Cross the rugged Apennines from Rome and you realize how different the Adriatic parts of Italy are from the better-known (to Americans) western areas on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Abruzzese Apennines contain some of the greatest wilderness areas in Italy, notably the Gran Sasso and the Majella.

As a result of its relative isolation, Abruzzo has developed its own culture and cuisine – hearty, flavorful foods that pair beautifully with the local wines, which are most often based on Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Trebbiano. While Trebbiano tends to be low-acid and dull, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a multifaceted grape that can be a lively and easy quaff, or something deep, rich and long-lived. And it is one of the best wine values in all of Italy.

Still you have to be aware. There is a sharp divide between old peasant-style vine cultivation and winemaking and the industrial-scale product that often characterizes Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. One leads to wildly inconsistent, often severely flawed wine; the other to competent blandness. We think we've found a satisfactory middle ground.

Producers from Abruzzo
Costantini