Trebbiano gets little respect. In France, it’s called Ugni Blanc and is mostly used to make Cognac and Armagnac. (It can also make a sprightly wine when yields are restricted.) But Trebbiano D’Abruzzo is another animal along Italy’s Adriatic coast. Here, the grape can be the powerful expression of its clay and limestone terrain. The firm of Masciarelli makes two versions: a lighter, fresh mouthful, or today’s example, made from 50-year-old vines and aged 22 months in new French oak. This is a fascinating white that will appeal to lovers of big Chardonnay. But it’s this grape that makes it such a unique experience.
2013 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Riserva, Marina Cvetic, Masciarelli $43 srp
Deep yellow to golden hue. A honeyed nose redolent of baked apple, pear and apricot, with citrus notes that linger long. Elements of butterscotch and vanilla caress but do not cover the ripe fruit elements. Alluring! Flavors are very clean and dry with mineral-etched impressions. Yet warm pear and honeyed sensations continue onto the powerfully long finish. A bit blunt and a touch bitter now, this is already a complex mouthful that will continue to improve and blossom in bottle. (Don’t serve too cold.)
Drink now-2020 with seafood stews, pork roasts or perhaps as a foil for a crème brûlée!
93/100 points
