A taste of Abruzzo

Part II of a memorable food & wine journey

In my previous post, I introduced you to the Abruzzo region in central Italy and touched upon the wines of the renowned Cantina Tollo cooperative, which was established in the province of Chieti in 1960 and is currently one of the leading businesses in the Italian wine industry. Today, we continue with some of the highlights of the first part of my journey, including sampling regional cuisine at the Michelin-starred Villa Maiella, vineyard visits and a vertical tasting with winemaker consultant Riccardo Brighigna. 

Villa Maiella
As a culinary journalist, I have had the pleasure of dining at my fair share of Michelin-starred restaurants, and though the gastronomic pairings and service have always been impeccable, each experience was remarkable in its own unique way. For some, it was the location that stays etched in my memory. Take dining at La Tour des Vents in Monbazillac, for example, where from the panoramic terrace, swathes of lush vineyards stretch out into the distance as far as the eye can see.

For others, it is a sense of intimacy and genuine warmth felt from the moment you lay the napkin on your lap in delicious anticipation to savoring that last bite of a perfect mignardise signaling the end of the meal. And that was certainly the case at Villa Maiella, which may boast a star after its name yet is anything but pretentious. 

Located on the edge of the Maiella National Park in Guardiagrele – a medieval gem known as the ‘terrace of Abruzzo’ and one of Italy’s most beautiful villages (Borghi Più Belli d’Italia) – the restaurant is headed by chef Arcangelo Tinari.
Pictured on the left, Arcangelo; on the right, his brother, sommelier Pascal Tinari.

Young, talented and intent on carrying forth the traditions of his family restaurant and native region, Arcangelo’s dishes are a veritable reflection of Abruzesse cuisine. When the produce is top-notch (ingredients – including their black pig – are sourced directly from the Tinari farm), frills on the plate are superfluous. It’s all about authenticity and purity of flavors. 

Our meal, taken in the company of Cantina Tollo’s sales and marketing director Andrea Di Fabio, was a well orchestrated symphony of regional delights flawlessly paired with Cantina Tollo’s elegant wines. Detailing the eleven dishes of our three-hour feast would require a post of its own, so I’ll stick to spotlighting a selection of favorites. 

Especially noteworthy was the roasted lettuce with pistachio crème and hazelnuts, prepared especially for me as a vegetarian option to the veal carpaccio. Its smoky flavors were beautifully matched by the lightly oak-aged DOP Pecorino, a bold and dense white with a herbaceous, spicy nose and a whisper of toasted hazelnuts. For clarity, I’m not referring to the cheese, but the grape, an authentic varietal inherent to Abruzzo’s terroir. Though still a bit unknown, it should be noted that, in recent years, Pecorino wines have been gaining popularity. Two other native white varieties that are little-known are Cococciola (a green grape that produces refreshing straw-colored wines with grassy flavors and a good acidity – more in the next post) and Passerina (an ancient grape that makes zippy wines replete with tropical fruits, citrus and minerality). Another gorgeous dish was the burrata ravioli made with two of Abruzzo’s regional products: lentils from the Caprafico plains and saffron from the province of L’Aquila. I also enjoyed the pallotta cac’e ove: a fried cheese-and-egg ball served in a rich tomato sauce. This authentic vegetarian dish (popular during the Easter feast) paired well with the Hedòs Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a punchy, bright-pink rosé redolent of juicy red fruits, with a long, velvety finish.

Informative visits
The following day would prove to be especially enlightening, as not only did we head to the vineyards to learn more about the region’s terroir and characteristic pergola trellising system (known as ‘tendone,’ where the grapes grow horizontally), but also had the chance to witness (and take part!) in the harvest of the white Trebbiano grapes.

Our visit started under a canopy of Montepulciano grapes due to be harvested between the end of September to the middle of October. Cantina Tollo’s viticultural agronomist, Antonio (below) told us that the indigenous, late-ripening varietal, which accounts for approximately 1,200 out of the 2,700 hectares of the cooperative’s vineyards, thrives in calcareous soils that retain more water.

The grapes are small with a thick skin, translating into wines with concentrated flavors, such as the Cagiòlo, which we had sampled the previous night and would better appreciate during a vertical wine tasting that took place at the Feudo Antico headquarters and estate museum.

Focusing on the small, local appellation Tullum DOCG (‘Tullum’ is Latin for ‘Tollo’), Feudo Antico joined Cantina Tollo in 2004. Ancient traditions and winemaking come together at this historic location as Feudo Antico’s first vineyards were planted on the ruins of an ancient Roman villa discovered while the soil was being prepared in 2003. Amphorae once used to age/ferment wine were also unearthed, leading to the revival and use of terracotta vessels for the fermentation of Feudo Antico’s InAnfora Rosso Tullum DOCG.

Feudo Antico opened its estate museum in the heart of the vineyards in July of 2021, a beautiful spot steeped in history and offering everything from showrooms to a wine shop and spa facilities. 

With a view of their vineyards, we enjoyed a vertical wine tasting (same wine, different vintages) of Cagiòlo with winemaking consultant Riccardo Brighigna.

This year not only marks the 30th anniversary of Cagiòlo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOP Riserva, but it is also Riccardo’s 20th vintage.

I am a huge fan of bold, full-bodied reds. The kind of wines that have plenty of complexity and supple yet persistent tannins. Perfect at this time of year with hearty autumnal dishes (risotto with black truffle, I’m looking at you!). As you can imagine, I was pretty excited about this tasting (which included five of the best vintages: 2000, 2006, 2010, 2015 and 2018). Riccardo pointed out that although Montepulciano can be enjoyed young, it certainly has great aging potential. Characteristically, Cagiòlo is an intensely crimson wine full of concentrated red fruits and ripe morello cherries. It has earthy aromas and hints of dark chocolate, warm spices, coffee and vanilla. With this vertical tasting, however, we had the chance to experience the evolution of the vintages and how they were influenced by important factors such as climatic conditions. Though all were equally impressive, like Riccardo, I was most charmed by the perfect balance of acidity and tannins in 2015. Cagiòlo is truly an elegant wine and certainly one of my favorite discoveries during this trip. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this second post about the gustatory delights of Abruzzo. Stay tuned because in the next newsletter I’ll be rounding things off with a magical dinner at a trabocco (wooden fishing huts built on platforms and scattered along the Trabocchi Coast), a visit to the Accademia della Ventricina where they make artisanal salumi and a video that will put you in the center of all the action!

Images: Paola Westbeek & Cantina Tollo