Wines of Masciarelli Winery in Abruzzo, Italy

Learn about Masciarelli’s history and wine production. What makes the Masciarelli wines so memorable and filled with local terroir and reflections.

By Andrea Grignaffini
Apr 01, 2021
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Masciarelli - Wines

Who is Gianni Masciarelli?

Mankind reflected through the vine and throughout life, both of which this man left far too early, with still so much to accomplish. We are speaking about Gianni Masciarelli, one of the Abruzzi men who ushered in the wines of this region, making them known globally to wine lovers.

 

With this in mind, confining Masciarelli to just one single Italian wine region would be limiting, even though Masciarelli was in fact a driving force of the wines within this geographical area. Masciarelli was indeed an absolute visionary bursting with ideas and love forhis lands. In order to get to the roots of his visions, Gianni discovered instead that he would need to literally move away from his actual family roots (his grandfather also was a winemaker). 
 

Gianni had a desire to experiment, invent, and innovate within the world of vineyard planting. His desire ultimately was to perfect and optimize the growth of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Trebbiano vines, an improvement that would in turn help him improve himself.

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Masciarelli is well known for?

Masciarelli’s first battle victory dates back to 1984, with the first Villa Gemma Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. This vintage was one of the first to be created with grapes hailing from the Ripa Teatina district. The result of that grape use, at the time, lent the wines a subtle, delicate, borderline-timid wine that recalled French wines. This was so very different from the vigorous, memorable wines we know today.

 

What is Gianni masciarelli's approach to wine?

This innovative approach stemmed from neophyte winemaker Gianni’s immense respect for the wines of France’s Burgundy. Despite the significant geographic distance there, these wines were a happy parallel to Gianni’s approach - they were the direct result of a local vigneron’s rigorous, bold, tenacious craftsmanshipGianni’s approach to wine-making was the clear result of a man who loved his wines and his lands.

 

This was undoubtably a difficult task, a constant uphill endeavour, filled with arduous roads and difficult decisions. At times, Gianni was so beset with his work that he stopped distinguishing day from night. He became so subsumed by work that he often was unable to drag himself away from work, mixing up rest and work times, and was often found sleeping directly in the cellar, resting his head on the barrels he so loved. Just as Gianni was beginning to see the first fruits of his labors delivered, he died prematurely.

 

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Who is Marina Cvetic?

Marina Cvetic Masciarelli promptly took on her late husband’s life-work, and ably took control of the wine estate’s reigns. The impressive results from her new leadership was a wine output not only much in line withher husband’s philosophies, but a solidification and concretization of his approach and beliefs. The Masciarelli Wine Estate is managed today by Marina, with the assistance of her children Miriam Lee and Luigi.

 

All three family members are dedicated to following the path Gianni laid out for them, and each is guided with determination and rigor. While they finesse and perfect the winery’s output, each one uses their unique relationship with the father or husband as inspiration to ensure their finest work and results

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What kind of wine is Masciarelli?

One of the Masciarelli winery’s most paradigmatic wines is the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Villa Gemma Riserva 2015. Aged in new oak barriques for 18 months, this wine is surely one of finest of its type thanks to its deep, ruby-red color and welcoming aromas of red fruits, fragrant flowers, and distinguished notes of tobacco and flint

 

When tasting this wine, we are struck by its breadth, ranging from a pleasant freshness and ending with a rich, persistent chocolately finish.  Another great example is the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo San Martino Marina Cvetic Riserva 2018, with one year aging time in barrique. 

 

This selection presents a lively, dynamic ruby red color taken directly by the colors of red fruits. The wine’s bouquet is charmingly fruity and floral, with subtle hints of tobacco and graphite. When drinking this Masciarelli selection, the wine’s freshness is balanced by a harmonious tannin structure and long, persistent finish.

 

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Looking for a white wine selection? Look no further than the Marina Cvetic Trebbiano D'Abruzzo Riserva

 

This powerful white wine begins with a French barrique aging process, which consequently allows the wine to express its immense versatility. 

 

A powerful wine selection, we’re also stricken by this vintage’s elegant character, which seemingly reflects the vine itself - this is the product of man’s desire to tame local vines and varietals without damaging their most intimate, innate facets

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