Abruzzo is a region in the center of Italy, located in the eastern part of the peninsula, between the Adriatic Sea and the highest Apennines mountains, with the mighty rocks of the Gran Sasso. Even though it is geographically situated at the center, it is influenced very much by the cultural, historical and linguistic point of view of the South of Italy.
The region is mainly 65%, mountainous, with the grave rocks of Gran Sasso dominating the valley.
Beyond the mountains a hilly landscape it’s displayed, mirroring the Adriatic coast. The hills have been shaped by man’s agricultural interventions on these lands, which are very suitable for wine and oil production, giving remarkable charm to the endless fields of vineyards and oil groves.
There are 38 protected areas in this wonderful natural background, which consist of the 36% of its total surface area, the highest value in Europe, and 3 natural parks, and contains over 75% of the animal species and plants of the European continent.
All this makes Abruzzo a region of remarkable interest from both the landscape and the regional wine and food point of view.
AGRICULTURAL
Agriculture has always been the principal resource of the region and it still has a significant incidence on the economy nowadays. Fruit-growing production amounts to approximately 850000 tons, consisting mainly in peaches.
Also about 5 millions of tons of vegetables and 5 millions tons of grapes are produced . The majority are used for wine-production, producing approximately 3.5-4 millions of hectoliters of wine. No less is the olive production, which regards approximately 240.000 tons, and durum and soft wheat production with about one millions of tons. Along with agriculture, peach production and cattle breeding – especially sheeps - give their remarkable contribution.
GASTRONOMY
Abruzzo has a varied territory which goes from the sea to the mountains but it is dominated by the montainous hills where pastoralism is present, with typical industrial products.
Woods, grazing lands and fertile hills let the wise man’s hand have unforgettable food and drink.
It’s a land of big agricultural and bucolic traditions, offering the visitors a wide range of scents and flavours.
The cookery offers a combinations of different flavours and expresses itself with several principal typical dishes.
In the hinterland you may have the pleasure to taste typical antipasti/appetizers such as the fellata di prosciutto nostrano, the capellomme and the salsicciotto sided by olives, pickles, mushrooms with oil and anchovy filets.
Typical starters are the maccheroni alla chitarra, the timballo di scrippelle, the soup with cardi aquilani, the polenta abruzzese, the pappardelle with duck sauce.
Amongst the main courses lamb takes the spotlight, going from roasted lamb with rustic and tasty flavour, to the salty arrosticini.
In the coastal area we may find abundance of fish appetizers such as: tiny squids, scampi and all the other mollusks, often sided with a green sauce made of parsley and mayonnaise. The various fish of the Adriatic sea are used to make the “brodetti”, wonderful sauces/soups cooked in a terracotta pan with fresh tomatoes and different flavours, full of splendor and sea aromas.
WINE
The origins of grape wine-growing in Abruzzo intertwined with the presence of the ancient Etruscans in the center of Italy in the VII century B.C., since most likely the farmers learned how to support grape wine plantations using trees.
Abruzzo’s wine, once considered as a cut product for northern wines, has recently obtained its own identity so much that its quality level today, especially due to the leading role of the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, is high enough to allow worldwide exportation.
Production is getting more and more selective with the implementation of wine varieties and proper techniques for the single small farms, all followed by innovation technologies for wine-cellar practice and technical focused selections, supported by a land rich of microclimates.
The enological overview is defined by the presence of indigenous or local characterized wine varieties and by the spread of wine varieties in the last twenty years in order to satisfy a wider and international market.
Among the first on the list, within the red berry varieties we may find primarily Montepulciano and minimally Sangiovese.
Among the white wines, mainly Trebbiano and the recently re-evaluated Montonico, Passerina and Percorino.
To the seconds belong: among the red wines Merlot, Cabernet fran and Cabernet Sauvignon and among the white berry varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot bianco and Pinot grigio.
Abruzzo region owns 7 DOC, 8 IGT and one DOCG quality guaranteed label referred to the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo delle colline Teramane.
