Abruzzi

This region (ital. Abruzzi) has L´Aquila as its capital, and the vineyard area totals 33.352 hectares. The region lies to the East of Rome, in the middle of the Italian boot, it has 130 kilometres of coastline on the Adriatic Sea, and includes the provinces of Chieti, L´Aquila, Teramo and Pescara. Viticulture was introduced to the region by the Etruscans in the 7th century B.C. The Greek historian Polybios (210-120 v. Chr.) in his history of the Roman empire, mentions in the section on the Carthaginian leader Hannibal (247-183 B.C.), that the wines from this region were particularly suitable for strengthening the soldiers. The elder Pliny (23-79) too, as well as the medical doctor and natural scientist Andrea Bacci (1524-1600) praise the wines from this region. The region is dominated by the Apennine mountains, the highest peaks in this range, the Corno Grande (2.914 m) in the Gran Sasso massif as well as the Monte Amaro (2.795 m) are to be found here. Around two thirds of the region is mountainous, and the remaining one third is hilly. Viticulture is maintained at quite high altitudes of up to 600 metres above sea level in the foothills of the mountain massif. The climate is characterised by extreme temperature differences between summer and winter, as well as by extreme day/night differences. Of the red grape varieties, Montepulciano is clearly the dominant one, followed by Barbera, Ciliegiolo, Merlot and Pinot Nero. The most frequently planted white varieties are variants of Trebbiano and Malvasia, in addition there are many indigenous varieties such as Cococciola, Montonico Bianco and Passerina (Biancame). Two thirds of the wines are produced by co-operatives. The majority of wines produced are simple table wines (vino da tavola). There are only three DOC zones: Controguerra, Montepulciano d´Abruzzo and Trebbiano d´Abruzzo.