Winemaker Notes
With over 200 years of history Podere Castorani spreads across 75 acres of lush countryside in the province of Pescara, Italy, between Majella National Park and the Adriatic Sea. The estate’s principal grape varieties are Montepulciano d'Abruzzo in red and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo in white. The partners regularly test new grape varieties in a perpetual search for the fullest expression of the terroir. At Podere Castorani, their pursuit of excellence can only be satisfied through respect for traditional expertise.
To understand how Castorani first got its start, we must go back to the beginning, in 1793. At that time, renowned ocular surgeon Raffaele Castorani became proprietor of the estate. At the end of the First World War, Antonio Casulli took over the estate with a vision of expanding production and boosting Castorani’s reputation. Upon his death, the vineyard was divided, and its decline began. Many years would pass before the estate would undergo a revival. In 1999, pilot Jarno Trulli decided to fully commit himself to coaxing the iconic Castorani estate back to life, with the help of his friends. They worked painstakingly together, and in harmony with nature, the thirty-year-old vines grew organically.
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.