A mass of Marinas - Part 2

As we travelled further into the Abruzzo countryside we enjoyed the ever-changing scenery, the limestone hills, the hilltop towns and the vast area of vineyards along the eastern side of the region.

Our first stop was at the Hotel Villa Majella, a gorgeous four star hotel with views all the way to the Gran Sasso (Big Rock) which appeared quite close it was so large. The Gran Sasso is the highest mountain in the region and it was covered all the way down into the foothills with snow. It was amazing to see the snow on the mountains and then the green of the countryside. The view went on forever.

The hotel was in the town of Guardiagrele in the province of Chieti. It had recently been snowing and it was bitterly cold. After sitting on the bus for more than two hours we wanted to stretch our legs so those of us brave enough to take on the cold weather walked from one end of the town to the other. This took all of about ten minutes. Most of the buildings were quite old but there were some modernish (1950s) apartment blocks. I can’t remember much about the town except the steep drop down from the road into a valley, this allowed great views of the area. The town had a population of around 10,000 and took its name from the watchtower - Guardia. We were lucky to have a hotel with such a high standard in the area which was it seemed entirely rural.

After our arrival and before dinner we fitted in a visit to Azienda Agricola Santoleri owned by Umani Ronchi in Marche. It was their first foray into Abruzzo  Part and they had only just taken over. The manager had set out a ‘few’ pastries for us to try with the wines - in other words in typical Italian fashion the table was loaded. As I said in the previous post, I think we must have been pigs in our last lifetime as we set about demolishing the plates of food but even we could not finish them. I would give you all my tasting notes on the wines but there really isn’t any point because the wines would be long gone by now.

Our return to the hotel saw the evening closing in and the weather turn nasty. After our magnificent evening meal (yes, we were ready to eat again!) we all went to our beds very satisfied and looking forward to the next day. It was one of the best night's sleep I have ever had in Italy - in the countryside with no traffic and pouring with rain and a terrific amount of food in our stomachs .

The next morning saw a very quiet group turn up for breakfast. The rain had cleared overnight and the morning was fresh, some of us had even got up a little early and gone for a walk to clear our heads. The sun was shining and the air was so crisp. I managed to take some photos before we left to go to Fattoria Bruno Nicodemi Dei Colli Venia in the winemaking zone of Teramo or Colline Teramane.

Bruno Nicodemi is now known for making superb Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a wine often discounted by wine experts - the grape not the brand - but I feel is one of Italy’s best products. Montepulciano is a flavourful red wine that can be enjoyed with a simple pizza, pasta or roasted meats. It is a success story as it is one of the few wines made in Italy where you can’t make a mistake, it’s generally good stuff. Of course there will always be badly made stuff, made with a price in mind but you can still buy Montepulciano d’Abruzzo at a reasonable price.

Montepulciano has little to do with the town of the same name in Tuscany. The grape has been grown in Abruzzo for centuries and it is related to Sangiovese. It is thought that originally someone from Tuscany brought the vine with them to plant in Abruzzo and they may have come from the town of Montepulciano. However, over the centuries the grape has changed finding a new ‘terroir’ and its flavour profile has changed along with it. It is a little more full-bodied than sangiovese, a little less acidic and the colour is richer as well. I think that is why it has done so well in Australia.

Arriving at Bruno Nicodemi we drove through a dramatic path of trees which teased us with glipses of the winery the closer we got.The mag The trimmed pines partnered by olive trees were well looked after and the driveway was more reminiscent of Tuscany rather than Abruzzo. They guided us all the way past the vineyards and a small lake until we reached the end where the whole family came out to meet us. 

The winery is famous for its Trebbiano ‘Bacco’ which contains 15% Chardonnay. A lot of Trebbiano is grown in Abruzzo and most of it is very average wine but Bruno Nicodemi seems to have worked out just exactly what the wine needs. With good acidity and a floral nose with good fruit, it is very enjoyable. It has a persistent green apple finish which goes on and on -  pity the wine isn’t available in Australia.They also make a beautiful Cerasuolo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. This soft rose wine has a subtle flavour that is perfect for in-between seasons and summer dining.

We left Bruno Nicodemi for Illuminati, another family winery where the family came out to meet us. Illuminati is sold in Australia exclusively through Woolworth’s Dan Murphy stores and selected stores under their other brands BWS and Woolworth’s Liquor. The wines are very good value for money and my personal favourite is Ripparosso, an excellent easy drinking wine made from Montepulciano - the name kind of grabs me - its a ripper rosso!

We were staying for dinner at the winery and so we spent a great deal of time there which was very good for me. When they came out to Australia a few years ago I was a special guest at a lunch for some journalists. The father Dino remembered me and asked that I attend and keep him company. It was wonderful even after all that time.

The property is in Contraguerra and covers 80 hectares with 75 planted with vines. The panoramic views were exceptional and we couldn’t have felt more at home because the family were so nice. This was one visit that I will remember for a long time.

Another visit I will remember because it was so odd was Orlando Contucci. My interest in Italian wines began when I met Robert Gavagna. I was working for an Italian Publication in Sydney and I wrote a story on Gavagan Brothers, a wine importing company run by Robert. He had inherited the company from his father and had run it successfully since the death of his elder brother. I went to work for Robert and his nephew John, who took over when Robert retired, and they were both terrific to work for. 

But getting back to Orlando Contucci, our visit turned out to be very awkward. Marina Orlando Contucci (yes, another Marina) was very abrasive with us. I don’t know whether she was nervous or it was just her manner. She talked about her winery and the history of the company and then she said to us she had lots of importers around the world and then proceeded to list them. When she came to Australia she named Gavagna Brothers as her importer which was news to me, I knew the Gavagna portfolio inside out and in fact, knew all the owners and sales managers of the wineries as well  due to my frequent trips with both Gavagna men and on my own.

When I asked when had she dealt with Gavagna Brothers - it might have been before my time - she said she was exporting at that time. I said politely that she must have the name wrong, it must be another importer but she was adamant. I dropped the matter but when I got home I found she had sent some samples to Gavagna Brothers which had been rejected. It seemed she was right, she had exported 6 whole bottles!

Her property was a great deal larger than Illuminati, it was 850 hectares  and her claim to fame was interesting: her father Corrado Orlando Contucci established the first Italian Embassy in the USA after WWII.

With our last day coming quickly we finally had a free night so what did we do - we went  out and tried some more wine!

We had an 8.30 start on our last day. It was a Saturday and we had three wineries to go to. Casa Vinicola Roxan Soc. Coop. A.r.l., Az Agr Passetti and Az Agr Masciarelli. Of the three, I can only remember Roxan and Masciarelli, I have no notes on Passetti which must mean something.

Our visit to Roxan was surprising as they had decided to host us at the home of one of the co-op members. It was a magnificent house belonging to a barone (baron) and his wife. The rooms were very opulent and the elderly couple were extremely friendly although slightly confused about what was going on. It was a thoroughly enjoyable visit.

By the time we got to Masciarelli it was getting dark so we had a quick look in the cantina (wine cellars) and then we went into the house for dinner where we met his wife Marina - Marina Cvetic. It seemed we could not escape the name.

The wines of Masciarelli were excellent and for quite some time afterward I tried to interest a number of importers to no avail. They still remain without an importer but if you go to Italy or anywhere else where you seem the name, they are worth trying. Gianni Mascerelli passed away several years ago, he was a still a relatively young man (about 45) and his wife now runs the wine business.

Sunday arrived and  most people left for Rome, I on the other hand being a glutton for punishment went to to meet several other journalists arriving in Bari where we had a really entertaining trip which involved eating donkey, the bus leaving without me and a strange castle in the countryside. This is where things went from bad to worse!

 Next: Unforgetable Puglia - again!