Zaccagnini Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Rose 2018
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A wild strawberry and herb aroma carries a slight balsamic edge on the nose. The palate is well rounded and juicy in feel, with delicious red cherry and strawberry flavors that are honed by bright acidity and a tangy slick of wet stone. Cherry skin astringency marks the close, extending the fruit flavors into a medium finish.
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Established in the early 1970’s in Bolognano, located in the heart of Abruzzo at the base of Gran Sasso – the highest mountain in the Apienne range, Marcello Zaccagnini’s philosophy has always been tied to the land. The estate’s vineyards are organically farmed, but not certified, as they occasionally have to purchase fruit from other growers due to weather conditions and/or increased demand, and cannot guarantee that those grapes are farmed organically.
Their slogan, “Wine, art of man”, comes from their work with the world renowned naturalist artist, Josef Beuys - an early proponent of sustainability - and his work on “Defense of Nature”. The tralcetto (stick) is an actual grapevine cutting from the vineyards that is cut and tied by hand onto each bottle, representing the connection between the wine and the land. Zaccagnini’s mission is to invest in and promote the culture of the people, environment and wine-making processes that represent the values of Abruzzo, as well as making the winery a cultural hub for artists, musicians, scholars and wine enthusiasts. Marcello has accumulated a world class art and sculpture collection that is on public display in the winery, as well as in the vineyards, and supports many art festivals throughout the year.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.
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.