Tiberio Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2022

Country: Italy

Region: Abruzzo

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Montepulciano

Winemaker Cristiana Tiberio’s reputation has been on a steady rise, but many years of patient work lie behind the evolution of her family’s estate.  The winery was established in 2000 near the town of Cugnoli in Abruzzo, inspired by an old vineyard discovered by her father, of super-rare, old-vine Trebbiano Abruzzese, a white grape native to the area. These then-70-year-old vines, trained high in a double pergola to withstand the historical impact of snow during winter months, were practically dead, but she and her brother coaxed them back to health over several years — without a single harvest to show for the efforts of their early years.

Tiberio only produces wines from grapes found in their specific sub-zone of Abruzzo. Cristiana, a trained chemist, is deeply passionate about the hyper-local, attributing the success of her wines to years of careful observation, discovering the distinctive characteristics of their site, vines, and environment. She adds no cover crops to allow the natural grasses that emerge spontaneously beneath specific training systems to thrive, bottles the lees at the end of fermentation to observe their characteristics and how they have adapted to ever-drier conditions, and divides fermentations by specific biotypes. Cristiana's wines are thoughtful and precise, crafted from carefully tended sites, intended to preserve heritage and capture the essence of a place.

This Cerasuolo is made entirely from indigenous Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes, original and old clones, in keeping with the identity and the traditional style of Cerasuolo. No press juice is used, only free run juice. The fruit comes from one specific block of Montepulciano that is a cooler sight than where the fruit for the regular Montepulciano comes from.The grapes are harvested earlier to preserve the freshness and acidity. The fruit is destemmed and then left in the tank in contact with the skins for a mere 20 minutes.

Bright pinkish-red color. Fresh, pure aromas and flavors of red cherry, raspberry and orange peel. Very juicy with outstanding definition, lovely acid-fruit balance, crisp, clean, floral finish with sneaky concentration.