Twig & Terroir: Discovering Cantina Zaccagnini's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Recently I wrote about Poderi dal Nespoli, one of the wineries that falls under Argea, the largest private wine group in Italy.  Today I’m highlighting the Cantina Zaccagnini winery, also a part of  Argea, that is located in Italy’s 5th largest region in area, Abruzzo. The virtual tasting I attended online walked through several Zaccagnini wines led by Italian wine expert, Filippo Bartoletta.  Let’s discover more about the Abruzzo wine region, its most produced grape, Montepulciano, and the many expressions that Zaccagnini produces under their Tralcetto line of wines today. 

The Abruzzo wine region 

The Abruzzo region is “wild....and one of the greenest regions in Europe”, as Filippo described.  It’s rather small in size with about 1.3 million inhabitants.  To give you some perspective, the city of Manhattan, NY is larger in size.  That’s because a lot of the terrain of Abruzzo is dominated by mountains, hills and forests, but is nicely balanced with over 130 km of coastline along the Adriatic Sea.   About two thirds of the region sits above 750 meters above sea level.  Several mountain ranges are located throughout the region including the Gran Sasso, Magella and Monti Sibilini.  

If you’re one that enjoys national parks, 6% of the region is covered by 4 national parks and 30 natural reserves.  It contains the oldest National Park in Italy, Parco Nationale d’Abruzzo, that was established in 1923 that also spans into the Lazio and Molise regions.  You’ll also find a UNESCO World Heritage site with its old beech forests of 500 years in age.  Personally, I’d love to travel that park myself with its abundance of wildlife to include Marsican brown bears, Apennine wolves, golden eagles, chamois, and deer. 

The makeup of Abruzzo wines 

The grape that probably comes to the forefront of your mind when you think of Abruzzo wines is Montepulciano, and it wouldn’t be any surprise since this grape makes up 57% of the vineyards in Abruzzo.  alongside Montepulciano, you’ll find Trebbiano Toscano (16%) and Trebbiano Abruzzese (7%).  Pecorino and Chardonnay trail closely behind.  Abruzzo’s shining star though is the Montepulciano grape.  It can be found in 80% of Abruzzo’s DOC wines, which is the 3rd top DOC in Italy.  Montepulciano is a late ripening grape that is deep ruby in color with aromas of cherry, red berries, licorice and violet and dark, plush fruits that show a rustic appeal likes the terrain from which it hails. 

In the 80’s Montepulciano became a prominent grape to be found in the wine world due to a number of producers’ efforts working with this grape, including Zaccagnini.   

The Zaccagnini Wines 

Zaccagnini is one of Abruzzo’s known producers, crafting wines from the rugged hillsides of this central Italian region.  At the heart of their portfolio stands the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grape 

The winemaker of Zaccagnini, Federica Lauterio, joined us during the tasting to talk further about the variety of their wines.  Filippo stated that the Tralcetto line of wines is the "brand ambassador of Abruzzo”.  Their wines are highly exported, and the wine bottles are always easy to catch your eyes in the store.  They are wrapped with grape vine shoots to give the bottle an artistic twist that was created by the founder in the 70’s.   

vine shoots on the bottles of Zaccagnini wines

With a focus on the Montepulciano grape, I wanted to share the three wines from this line that are all made from 100% Montepulciano.   

The 2024 Zaccagnini Tralcetto Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC is Abruzzo’s rose. It‘s a red grape processed like a white.  If you’re not familiar with how these wines get the beautiful color that they have, it is achieved by the amount of skin contact that the juice has with the skins.  The Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC was created in 2010 and is only for rose.   

This wine spends a short maceration for color and then sits on the must in the stainless-steel tank for 10 days before fermentation.  This wine is a deeper pink with aromas of fresh cherry.  This is a medium-bodied wine with notes of sour cherries with crisp, refreshing acidity. If you love a heavier body of a red, but the freshness of a white then this is the wine to try.  ABV 12.5% 

The 2022 Zaccagnini Tralcetto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is macerated for 15 days during fermentation and aged on the lees in stainless steel. This wine is deep ruby in color with purplish hues.  Dark cherry aromas and medium-bodied on the palate filled with dark fruits and soft tannin.  ABV 13%

The 2021 Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC Riserva spends 20 days in fermentation in large oak casks and 18 months aging with 9 of those months in barrique.  This wine comes from a single vineyard in the Valle Casauria.  Deep ruby in color with aromas of ripe red fruits, cherry on the forefront, with a hint of pepper.  Medium-bodied on the palate with bright acidity up front, plush red fruits and a pleasant elegance.  ABV 14% 

With an array of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo to be explored from everyday sippers to ageworthy wines, the dedication to this grape that Zaccagnini and other producers have shown, allows consumers like us to explore the vast terrain of Abruzzo and these authentic wines.    

You can find many Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines, including those from Cantina Zaccagnini, on Wine.com to try.  I may receive compensation for any wines purchased through the affiliate link in support of Vino Travels. 

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own.

Abruzzo's great white: Pecorino d'Abruzzo

Back in October I attended a class and wine tasting of Pecorino d’Abruzzo led by Jeremy Parzen of Do Bianchi and hosted by the Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo.  It’s been nice to see this wine get some recognition in the market in recent years since it’s a wine that deserves a seat at the table, especially if you’re a white wine lover.   

The Abruzzo wine region

Abruzzo is located in central Italy and is only about 60 miles northeast of Rome through the mountains.  This region is uniquely situated with close proximity to the Adriatic Sea and some of the highest peaks in Europe including the Gran Sasso, the highest peak of the Apennines. 

Jeremy Parzen

The Abruzzo wine region is mostly made up of organic farming.  For the farmers of this region it is a way of life and not just a marketing lure.  They believe in expressing the purity of the environment through the farming methods.  In Abruzzo there are many wine cooperatives with brands like Citra and Frontana being some of the larger producers.  Some may turn their nose to coops, but what you have to remember is that these coops create a sense of community and are made up of small families that own small parcels of land that they tend to that band together to create these wines as a representation of Abruzzo wine. 

Abruzzo is mostly know for its red wine, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, but there are so many other great wines of the region to enjoy including it’s rosè, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, and another white, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.  The Trebbiano of Abruzzo is similar to the Trebbiano of Tuscany, although in Abruzzo, this grape is richer and more mineral driven as Jeremy describes.  Then there is the other white grape of Abruzzo, Pecorino.  Let's learn more.  

The Pecorino grape 

I believe the Pecorino name tends to catch ones eye because if you’re like me it’s one of my favorite cheeses, if not my most favorite cheese.  Although this grape has nothing to do with pecorino cheese.  It’s believed that this grape got its name from the transumanza, which was a migration of the sheep from the mountains to the valleys.  Along the way the shephards ate the Pecorino grapes that were growing wild.   

Pecorino’s homeland is in the L’Aquila province in the northwestern part of Abruzzo.  This area is a very rugged, mountainous terrain of Abruzzo and the Pecorino grape loves elevation.  There has also been an increase in producers seeking land and planting in the mountains due to climate change so maybe we will see more producers working with this grape to come in future years.

Pecorino is a grape that was forgotten until the 1980’s when producers in the Le Marche region, north of Abruzzo, began to reinvigorate this grape.  In Abruzzo, Luigi Cataldi Madonna is the first one to bring this grape to life within the region.  Luigi, winemaker and philosophy professor, believed that the world wanted more white wines.  He had found old Pecorino vines that he replanted. He is believed to be the first one to actually label a bottle Pecorino starting with his 1996 vintage. 

Pecorino is an aromatic grape with thick skins that loves clay soils.  The grapes experience a nice diurnal shift in day to night temperatures that help preserve the wine’s acidity and good ventilation of the mountains help keep the grapes dry and healthy.  

The Pecorino wines

Let’s take a look at some of my top favorite Pecorino wines from the tasting starting with my most favorite. 

The 2023 Nuntius Pecorino Terre di Chieti IGT is made from 100% Pecorino from the Mastrangelo Tenimenti del Grifone winery in Loreto Aprutino.  This winery started in 2000 with the grandfather.  The must goes through a short cryomaceration with the skins for 8-10 hours to extract the aromas these wines are known for.  The grapes are gently pressed with the must chilled and decanted for 10-12 hours.  It’s stored in stainless steel and aged on the lees for 3 months.  It spends one month in the bottle before release to the market.    

Grassy, green notes on the nose similar to some Sauvignon Blancs.  Medium-bodied with some saltiness on the crisp palate.  Round with ripe tropical fruit.  ABV 13% 

The 2023 Prope Pecorino Colli Aprutini IGT is made from 100% Pecorino from the producer Velenosi in Ascoli Piceno.  The owner, Angela Velenosi, is a native to Abruzzo.  The name of this wine, Prope, in latin means near since Ascoli Piceno lies on the border of the Marche region.  This wine is cold macerated for about 15 hours and vinified in cement barrels.   

Tropical and citrus notes on the aromas.    I found this wine to be light, airy and crisp with citrus/lemon notes and a touch of salt with a lengthy finish.  Different in style from the previous wine, but there is a wine for every occasion or pairing. Jeremy threw out that this wine could pair with fish tacos and I could see it being a perfect pairing with this particular one.  ABV 13% 

The 2023 Colleventano Pecorino Superiore Colline Teramane Abruzzo DOC is 100% Pecorino from Fattoria Giuseppe Savini in Morro D’Oro, whom is one of the longest running producers in the area established in 1949 by Vincenzo Savini. 

The grapes for this wine were immediately, softly pressed with a decantation for 36 hours with fermentation for about 12 days.  It rests in stainless tanks for 2 months with the fermentation yeasts.  Dry, with light to medium body, this wine was bright and crisp as well as delicate.  Citrus nights with nice elegance with a lengthy finish.  ABV 13.5% 

The 2023 Il Pecorino Abruzzo DOC Pecorino is 100% Pecorino from the San Lorenzo Vini winery in Castilenti.  The juice was cryomacerated and then softly pressed with spontaneous fermentation in stainless thanks with 3 months of refinement in the bottle. 

The wine had aromas of green apple with round fruit, citrus and pineapple, showing on the palate.  A touch of minerality showing nice elegance.  ABV 13% 

The 2023 Soprano Pecorino Controguerra DOC is from Cantina Strappelli in Torano Nuovo is made from 100% Pecorino.  A much different Pecorino than the previously tasted wines with toasty aromas and a hint of vanilla.  This Pecorino was mineral driven with a touch of vanilla on the palate as well with some nice length on the finish. 

The remaining Pecorino wines tasted include: 

• 2022 Tenuta Terraviva Ekwo Organic Pecorino Abruzzo DOC 
•  2023 Idi di Marzo Oro del Mare Pecorino Terre di Chieti IGT 
•  2022 Poderi D’Aurizio D’Auri Pecorino Terre di Chieti IGT 

Have you tried this grape?  What do you think and do you have any favorites?

You can shop on Wine.com in support of Vino Travels and find a variety of Pecorino wines to try for yourself.

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The World of Abruzzo Wines

I recently attended a virtual event on the Abruzzo wine region led by Andrea Eby, Italian Programs Director at the Wine Scholar Guild.  It was a thorough look into the region highlighting all the elements that define this wine region including its history, climate and topography along with its featured grapes.  Let’s take an in-depth look into the Abruzzo wine region. 

Abruzzo’s location and topography 

Abruzzo is located in the central portion of Italy on the eastern side facing the Adriatic Sea.  The Marche region borders to the north, the Lazio region to the west and Molise to the south.  Abruzzo has a unique terrain where there are three types of topography.  On the east side you have 80 miles of coastline filled with sandy beaches.   

The central part of Abruzzo is filled with gentle hills and inland Abruzzo is very mountainous.  About two thirds of Abruzzo is covered with mountainous terrain with steep high elevations.  It hosts the Apennines highest peak, Gran Sasso and the Maiella Massif.  Abruzzo has a very wild, untouched landscape. The southern portion is full of dense Mediterranean scrub.   There are also three national parks and 10+ nature reserves spread throughout.  It has a little bit for everyone to explore. 

The soil and climate of Abruzzo 

The climate is rather mild in Abruzzo on the side of the Adriatic Sea.  Inland is more continental.  The territory experiences large diurnal swings in temperature, which is ideal for growing grapes.  The grapes receive good ventilation that helps prevent the grapes from forming fungus and helps keep the vines healthy. 

In ancient times the land was covered by a vast lake, so the soil is high in clay and marine sediment.  Closer to the coast the soil will be more sand based.  The vine system mostly found on these soils of Abruzzo is the pergola system, used by more than 80% of the vineyards. The pergola system naturally shades the grapes preventing them from getting sunburned and helps slow down the ripening so that the wines don’t result in wines that are too high in alcohol. 

Abruzzo’s wine territories 

Prior to the Renaissance period, the vineyards of Abruzzo were mostly based in the Peligna Valley within the L’Aquila province.  During the period of Italy’s unification, Abruzzo’s viticulture experienced rapid transformation.  Over the last 50 years viticulture has abandoned much of the Peligna Valley and shifted towards the hilly coastal territory.   Where L’Aquila used to have the majority share, today their production is less than 1%.  The Chieti province has about 83% of its territory planted with vines followed by Pescara and Teramo with 10 and 6% respectively.

Sourced from Wikipedia - Abruzzo's wine region and 4 provinces

Abruzzo’s vineyards cover 84,000 acres with about 6,000 grape producers, 250 wineries and 35 wine cooperatives totaling an annual production of 140 million bottles.  As you can see there are many farmers in Abruzzo that sell their production to the cooperatives.   

Abruzzo’s wine designations

Abruzzo has 2 DOCG designations: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane DOCG and the most recent one, Tullum or Terre Tollesi DOCG.  There Abruzzo DOC’s are Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, Controguerra, Ortona, Villamagna.  The subzones are Colline Teramane, Colline Pescaresi, Terre di Chieti and Terre Aquilane or Terre de L’Aquila.  These subzones are the only ones that can use Riserva and Superiore on their labels.   

The grapes of Abruzzo 

Abruzzo’s primary grapes are Montepulciano, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Pecorino and Passerina.  Other grapes you will find in Abruzzo that are produced in lesser quantity and are mainly  blending grapes include Malvasia, Cococciola, Montonico and Moscatello.  Let’s take a quick peak at some of Abruzzo’s top grapes. 

Leading the whites is Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.   You may remember the Trebbiano grape when we’ve highlighted Tuscan grapes, where it is known as Trebbiano Toscana.  Trebbiano Toscana is the most planted, but Trebbiano d’Abruzzo has more complexity and body.  It is a delicate grape with thin skins that is light, crisp and easy drinking.   It is a grape that has great acidity, but also has the risk to lose acidity and receive mild rot if not monitored closely.  Some producers will use barrel maturation and lees aging to give these wines more texture.   

Pecorino, along with the Passerina grape, are white grapes in Abruzzo that can also be found in the Marche region.  Percorino faced extinction in the 20th century since it isn’t a high yielding grape.  The producer, Grifone, helped bring this grape back to life. Now plantings have been increasing since the 90’s so we are seeing more and more of this grape on the market.   

Pecorino does well at high altitudes and will reach high sugar levels along with high acidity.  Pecorino, in comparison to it’s fellow Abbruzese friend Trebbiano, has more character.  The wines are dry with floral aromas and notes of tropical fruit, citrus and herbs.  There may also be some hints of minerality on the finish.  

Lastly, Abruzzo’s red grape Montepulciano is not only the top red grape of Abruzzo, but it is also the 2nd most planted red grape of Italy. Montepulciano is a late ripening grape that brings darker color to the glass due to its high anthocyanins. These wines are full-bodied and robust with notes of red and black fruits along with some spice and sometimes a rustic, earthy edge. There are plenty of quaffable Montepulciano d’Abruzzo on the market, but also some beauties with great complexity and ageworthy. 

Sourced from Wikipedia - Montepulciano grape cluster

What are some of your favorite wines of Abruzzo? Do you have any favorite producers?  

You can reference some of my previous blogs on the many wines of Abruzzo.

• Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo: One of Italy's Great Rosè Wines
•  The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane with Cerelli Spinozzi 
•  The Organic Wines of Abruzzo with La Valentina
•  Summer Food and Wine Pairing: Shrimp Orzo Salad with Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
•  Grape of the Sheep with Umani Ronchi Pecorino
•  The Variety of Abruzzo Wines    



Sourced by the Consorzio Tutela Vini d'Abruzzo

You can shop on Wine.com in support of Vino Travels and find Abruzzo wines to try.

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