ABRUZZO EXPLORED

Hard to pinpoint on a map it may be, but this central Italian region has long been a default choice for restaurant-goers thanks to its soft, easy-drinking reds, with its light whites a popular choice too. Susan Hulme MW reveals how Abruzzo’s forward-thinking producers are harnessing their native varieties to create character in the bottle

- Susan Hulme MW

The Abruzzo landscape is breathtaking, with its dramatic, snow-capped mountains on the western horizon dropping down to the sun-drenched beaches and shimmering sea of the Adriatic coast. Sandwiched in between are hilltop villages and a harlequin pattern of tumbling green and yellow hillsides of wheat and vines. The mountains and the sea are never far away, providing constant breezes to moderate the summer heat and cool the vines at night. The drying winds help to prevent the diseases that thrive in dampness, thus making organic viticulture practical.

This varied landscape allows for different elevations, aspects and microclimates – it really seems meant for viticulture.

Yet, on re-reading Luigi Veronelli’s The Wines of Italy, published in 1960, there is hardly a mention of the Abruzzo. It gets no introduction and is skipped over in about 200 words, mentioning just two grape varieties, Trebbiano and Montepulciano, along with a few of the key towns and suggested pairings with local dishes.

In those days, many of the average wines were easily forgettable. As Cristiana Tiberio of Cantina Tiberio says: ‘Trebbiano d’Abruzzo often oxidised after a few months in bottle, and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo was tannic and fruitless, when not downright flawed.’