Vini d’Abruzzo

This past Wednesday, I was invited to an exclusive tasting event at The Vancouver Club put on by The Consortium of wines from Abruzzo, Italy.

Since the responsibility of having two dogs, I have not made a trip to Italy in quite some time. These little experiences bring me back to THE CHARMING TASTE OF EUROPE.

I was among a few sommeliers, agents/importers, restaurateurs, wine educators and licensed shop owners, where we had the opportunity to explore the unique characteristics of Abruzzo wines, and deepen our knowledge of this renowned appellation to discover the quality and elegance of their wines.

The Abruzzo wine region is located in central Italy, along the Adriatic Coast. It is considered the greenest region in Europe, with nearly half of its land designated as national parks and nature reserves. This unique geography contributes to the distinct character of its wines.

With David, the Director of Marketing for the Consortium of wines from Abruzzo.

This area is famous for its *Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a bold red wine that dominates production. At the walk around tasting we got to sample some with as high as 97 pts. Also, lovely,

With Leeann, owner of “Town Hall Brands” – the PR company.

naturally organic wine as well.

This event featured wine pairings with carefully selected finger foods which were amazing, and a risotto station with a young gentleman making it there on the spot with lemon, asparagus, fresh herbs and parmesan.

*A few interesting facts:

The Montepulciano grape has been cultivated in Abruzzo for centuries, with historical references dating back to 1792.

Legendary Healing Powers: A legend claims that Hannibal (the general renowned for his role in the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), where he famously led his army, including war elephants, across the Alps to invade Italy and challenge the Roman Republic) used Montepulciano wine to heal his horses from scabies! Lately, with the recent articles claiming that wine is no good for you, how do you like them grapes?