A strong link with the peasant wine tradition is inherent in the name Cerasuolo, which derives from the word “cerasa”. In the local dialect this word means cherry. The fleshy, fragrant and small fruit that fascinates also thanks to its color. An intense and inviting chromatic range just like Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, which has always been considered the true wine of indigenous farmers.
The Cerasuolo comes from the black grape variety Montepulciano d’Abruzzo vinified in white. Slow pressing or a few hours of contact between must and peel determine the concentration of the color, more or less accentuated, and the consequent profile of the aromas; always attributable to red fruits such as strawberries, cherries or sour cherries; floral touches of geranium, pink or sometimes purple; the vegetable trail of tomato or mint leaves and, often, some spicy echoes accompanied by a brackish imprint and almond aftertaste.
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a pink wine of substance like the grapes it comes from. Rich in polyphenols harbingers of longevity, structure and a splendid color. Be careful not to confuse the Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo with the Cerasuolo di Vittoria. The latter is another denomination and refers to another region and other vines.
Once upon a time, in domestic winemaking, peasants obtained Cerasuolo using the “svacata” (dialect term). A technique represented by the addition of macerated red wine must to strengthen the final result. Today, in a more advanced way, some producers are used to opting for “bloodletting” (saignée). Method by which a quantity of must varying between 10% -30% is tapped from the maceration tank from below and its subsequent fermentation proceeds without contact with the skins. A more complex pink wine will result.
Recent market trends see an important global growth in the production and marketing of pink wines. Thanks to the ideal climate, Italy, especially in the South, offers pink wines with radiant and intense nuances that are very distant from the powder pink or even paler Provençal paradigm. It is difficult to understand the value and history inherent in the Abruzzo pink dress. Thus, more and more often, we see many Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo who recall the “cerasa” only in taste, but not in color. Wines that progressively are stripped of chromatic intensity to support a market that should simply be made aware of the values of the “cerasa” color.
Last, but not least, consideration should be given to the wide versatility of food combinations that Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is capable of covering. From lighter dishes to more structured ones in which the dominant bittersweet blends well with the organoleptic aspects of this wonderful wine: as austere in color as it is soft, balanced and elegant on the palate.
