Tiberio "Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo" Abruzzo, Italy 2024

FROM THE SORTING TABLE:

THE WINE: 100% massal selection Montepulciano d’Abruzzo; alcohol: 13.5%; limestone soils; estate vineyards at 1150 feet with southern exposure; vines average 60 & 23 years old; hand harvested mid-September; free run juice only; fermentation in stainless steel using only indigenous yeast; aged in bottle.

THE PRODUCER: The story of Azienda Agricola Tiberio rings more like a new world tale than one from the old world of the ancient lands beneath the Majella and Gran Sasso mountains in Abruzzo. At 1150 feet/350 meters, twenty three miles inland from the seaside city of Pescara near the hillside town of Cugnoli, Riccardo Tiberio found an old plot of Trebbiano Abruzzese vines roughly 50 years old so impressive that he decided to change his and his family’s destiny.

Over a decade ago, Cristiana and Antonio, daughter and son of Riccardo, took over reins of Tiberio. Cristiana, a chemistry specialist who also teaches college sommelier and enology classes, handles winemaking and is the global brand ambassador. Antonio leads grapegrowing and viticulture. The dynamic team have established Tiberio, and Abruzzo, in the forefront of leading-edge wine making and renown in this central part of Italy. Today, Tiberio farms 74 acres/30 hectares of vines.