Bottle of White, Bottle of Red, Perhaps Cerasuolo Instead?

For decades the Cerulli family has owned a small farm in the picturesque hill country of Abruzzo.  Although the family always made wine for local sale and their own consumption,  farming and sheep herding were the primary means of survival.   Eventually the family began concentrating on wine production and today the company is producing quality wines from a region mostly noted for producing wine in quantity at the expense of quality.  That's slowly changing though, and Cerulli Spinozzi is among those leading the way.  

 

~ Clams, Mussels, Scallops, Crabmeat, Calamari, and Bronzino in light tomato sauce ~

 

Recently, with a lovely bounty of seafood and relaxing on Long Beach Island, we put the Cerulli Spinozzi Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo to the test.  

 

This Rosato should not be confused with the DOCG wine from Sicily, Cerasuolo di Vittoria.  Why make things simple?  In the instant case, the wine is made from 100% Montepulciano grapes and the name Cerasuolo simply means "cherry red" and is a nod to the notoriously deep color that Rose's made from Montepulciano can possess.  

 

~ Piedi al Mare ~

 

The 2014 Cerulli Spinozzi Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is indeed impressive for it's deep color.  Produced from a single vineyard in the heart of the Colline Teramane area - the tiny zone that produces the only DOCG wines made from Montepulciano,  this wine has more body and weight than a typical Rose.  

In the glass, the aromatics are lovely.  Strawberry, watermelon and citrus notes combine in a wonderful medley.  On the palate, the wine is crisp and refreshing with a solid medium body and lively flavors of strawberry, cherry, and stones. On the trailing finish one can note a slight twinge of orange rind.  The acidic backbone is cleansing and stood up perfectly to the tomatoes in the seafood. 

Enjoyable on its own, this was a perfect match with the meal.   91 points,  about $15 retail.  Disclosure:  This bottle was an importer provided sample. 

~ 100% Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from the Canzano Vineyard on the Cerulli Spinozzi Estate ~

Salute!