· Central Italy

Abruzzo

Between mountains and sea.

Abruzzo sits between the Apennines and the Adriatic, which helps explain why its wines can carry both ripeness and freshness.

Montepulciano may be the best-known grape, but Trebbiano, Pecorino and Passerina give the region a strong white-wine identity too.

Our way in is through Podere San Biagio, where the same landscape can become a bright everyday white, a long-macerated amphora wine or a serious red.

Abruzzo in 30 seconds

THE GRAPES

Montepulciano — and much more.

Montepulciano is the major red grape. For whites, Trebbiano sits alongside local varieties such as Pecorino and Passerina.

THE PLACE

Mountains behind, Adriatic ahead.

Abruzzo’s vineyards sit between a major mountain range and the sea. Around northern Abruzzo, clay and limestone, sea air and cooler mountain influence all play a part.

IN THE GLASS

From easy to wild.

Fresh whites, structured reds and deeply macerated orange wines can all make sense here.

Our corner of Abruzzo

Controguerra

Podere San Biagio sits near Controguerra, close to the border with Marche.

Jacopo Fiore returned to the family estate in 2014 and pushed its already-organic farming further toward spontaneous fermentation, amphora and less intervention in the cellar.

The three wines we carry show a useful progression.

Saltarella Bianco blends Trebbiano, Passerina and Pecorino into something fresh, easy and lightly macerated.

Trebbiano IGT goes in the opposite direction: around 90 days on the skins in amphora create a much deeper, more structured orange wine.

Montepulciano takes the local red grape through long skin contact and extended ageing for a darker, more serious bottle.

Podere San Biagio

Abruzzo at the Hong Kong table

Fresh whites

Steamed fish, dumplings, seafood and vegetable dishes.

Structured orange wine

Spicy noodles, Sichuan dishes, roast chicken and richer seafood.

Montepulciano

Roast meats, beef, tomato-based dishes and slow braises.

Meet the growers

Podere San Biagio

Jacopo Fiore returned to his family farm in 2014 and pushed an already-organic Abruzzo estate further toward spontaneous fermentation, amphora and less intervention in the cellar.