Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Italy · DOP · Abruzzo · -1 commune(s)

Styles

Natural factors

Alluvial soils with a mixed composition of argille, sand, silt, and gravel, varying in character between the mountain and coastal zones.
Temperate climate with marked diurnal temperature ranges amplified by the proximity of the Gran Sasso, favouring the accumulation of aromatic compounds.
Winkler heat summation index above 2,000 degree-days (April–October), a threshold that ensures full ripening of Montepulciano.
Vineyards oriented predominantly south-southeast, with annual rainfall ranging from 700 mm (coastal zone) to 800 mm (inland hill zone).
Zone delimited to the northwest by the Gran Sasso and the Monti della Laga, and to the east by the Adriatic Sea. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

Human factors

Historical evidence for viticulture in the Teramo area dates to Hannibal (216 BC): the wines of the region 'had healed the wounded and restored the strength of the men.'
As early as 1897, the Vade-Mecum of Ottavi and Marescalchi cited Montepulciano and Sangiovese as the dominant red grape varieties in the province of Teramo.

Product characteristics

Deep ruby colour with violet hues in youth, tending toward garnet with age.
Intense and ethereal bouquet: ripe red fruits in young wines, jam and spice in aged examples; dry, tannic, velvety palate.

Terroir / wine link

Diurnal temperature ranges, amplified by the proximity of the Gran Sasso, concentrate terpenes and polyphenols in the grape skins, generating intense aromatics and high ageing potential.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.