Our first visit was Agricola Rabasco, in Pianella in Abruzzo region. We met the owner, Iole Rabasco, and the "eno-artisiano" (he doesn't like to be called "winemaker") Danilo there. They make both wines and olive oil there. When we arrived there, they were just harvesting the olives for this year's olive oil. It's such a beautiful place.
Danilo took us to one of his vineyards. They finished harvest of Montepulciano about 20 days ago. The vineyard was very steep. They also have other vineyards within a short drive from there, so he took there, too. Danilo's philosophy is everything should be true to nature. He also has a close relationship with Valentini as well as Emidio Pepe. They have been his mentors. He has been making wines in biodynamic manner since 10 years ago. Even SO2 is not added to his wines.
We came back to the cantina.
Destemming and pressing are done in quite basic equipments. Wines were fermented and/ or aged in stainless steel tank, glass fiber, used barrique, or even damigiana (large glass bottles). He makes both white, rose (including celasuolo) and red.
We tasted 13 kinds of wines with lunch. Iole's mother and brother prepared lunch for us!
Their homemade bread used yeast from pressed wine. The soup was rustic white kidney puree with rosemary. So good.
Two kinds of pecorino, omelet with crunch dried red pepper, and peperoncini.
Homemade tagliatelle pasta was very short and different from typical tagliatelle. It was served with the white bean sauce and their freshly made olive oil. I loved it so much.
Roasted lamb was so tender and flavorful. Potatoes made such a perfect accompaniment.
Dessert was panna cotta with wild cherry sauce. We also got to taste their "Ratafia" which was Montepulciano wine, macerated with wild cherries. Beautiful.
What a fantastic tasting lunch it was! We were so grateful to "mamma" and the family for such heartwarming welcome and hospitality.
Here's the lineup of the tasting..
2014 "Bianco Vivace", IGT Colline Pescaresi (frizzante due to natural 2nd fermentation in the bottle)
2014 Vino Bianco da Pasto
2014 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (DOC) "La Salita"
2014 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (DOC) "Damigiana"
2013 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (DOC) "Damigiana"
2014 "Rosato Vivace", IGT Colline Pescaresi (no maceration)
2014 Celasuolo d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana" (no maceration)
2013 Celasuolo d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana" (no maceration)
2014 Vino Rosso, "Cancelli"
2014 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Lu Cuntaden"
2014 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana"
2013 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Rosso della Contrada"
2013 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana"
Danilo took us to one of his vineyards. They finished harvest of Montepulciano about 20 days ago. The vineyard was very steep. They also have other vineyards within a short drive from there, so he took there, too. Danilo's philosophy is everything should be true to nature. He also has a close relationship with Valentini as well as Emidio Pepe. They have been his mentors. He has been making wines in biodynamic manner since 10 years ago. Even SO2 is not added to his wines.
We came back to the cantina.
Destemming and pressing are done in quite basic equipments. Wines were fermented and/ or aged in stainless steel tank, glass fiber, used barrique, or even damigiana (large glass bottles). He makes both white, rose (including celasuolo) and red.
We tasted 13 kinds of wines with lunch. Iole's mother and brother prepared lunch for us!
Their homemade bread used yeast from pressed wine. The soup was rustic white kidney puree with rosemary. So good.
Two kinds of pecorino, omelet with crunch dried red pepper, and peperoncini.
Homemade tagliatelle pasta was very short and different from typical tagliatelle. It was served with the white bean sauce and their freshly made olive oil. I loved it so much.
Roasted lamb was so tender and flavorful. Potatoes made such a perfect accompaniment.
Dessert was panna cotta with wild cherry sauce. We also got to taste their "Ratafia" which was Montepulciano wine, macerated with wild cherries. Beautiful.
What a fantastic tasting lunch it was! We were so grateful to "mamma" and the family for such heartwarming welcome and hospitality.
Here's the lineup of the tasting..
2014 "Bianco Vivace", IGT Colline Pescaresi (frizzante due to natural 2nd fermentation in the bottle)
2014 Vino Bianco da Pasto
2014 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (DOC) "La Salita"
2014 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (DOC) "Damigiana"
2013 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (DOC) "Damigiana"
2014 "Rosato Vivace", IGT Colline Pescaresi (no maceration)
2014 Celasuolo d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana" (no maceration)
2013 Celasuolo d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana" (no maceration)
2014 Vino Rosso, "Cancelli"
2014 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Lu Cuntaden"
2014 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana"
2013 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Rosso della Contrada"
2013 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (DOC), "Damigiana"
