Abruzzo region

Italy

The Italian wine region of Abruzzo, ideally situated between the Adriatic sea and Apennine mountain range remains the home to some of the most flourishing wine grape vines in Italy. The Abruzzo region is the fifth most prominent wine region in Italy, following close behind Sicily, Puglia, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna.

The Abruzzo wine region is known for its star varieties, white Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and red Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine. Though these are known as the best Abruzzo wines, the region also has a few international varieties growing such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and native varieties Sangiovese, Passerine, Pecorino, and Cacocciola.

The geographical makeup of the Abruzzo region helps make such remarkable wines, with rugged mountains, a lengthy coastline, and a lush green landscape. The terroir, abundant sunshine, generous rainfall, and variable climate contribute to the success of the grape vines and the delicious Abruzzo wine taste. Abruzzo has a warm and dry coast, and a continental (having hot summers and cold winters) inland.

The traditional Abruzzo food staples draw on the mountainous and coastal terrains of the region. Some popular Abruzzo cuisine includes bread, pasta, meat, and cheese, all which pair extraordinarily with the Abruzzo wines.

Abruzzo has around 36,000 hectares or 89,000 acres of land planted to wine grape vines, which allows for the production of over 350 million liters or 92,500 US gallons of wine annually. With so many acres and varying terrains in Abruzzo Italy, a majority of the grapes are grown from the hilly areas of Abruzzo.

Abruzzo has some of its own winemaking traditions that date back to the sixth century BC, created by Etruscans who played major roles in the introduction of viniculture to the area. One is that 80% of the Abruzzo viniculture features pergolas, which is where the vines are trained to grow upward toward narrow arbors, and the other 20% are newer and planted in rows. Another traditional practice is that Abruzzo wines are aged in oak barrels, although some Abruzzo wines like Montepulciano Cerasuolo are aged in stainless steel.

Historically known as a poor region, Abruzzo has begun flourishing and gaining continual economic ground in recent years. Today’s main importers of Abruzzo wine are Germany, the United States, and Canada, with the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway’s import volumes on the rise.

We featured the 95 Point rated Attilio Ghisolfi 2007 Barolo from this region in our exclusive Diamond Wine Club. Cheers!

Each wine region is unique, and in turn, produces equally intriguing wines. Our wine of the month clubs are designed so you can discover the wine regions of California, Washington, Oregon and international destinations - all from your own home!

Every Wine Club shipment includes highly-sought-after wines that reflect only the best qualities of their region. So go ahead--sign up for one or more of our outstanding Wine Clubs and begin your adventure of finding your new favorite wine region!