Controguerra

Italy · DOP · Abruzzo · -1 commune(s)

Styles

Natural factors

Argillaceous-silty soils of Plio-Pleistocene origin, formed from marine sedimentary deposits between the late Tertiary and early Quaternary.
Argillaceous-silty texture with looser intercalations in the coastal strip; gentle slopes and favorable exposures.
Hillside vineyards up to 440 m a.s.l., across the five communes of the upper Teramo area bordering the Marche.
Winkler Index between 1,800 and 2,000 degree-days (April–October), mean annual temperature 15.4 °C.
Pronounced diurnal temperature ranges and ventilation favored by the proximity of the Gran Sasso and the Monti della Laga.

Human factors

Polybius (205–123 BC) attests to wines from the Aprutina area as early as 216 BC: the grapes 'had healed the wounded and restored the strength' of Hannibal's men after Cannae. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
In 1789, Nardi lamented that, although the grapes were 'endless' and 'exceedingly sweet,' local producers did not even know 'their very own true name.'

Product characteristics

Wines of intense and distinctive aromas, promoted by the day-to-night temperature swings linked to the proximity of the Gran Sasso and the Monti della Laga.
Winkler Index of 1,800–2,000 degree-days: conditions that ensure optimal ripening from early-ripening varieties (Chardonnay, Sauvignon) through to late-ripening ones (Montepulciano).

Terroir / wine link

Diurnal temperature ranges, favored by the Gran Sasso and the Monti della Laga, encourage the accumulation of aromatic compounds in the grapes, yielding wines of intense fragrance.

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