. However, the road to achieving
such status will be long, and it will take even longer to convince consumers
that this is the case.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1692806404238-1-COVER-Looking+out+across+the+gentle+hills+of+Cugnoli+from+Cristiana+Tiberio_copy.jpg">Looking out across the gentle hills of Cugnoli from Cristiana Tiberio. 

First
and foremost, I am very happy to report that there have been significant changes
in the rules, governing body and overall outlook for the future in Abruzzo.
However, these changes have not yet resulted in a surge in quality. Let’s start
with a few issues I cited in last year's report.

A
significant point that I discussed in the article, <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/abruzzo-the-great-divide-oct-2022">Abruzzo:
The Great Divide</a>, was that “a reorganization of the main DOCs is required in
order to keep the region’s leading producers within the appellations while
addressing their needs, even if it is something as simple as the allowance of
village or place names, such as Loreto Aprutino, Ofena or Cugnoli, so that
these producers have some way to distinguish themselves.”

Moreover,
I cited issues with bulk Montepulciano being bottled outside of Abruzzo yet
labeled under the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC and then sold at a price that
undercuts many regional producers. Lastly, the Consorzio di Tutela Vini
d’Abruzzo, the biggest and most active producers’ association, had never
had a president that was not the leader of a large cooperative or bulk
producer, meaning that smaller and family-run wineries never felt like their
own governing entity adequately represented them or that the Consorzio had
their best interests in mind. It was “a system that favors mass production and
cooperative winemaking.”

It’s incredible
how much can change in one year, but there is much work to do for Abruzzo to
recognize many of its elite producers properly. The Consorzio has been working
to alter the DOCs regulations since 2019, which would help fix many issues
cited above. A major change that took place at the end of 2022 was the election
of a new president, Alessandro Nicodemi, the first private wine producer to
hold the position. The second was unveiling the new plan that the Consorzio had
hinted at previously.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1692806432526-2-Chiara+Ciavolich%2C+Loreto+Aprutino+2_copy.jpg">Forty-eight-year-old Pergola-trained Trebbiano vines at Chiara Ciavolich. Introducing Superiore and Riserva The
classifications of Superiore and Riserva will go into full effect with vintage 2023.
To be clear, the Superiore designation already exists for Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
and Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo. However, it's now extended to the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
DOC and Abruzzo DOC. As a stipulation for using the new classifications,
winemakers must also indicate the appellation where the wine was produced. The
current appellations include the northern region of Colline Teramane (Teramo
province), near the border with Marche. The rather large and central Colline
Pescaresi (Pescara province) can be quite Mediterranean near the sea and
more mild verging on continental throughout the hilly interior. Terre de
L'Aquila (L’Aquila province) covers the western reaches of Abruzzo, and Terre
di Chieti (Chieti province) comprehends the areas around Chieti and the
hills that once formed the Colline Teatine IGT.&nbsp;Together with Controguerra,
Villamagna and Ortona DOCs, the Abruzzo DOC is the one that requires bottling
in the region.

The
Consorzio’s long-term aim is to restrict where the Superiore and Riserva wines
of the Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
DOCs are bottled to only the appellations where they are made. This means that it
is possible that in the future, a Superiore or Riserva cannot be bottled
outside of Abruzzo. This will be useful to winemakers who want to distinguish
themselves from the bulk wines that flood the market. The Consorzio also hopes
it will inspire growers who currently sell their production to large bottlers outside
of the region to keep the grapes within Abruzzo, where they will be more
valuable.

With
the new addition of the appellations, the eight existing territorial IGTs have
now been removed, leaving only the new Terre d’Abruzzo IGT, which is awaiting
EU approval. However, this presents unique challenges to producers who proudly
used these IGTs in the past to indicate specific terroir. Tiberio is a perfect
example. Their Colline Pescaresi Pecorino, labeled as an IGT and clearly representing
the terroir of the hilly interior of the region, will now be lumped together
with wines from drastically different geological locations. Cristiana Tiberio,
a huge proponent of the importance of place, explained, "I’m sad to see
how the classification doesn’t consider the aspect of the grape variety or the
characters of the terroir, and doesn’t distinguish the area." Her concern
is focused on the size and wide-spanning terroir of Colline Pescaresi, which
will permit a Pecorino tank wine sourced from the flat-lands near the coast to
be grouped into the same category as her higher elevation vineyards that are
drastically affected by the surrounding mountains.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1692806475207-3-Clay%2C+Sand+and+Limestone+soils+at+Praesidium+in+the+Peligna+Valley_copy.jpg">Clay, sand and limestone soils at Praesidium in the Peligna Valley. 

To
me, these changes, while made with good intent, were hastily drawn up. It will
be many years before we see their positive effect. To be clear, this is a huge
move in the right direction, but it will also take time before they appease
many of the region's wineries, who are demanding further definition of terroir.
For instance, the producers of Loreto Aprutino formed the Custodes Lauretum association
to promote their own unique terroir. These are some of the top producers in
Abruzzo, including Ciavolich, Valentini, Torre dei Beati, De Fermo, Amoratti
and Talamonti. While these new rules will help to distinguish them from a bulk
producer of Montepulciano, they do not help to communicate much to consumers
since Loreto Aprutino would again fall into the vast Colline Pescaresi place
name. The good news is that the Consorzio has plans to expand further upon the
defined subzones, such as adding villages, additional Geographical Units and single
vineyard mentions. However, it will be years before we see all of this happen.

While
it would be wonderful to think that the first official vintage of Montepulciano
d’Abruzzo Superiore could be a good and plentiful year full of wines we can
celebrate, Mother Nature had other plans. Like much of Central Italy, Abruzzo
has been plagued by rain throughout most of 2023, including two months of rain
and cloudy skies in the spring that brought upon the worst case of Peronospora
(downy mildew) the region has ever seen. During my visit in July 2023, the
humidity in the vineyards and the extreme heat were nearly unbearable, even
under sunny skies. At the time, reports from Chieti spoke of producers
estimating a 70% loss in production. In Cugnoli and Loreto Aprutino, most
estimated 25-35% while at Emidio Pepe, Chiara De Iulis Pepe spoke of 35-40%
loss. To make matters worse, at the time that this article is being written, rains
have returned to the region after a mostly dry July. Unfortunately, while rain is
doing an excellent job restoring water reserves after two years of drought, the
effect on wine production in 2023 will be drastic.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1692806521136-4-Looking+out+across+the+Casa+Pepe+Vineyard+from+Emidio+Pepe_copy.jpg">Looking out across the Casa Pepe Vineyard from Emidio Pepe. Global Warming and the Pergola Advantage When
driving through the mountainous interior of Abruzzo, it quickly becomes
apparent that this is wine country. Still, the vine training system of choice differs
vastly from other regions. Here, the pergola system still rules, and for
excellent reason. For many decades, pergola training was looked down upon as a
way to grow large quantities of grapes that would create sub-quality wines. As
a result, many producers in these regions worked to change their training
system to Guyot. The government had even offered stimulus for farmers who changed
their vine training or planted new vineyards using more modern designs, which
is why many of today's growers will have a mix of pergola and guyot.

Today,
however, it has become apparent in regions like Abruzzo that pergola, when
properly maintained, is far superior. Pergola uses a trellising system built on
poles spaced eight feet apart and standing six feet high on average. The
advantage in a world of global warming is a large canopy of leaves that shade
the fruit from the scorching sun. Microclimate comes into play when discussing
moisture. In nearly all inland parts of Abruzzo, circulating air currents push
and pull through the valleys between the mountains and the Sea. Add in their
water-retaining clay soils, and it becomes apparent why many of the top
producers in the region depend on pergola.&nbsp;

In
fact, at Emidio Pepe, all new plantings are being made using the pergola
system. When speaking with Chiara De Iulis Pepe about increasing temperatures
and the severe weather, she explained, “I’m still young, and I’d like to be
making wine here for a very long time. I think it's very easy to say that we’re
not going to be able to make wine here in twenty years. To me, that means that
you’re not fully using your intelligence. We are a part of nature, and our
intelligence should be in service of nature. If you’re surrendering, then you
are externalizing yourself from nature.”&nbsp;Within the new vineyards at
Emidio Pepe, vines are interplanted with olive trees or surrounded by willows
and fruit-bearing trees, all with the idea of creating even more shade for the
fruit.

Another
essential feature is that pergolas cannot be harvested by machine, meaning they
must be farmed by hand to thrive. Vines that receive individual care, excellent
shading, over water-retaining soils, in well-ventilated areas sound like the
perfect recipe for success. This is not always easy because wind, which generally
benefits the region, is also affecting the thickness of skins as vintages get warmer
year after year. This combination results in grapes with very little juice and
thick skins, an issue primarily for Montepulciano. This fruit can create big,
burly Montepulcianos of power and aggressive tannins. Finding balance is easier
for producers who mature their wines in stainless steel or cement and steer
clear of oak. However, the results can be painful for those who choose oak
aging.&nbsp;

A large
number of vineyards located in choice locations are still used to fuel large
cooperative wineries. A good example is Cugnoli, situated between two valleys
formed by Gran Sasso and Maiella, where patches of vines can be seen in all
directions, many of which are old vineyards and most of which are planted with
a classic pergola system. When speaking with Fabio Di Donato of Cingilia, he
explained that many residents are farmers with animals, produce and vines, but
maybe only a single hectare to work with. To them, vineyard land is just one
piece of their income, and it is easier to sell the fruit. In the end, this
means that the potential for future growth is very high yet currently
unrecognized. Hopefully, the changes in the DOC regulations I reported above
will incite these growers to look to more profitable outlets for their
fruit.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1692806551329-5-In+The+Vineyards+of+Torre+dei+Beati_copy.jpg">In the Torre dei Beati vineyards.The Dualing Drought Years Both
2021 and 2022 were drought years with excessive heat, yet I find more balance
in the latter.&nbsp;

Looking
back on 2021, the reds are concentrated yet often lack depth, while many whites
struggle to balance fruit and acidity. That said, overall, white varieties
fared much better than the reds. Winter months were moderate. Springtime
temperatures were unseasonably low yet very dry through May. June warmed up,
but temperatures remained cool through the evenings. In July, intense heat
arrived and lasted through August. Small, sporadic rain showers provided little
relief. At the end of summer, much-needed precipitation rolled in. Temperatures
stayed warm throughout September and into the Montepulciano harvest in
October.&nbsp;

Elegant
and seductive with sapid fruit and just enough acidity to balance, the 2022s
are quite appealing. While broadly similar to 2021, climatically speaking, the
2022 vintage benefitted from springtime precipitation that helped to build up
water reserves in the soils. The winter and spring were warmer than average,
which resulted in early yet healthy flowering, starting at the end of April to the beginning
of May. The region was blessed with more rain immediately after, yet arid
conditions prevailed through most of the summer, resulting in drought. This,
coupled with the accumulated heat, forced vines to shut down through parts of
July and August. Rain in September helped to provide balance, along with cooler
temperatures that lasted through an anticipated harvest, on average, a week
early. Many producers reported that they had very healthy grapes. Some
struggled with Montepulciano, while nearly all agreed that the whites suffered
less. Ultimately, the big challenge was achieving phenolic maturation without producing
much higher alcohol percentages.

I tasted the wines from this article during visits and organized
tastings in Abruzzo in July 2023.© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/abruzzo-the-great-divide-oct-2022">Abruzzo: The Great Divide</a>, Eric Guido, October 2022 <div><div></div></div><div><div><div><div><a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/abruzzo-and-molise-more-than-meets-the-eye-apr-2021">Abruzzo and Molise: More Than Meets the Eye</a>, Eric Guido, April 2021 </div></div></div></div>

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