Italia Wine Experience, Abruzzo Edition: Showcasing the Region's Superior Winemaking

Posted by Rowena Dumlao Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 7/20/2024

Italia Wine Experience, Abruzzo Edition: Showcasing the Region's Superior Winemaking

Last June, the region of Abruzzo hosted the inaugural Italia Wine Experience, Abruzzo Edition. The event was dedicated in showcasing the food and wine products of Abruzzo, aiming to elevate the region's profile and highlight its premium quality.

The organizers, Veronica Laurenza and Saula Giusto, both highly trained in the wine sector, dedicated themselves to promoting the region's 100% Made in Abruzzo viticulture and gastronomy. The event was supported by the Consorzio Tutela Vini d'Abruzzo and collaborated with Fisar, featuring delegations from Teramo, L'Aquila, and Pescara. Held at the Podere Santa Lucia agricultural estate, the event offered a prime vantage point over Abruzzo's breathtaking countryside, renowned for its exceptional suitability for viticulture, to an audience of enthusiasts and media representatives from Rome and the local area.

Apart from the public, the event's program also provided a platform for engaging with press operators, Ho.re.ca, and event partners which facilitated networking fostering connections between producers. At Podere Santa Lucia, over 150 wine labels were showcased with the tasting stations arranged to ideally represent the shape of the region and organized into the four main sub-zones: Colline Teramane, Colline Pescaresi, Terre di Chieti, and Terre de L’Aquila.

A notable feature of the event was its emphasis on eco-sustainability. The installations by Ironda were made entirely of cardboard, plastic-free, and 100% Italian, demonstrating total respect for the environment. Additionally, the eating utensils provided by Ekoe were made from recyclable, compostable, and biodegradable materials.

Masterclasses

The highlight of the event were three thematic masterclasses which delved into the significant wine production of Abruzzo. With wine professionals namely Saula Giusto and Giuseppe Ialonardi, conducting the masterclasses, they opened an opportunity in tasting the region's finest wines, experiencing a complete sensory journey that tells the story of Abruzzo's sub-zones, its renowned grape varieties, and its rich wine-growing history.

The Masterclasses were:
DOCG Colline Teramane: Il Grande Abruzzo nel Calice (DOCG Colline Teramane: The Great Abruzzo in the Glass) which focused on the wines of Colline Teramane (Teramo Hills), known for their biodiversity and unique terroirs, with particular attention to Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOCG.

I Grandi Bianchi d'Abruzzo (The Great Whites of Abruzzo) which was a very interesting tasting on the discovery of the great white wines of Abruzzo, including Trebbiano, Pecorino, Passerina and the lesser known ones, Cococciola and Montonico.

Abbinamento Cibo-Vino a Km 0 which was a food and wine pairing between zero kilometer dishes and fine Abruzzo wines, with a focus on the versatile Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo.

The Four Sub-Zones of Abruzzo

The provincial sub-areas that characterize the Abruzzo DOC, both red and white, are four: Colline Pescaresi; Colline Teramane; Terre dell’Aquila; Terre di Chieti.

Colline Pescaresi is the area that includes the entire province of Pescara. It consists of a wide and extended band coastal hills, from the internal hill and from the foothill hill, which reaches up to the foot of the Gran Sasso and Maiella.

Colline Teramane extend north-east of the region, between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso, in a unique landscape, with a temperate climate, crossed by sea and mountain breezes that caress the vineyards. Thanks also to the presence of rains well distributed throughout the year and at temperature variations between day and night, favored by the proximity of the Apennines, is an environment perfect for the cultivation of Montepulciano, but also excellent Trebbiano and Pecorino. Furthermore, the territory is crossed by four main rivers, the Vomano, the Tordino, the Salinello and the Vibrata, which guarantee a precious water reserve to face the challenges posed by climate change.

Terre dell’Aquila is the territory included entirely within the province of L'Aquila. A mountain area, with a landscape harsh and difficult to cultivate, particularly in the innermost part, corresponding to the ridge Apennine. The mountains that characterize this area are part of the Apennine chain central-southern and constitute its widest, highest and most sedimented stretch. A territory characterized by a wide diffusion of limestones, especially compact, but also dolomitic. The vineyards are present only in some areas, in particular in the mountainous parts and internal alluvial basins: the Alto Tirino, the Peligna Valley, the Subequana Valley and the Roveto Valley, on well-exposed, drained and sufficient content of nutritional elements. The climate is temperate, with rather cold and long winters.

Terre di Chieti is the territory that includes the entire province of Chieti, consisting mainly of a large and extensive area coastal hilly strip, which goes from the Foro river to the Trigno, followed by the internal hill and foothills in the north-western part, up to the foot of the Maiella and the Frentani Mountains. The climate is temperate, tends to be temperate-warm in the summer months and presents notable temperature variations between day and night, favored by the proximity of the Maiella massif, which determine optimal conditions to create wines with intense and characterized aromas.