Abruzzo is located in the east of Central Italy, sandwiched between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic sea.
It is famous for the black grape Montepulciano, which is used to make the region’s world-renowned red wine. Montepulciano is a thick-skinned grape with powerful tannins and deep colours. It has medium acidity and a rounded flavour profile, with aromas of plums and other black fruits.
There are three denominations covering Montepulciano wines from Abruzzo. The best-known is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC. This produces 87 million bottles of wine per year, covering the whole spectrum of quality and price. The second denomination for Montepulciano is Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC (8 million bottles), dedicated to rosé wine.
The third Montepulciano appellation is Colline Teramane DOC, on the north-eastern side of Abruzzo. Positioned between the Gran Sasso mountains and the Adriatic sea, it benefits from a cooling influence from both sides. As a result, grapes may achieve higher acidity and a higher aromatic complexity. This age-worthy wine is in very short supply, as less than half a million bottles are released to the market each year.
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC is the biggest white wine appellation. It permits blending the grapes Trebbiano Abruzzese, Trebbiano Toscano and Bombino Bianco and produces approachable white wines with flavours of lemons and apples.
