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THE CERASUOLO For centuries it has been the greatest of all Abruzzo’s wines, even more so than the red wine, both of same origin. Cerasuolo, one the most important “vin rosè”, is obtained from the same grapes as the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo but its identity is different due to a diversification in the wine making technique. Montepulciano’s grapes are fermented and steeped for many days, whereas those of the Cerasuolo for just a few hours, the grapeskins being removed before fermentation. It's particular colour, which is similar to that of a cherry, (in Italian slang cerasa-cerasuolo), is dependant on this time reduction in contact. Cerasuolo has a fragrance like a rose perfume, and a dry taste like almond.Cerasuolo goes well with cheese, salted meats, tomato sauces, white meat, fish and even pizza. TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT WINE, CHOOSE……...........THE WINE GLASS. To appreciate at their best the Montepulciano peculiarities it is very important to choose the right wine glass. The ideal glass is a big, tulip-shaped chalice, which has a wide base and a narrow “embouchure” at the top. Wine must be poured into a glass which has the maximum base diameter measure, so that the wine will have the maximum surface contact with the air. THE VINE AND THE GRAPE. The Montepulciano vines alone occupy more than the half of the 33.000 hectares of the Abruzzo region vineyard. Traditionally, it is protected from the sun’s rays by a particular system named pergola or awning . This system has to be applied with a lot of care, otherwise the risk would be producing too much with a poor quality. In the last ten years the factories have adopted a new system, called espalier; it leaves only a short distance between plants and this is good for low production. In any case, the discussion about choosing the best technique is always open: both systems, when applied correctly, are able to give excellent results. CONFUSION AT THE END? Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and the noble vine of Montepulciano, confusion at the end? Only the success of the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo has been able to end confusion between it and the noble Montepulciano of Tuscany. In the past many people confused the two wines, which are actually very different. First of all, Montepulciano is a little town in Tuscany. In Abruzzo, Montepulciano means a vine-tendril, a vineyard not a town. The historic bachelor Michele Torcia, in the mid 1700s, named the Montepulciano as Abruzzo’s most important traditional vwne. In Tuscany, the Montepulciano is produced from totally different vineyards. These, therefore, are two profoundly different wines. In order to understand the difference, the best method is to try them! WHAT THE DISCIPLINE SAYS. Grapes used for the production of Montepulciano originate
from the Abruzzo hills, more than 600 meters above sea level. The maximum
output is not more than 140 quintal/hectares. In particular we have
the Teramo vineyard(Teramo hill): the maximum output is 110 quintal/hectare.
The wine is obtained almost entirely from Montepulciano grapes with
only a few red grapes. We can find it in the shops and in specialized
wine centers from March 1st, after the autumn vintage. In order to sell,
the alcoholic content must be a minimum of 11,5%. Wine with a content
of 12,5%, which has been aged for two years (six months in wooden casks),
will be named "Reserve". The Teramo vineyard Montepulciano
provides 90% Montepulciano grapes and 10% Sangiovese grapes. The alcoholic
content must be 12,5% and these wines have to be aged for 3 years. |
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