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
A clean and fruity white with notes and fresh apples, lemon rind and citrus blossom. Medium-bodied, sleek and textural with crunchy acidity and a zesty, refreshing aftertaste.
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Vinous
The 2023 Bianco is sweetly floral and fresh, with a pretty blend of chalk dust, raw almonds, spring flowers and sliced pears. It sweeps across the palate with ease, soft and round with a salty tinge up front that neatly frames its ripe orchard fruits. The 2023 finishes crisp and with a pleasantly bitter tinge of spice and lemon rinds.
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.