Following years of research, the Consorzio di Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo is developing its regulations to highlight the uniqueness of a wine distinct to the region – Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo.
WHEN WE think of wine, we usually think of red, white and rosé, though in recent years orange expressions have also garnered some attention from consumers around the world. But for one region in Italy, there is another primary shade in the colour wheel. Enter Italy’s Abruzzo region, home to Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, the fifth colour.
Named after its “cerasa” hue, the Italian for “cherry”, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo increasingly proves to be both a contemporary and gastronomic wine, and a unique expression of the region. Made primarily from Montepulciano grapes, Abruzzo sells 9 million bottles a year. And Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is experiencing significant growth: Coldiretti data from last year reported that it is the fastest-growing wine from the region, up approximately 20%.
The Consorzio is keen to build on this success while staying true to the traditional foundations of the wine. “Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is the most traditional wine of our region, so we have to protect this appellation,” says Davide Acerra, marketing manager of the Consorzio di Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo.
With this in mind, the regional body is currently working to include a colour range in its official regulations of what constitutes Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. “We want to homologise the colour of Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo so as not to create confusion for consumers who currently find this appellation in different pink variants,” Acerra says, instead focusing on the cherry hue which gives the wine its originality.
CLEARLY DEFINED
Lighter rosé wines and deeper reds are welcomed by the Consorzio, whose intention is to more clearly define the differences between categories. Since 2023, the Consortium has widened the scope in the Abruzzo DOC to include lighter shades of rosè, as well as introducing the IGT Terre d’Abruzzo.
“You can produce rosé how you want, [either] a lighter version or a darker version,” Acerra says of producers in the region, “but for Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo in the future, we want to promote and communicate the traditional version.” For Acerra, the wine offers the best of both worlds. “Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo has the freshness and quality of white wine, and the body and structure of red wine,” he says. Intended to be drunk “fresh and cold”, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo also has the benefit of working well in a number of drinking occasions, whether as an aperitivo or paired with a range of dishes from fish to salads.
During the last few weeks the Consorzio has completed the initial research to define the range of shades within which a wine from the region can officially be labelled as Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. Acerra predicts that the new rules regarding the wine will come into effect in the coming months.
