2021 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Le Vigne, Faraone, Abruzzo, Italy

Trebbiano is a high yielding white wine grape variety, originated in the South-Eastern Mediterranean. Italy still has extensive plantings of the grape (it accounts for over half of the white wines in the country, with diminishing importance in the recent years). It is also found in France, where it is known by the name of Ugni Blanc as a major component in Armagnac and Cognac that benefit from its high acidity and subtle flavours. Trebbiano’s received some poor press over the years being responsible perhaps for too many anodyne Italian whites (and red blends!). However,  a new broom across the country has been sweeping away the poorer clones and practices in favour of something far more respectable, such as the examples produced by Monte del Frà

The Faraone family produces traditional Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wines. Their 9ha property is now focused on the new ‘Collepietro’ vineyard at Mosciano Sant’Angelo in the Colline Teramane DOCG zone of Abruzzo, some 10 miles from the Adriatic. Faraone’s story dates back to 1916, and particularly to the 1930s when Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Passerina were first planted; bottling started in 1970. Giovanni Faraone makes the wine, aided by his wife Paola & sons Alfonso & Federico; the latter an oenologist who’s worked in France and New Zealand before taking up a post in Umbria. They also make a fine Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Passerina and Pecorino.