2023 Oltremare Pecorino, Piandimare

Abruzzo

A mountainous region with a long Adriatic coastline, Abruzzo is one of the poorer parts of Italy, but has potential to make some really fine wines, with a warm Mediterranean climate, hillside sites and a fine indigenous variety in Montepulciano. In recent history it has concentrated on quantity over quality and the region was covered by a single DOC, Abruzzo. Much of the wine also headed north to go into anonymous blends. Whilst 75% of all wine here is made in 40 (often not very good) co-operatives, recent developments have seen more quality focussed estate bottlers, subzones created with stricter production rules and there are also a handful of tiny DOCs with more of a quality focus. Most wines in the Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC are actually made from Trebbiano Toscana and are, unsurprisingly bland, but wines made from true Trebbiano d’Abruzzese can be considerably better and age worthy. There is no way of telling from the label which has been used. Increasing amounts of interesting Pecorino are also now being made under various IGTs inland from Ancona. Alongside Montepulciano and Trebbiano, native varieties such as Sangiovese, Passerina, Pecorino and Cococciola make a range of interesting, sometimes very good, wines. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot also play a supporting role.