Winemaker Notes
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is an ancient and indigenous grape variety from Abruzzo, a unique clone different from others of its same family. Its beautiful acidity together with the aromatic balance make of it a fine wine with complexity at the same time. It has an elegant and austere expression when young with a great minerality, as it is truly age worthy and able to evolve with time, after few years it gains complexity, volume and profoundness.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
One of the best trebbianos out there, this is agreeable and limpid. Light gold hue, with savory aromas of umami, miso, dried lemon peel, minerals, refreshing yuzu tea and hints of nougat and macadamia nuts. Fresh, medium- to full-bodied and naturally flavorful, with a composed mouthfeel despite the bright acidity. This is quite effortless, sleek and long in the finish.
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Decanter
Emidio Pepe, born in 1932, lives by his motto ‘in wine, life’. His respect for his 18 hectares of vineyards, Abruzzo’s traditional winegrowing values, and certified organic and biodynamic techniques results in wines with a distinctive, genuine character. This Trebbiano, trodden by foot, is fermented in concrete vats where it ages for two years. Broom, golden plum and white pepper aromas lead to a delightfully savoury, full-bodied mouth, vibrant with vintage charm and pleasing balance.
Compared to other white wine-producing varieties, Trebbiano claims some of the most vineyard acreage on a global scale. There are six distinct varieties with Trebbiano as part of their name in Italy alone. Trebbiano Toscano, one of the most popular, is deliciously light and crisp. Trebbiano d’Abruzzo actually has some aging potential when handled carefully. Somm Secret—Known as Ugni Blanc in France, Trebbiano is responsible for the whites in Southwest, France called Gascogne Blanc.
A warm, Mediterranean vine-growing paradise, in Abruzzo, the distance from mountains to seaside is relatively short. The Apenniness, which run through the center of Italy, rise up on its western side while the Adriatic Sea defines its eastern border.
Wine composition tends to two varieties: Abruzzo’s red grape, Montepulciano and its white, Trebbiano. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo can come in a quaffable, rustic and fruity style that generally drinks best young. It is also capable of making a more serious style, where oak aging tames its purely wild fruit.
Trebbiano in Abruzzo also comes in a couple of varieties. Trebbiano Toscana makes a simple and fruity white. However when meticulously tended, the specific Trebbiano d’Abruzzo-based white wines can be complex and long-lived.
In the region’s efforts to focus on better sites and lower yields, vine acreage has decreased in recent years while quality has increased.