Villa Gemma
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2024
Abruzzo
Perhaps the finest rosé production area in Italy, and one of the few appellations dedicated only to rosé, Cerasuolo has a long history of producing serious rosé, and showcasing how well the Montepulciano grape is adapted to rosé. Masciarelli first produced this wine in 1986, only 5 years after the winery was founded. With deep fruit and structure but no shortage of pleasure, it is a rosé you can take to the dinner table.
VINEYARD
From the San Martino sulla Marrucina vineyard, at 1,200 feet above sea level, the Montepulciano grape is pergola trellised on calcareous clay.
WINEMAKING
After destemming and pressing, the must is macerated with the skins for 24 hours before racking and fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is bottled in March following the harvest.
VINTAGE
The 2024 Abruzzo growing season was defined by a hot and dry summer, causing an early harvest to begin in the first ten days of August. Despite the early ripening, the grapes retained excellent quality and freshness, with no damage to the fruit. The harvest was smooth, with healthy grapes across varieties, promising a vintage of excellent quality. Even with the hot summer, the fruit’s integrity was safeguarded, setting the stage for exceptional wines that showcase the region's potential in a challenging season.
TASTING NOTE
A deep cherry-hued Cerasuolo of real substance, opening with aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, and lavender with a mineral undercurrent. Round and juicy on the palate with bright acidity, red berry and cherry fruit, and a long, spiced finish.
FOOD PAIRING
Grilled salmon, roasted chicken, pasta with tomato-based sauces, charcuterie, and aged pecorino.
Color
Rose
Blend %
100% Montepulciano
Appellation
Abruzzo
Alcohol
13.5%
Suggested Retail Price
$26
Reviews
Wine Spectator - September 16, 2025 "Cerasuolo is a beautiful example of how good rosato (rosé) can be in Italy - or anywhere in the world, for that matter. Produced from the Montepulciano grape, this is among the most flavorful and stimulating examples of rosé made today. The aromas of this wine - maraschino cherry, pink roses and sea breeze - are dazzling; there is great freshness, excellent complexity and significant persistence; enjoy this over the next three to five years."
Vinous - May 8, 2025 "The 2024 Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo Superiore Villa Gemma is perfumed from start to finish, wafting up with violet and rose tones before focusing deeper on a crushed white strawberry aroma. This is round and soft with a core of ripe red berry fruits propelled by tantalizing acidity. Its minerality comes through on the finish, leaving a pleasant inner sweetness and nuances of mint."
Wine Enthusiast - December 16, 2025
James Suckling - February 26, 2026 "The moderate pomegranate color is typical of Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo. This medium-bodied wine shows its simple, brambly appeal with light cherries, fresh acidity and a dry, pithy finish."
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Abruzzo Bianco
Abruzzo Bianco
While the Villa Gemma Montepulciano was the wine that announced Abruzzo to the world, the Bianco, created just a year later, further defined what the region and grapes of Abruzzo could produce. This wine, first released in 1985, speaks to the white grape varieties specific to the region and has become on of the most exciting wines produced at the estate.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Started in Gianni Masciarelli's grandfather's basement, Villa Gemma is the wine that announced Abruzzo to the world, showcasing what the region and grapes of Abruzzo could produce. Villa Gemma Montepulciano Riserva is the only Italian wine with 14 consecutive Tre Bicchieri awards and, more importantly, was the wine that established Abruzzo as capable of making truly distinct, extraordinary wines. Villa Gemma Montepulciano Riserva is a powerfully - almost undeniably - intense wine of character and complexity, with deep fruit and earthy, spicy secondary charachteristics that could only come from the Montepulciano grape in Abruzzo.
