Winemaker Notes
Blend of the three most important white berried grapes of Abruzzo's tradition - Trebbiano, Pecorino and Cococciola - Villa Gemma Bianco is produced on the hills near Chieti. Fermentation in steel tanks at controlled temperature is followed by fining in bottle: the result is a delicately vibrant and crisp white wine, characterized by fruity and aromatic herb notes and intense minerality, perfect for raw fish appetizers, seafood and fish dishes.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Tangy and fleshy fruit with white apricots, chopped apples, fennel and lemons. Some white pepper character. Medium-bodied with bright acidity and a vibrant, zesty and mineral finish.
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Vinous
The 2021 Bianco is lifted and spicy with sharply focused notes of green apple, spearmint and hints of menthol. This fills the palate with round textures, yet possesses a salty core of minerality that stimulates the senses, as lime zests and young pear evolve toward the close. It tapers off long yet fresh and full of tension, leaving the mouth watering for more. The Gemma Bianco is a blend of 50% Trebbiano, 30% Pecorino and 20% Cococciola that does a wonderful job of combining power with refinement.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
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.