Wine 101: Abruzzo

This episode of “Wine 101” is sponsored by Tornatore Wine. Just like the wines of Abruzzo that we’ll be talking about today, this wine is light, vibrant, and fruit-forward. Its structured depth makes it the perfect companion for sautéed fish, pork sausage, and more. Believe me, this is a wine that can handle its meat.

Italian wine is the most commonly imported wine in the United States. We can’t get enough of it. There are tons of awesome grape varieties all over Italy, but Abruzzo is a world of its own.

It’s in central Italy, almost half of the entire region is protected land, and 75 percent of Europe’s animal species can be found here. Wine-wise, Abruzzo is home to Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Trebbiano — a white wine grape. There’s also some Sangiovese and a few others, but the region is isolated from the rest of central Italy, as it’s sandwiched between mountain ranges.

About 80 percent of the wine in Abruzzo is made in co-ops, and this is generally what we see on the U.S. market. But that’s slowly changing as more winemakers start to focus on terroir-driven, age-worthy Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.

Tune in to hear the one-and-only Keith Beavers break down Abruzzo’s amazing geography and its unique grape varieties.

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“Wine 101” was produced, recorded, and edited by yours truly, Keith Beavers, at the VinePair headquarters in New York City. I want to give a big old shout-out to co-founders Adam Teeter and Josh Malin for creating VinePair. Big shout-out to Danielle Grinberg, the art director of VinePair, for creating the most awesome logo for this podcast. Also, Darby Cicci for the theme song. Listen to this. And I want to thank the entire VinePair staff for helping me learn something new every day. See you next week.

E. & J. Gallo Winery is excited to sponsor this episode of VinePair’s “Wine 101.” Gallo always welcomes new friends to wine with an amazingly wide spectrum of favorites, ranging from everyday to luxury and sparkling wine. (Gallo also makes award-winning spirits, but this is a wine podcast.) Whether you are new to wine or an aficionado, Gallo welcomes you to wine. Visit TheBarrelRoom.com today to find your next favorite, where shipping is available.