Tiberio - Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2021

The story of Azienda Agricola Tiberio rings more like a new world tale than one from the old world of the ancient lands beneath the Majella and Gran Sasso mountains in Abruzzo. At 350 meters, twenty three miles inland from the seaside city of Pescara near the hillside town of Cugnoli, Riccardo Tiberio found an old plot of Trebbiano Abruzzese vines roughly 50 years old so impressive that he decided to change his and his family’s destiny.

100% massal selection Montepulciano d’Abruzzo grapes; alcohol: 14%; limestone soils; altitude: 350 meters; South exposure; average vine age: 22 years; hand harvested last week of September; cold maceration with skins; free run juice only; fermentation in stainless steel; no malolactic fermentation.

Fresh aromas and flavors of red cherry and small red berries. Lovely acid-fruit balance with a bright, crisp, clean, floral finish. Pair with pizza, pasta, fish dishes with sauce, cheeses, meat.

"The 2021 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a deep red color, so much so that you’d be hard-pressed to call it a Rosé. Crushed raspberries mix with hints of licorice, rose petals and a spritz of sea breeze to form its alluring bouquet. This is round and pliant with a gentle inner sweetness offset by citrus-tinged acidity, as sour melon and hard red candies resonate throughout. A hint of licorice lingers under an air of lavender, as the 2021 tapers off lightly structured yet full of lively energy. Cristiana Tiberio keeps telling me that she enjoys her Cerasuolo when it’s young and fresh, yet I can’t help but want to know what this beauty will look like in another year or two. That said, it’s stunning already today. 2022 – 2024" - 92 points, ErIc Guido Vinous

"Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a style of rosé that deserves to be better appreciated outside of Italy, however it faces an uphill battle against the swathes of Provence pink. Made from Montepulciano vines averaging over 50 years of age, grown on limestone soils in the Abruzzo region, this is exclusively free-run juice vinified in stainless steel. Red and black cherry aromas and some mineral notes are followed in the mouth by a good concentration of fresh black cherry and herb. Saline and gently tannic with good acidity, this is closer to a red wine than a white wine and an excellent food rosé. 2022 – 2026" - 90 points, Decanter

Producer: Tiberio

Country: Italy

Region: Abruzzo

Varietal: Montepulciano

Appellation: Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo

Vintage: 2021

Size: 750ml