Villa Gemma
Abruzzo Bianco 2023
Abruzzo
Villa Gemma Abruzzo Bianco, created just a year after the iconic Villa Gemma Montepulciano, further cemented Abruzzo’s reputation for exceptional wines. First released in 1985, this white blend of Trebbiano, Pecorino, and Cococciola highlights the region’s unique grape varieties. The wine strikes a perfect balance, offering bright citrus and ripe stone fruit flavors with a touch of spice. It is fresh yet deep, showcasing both complexity and vibrancy. Villa Gemma Bianco has become one of the most exciting wines in the Masciarelli range.
VINEYARD
In a span of only 30 miles between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, Masciarelli has carefully assembled 60 specific sites averaging just 5 acres and spread across the diverse soils and altitudes of the 4 provinces of Abruzzo. With vines averaging 37 years of age, the grapes of the Villa Gemma Bianco is sourced from three distinct vineyards, ranging in elevation from 435 to 1,200 feet. These vineyards, as is usual for Abruzzo, are predominantly calcareous clay and limestone.
WINEMAKING
After destemming and pressing, this wine undergoes a 20-hour cold soak prior to a cool fermentation in stainless steel. There is little bottle aging for this wine as it is intended to be consumed in its youth.
VINTAGE
The 2023 growing season in Abruzzo faced significant challenges, with heavy rains in May and June leading to widespread downy mildew. The fungal disease spread rapidly, compounded by muddy soil that prevented access for treatment. This resulted in an estimated 40% drop in production, with some vineyards experiencing losses exceeding 70%. Despite the difficulties, winemakers remained hopeful, with salvaged grapes producing high-quality, fresh wines. This vintage was notably smaller than recent vintages.
TASTING NOTE
Brilliant, pale straw yellow color. The nose is fairly intense with floral notes, and the palate has great citrus, green apple, and herbal flavor with stony minerality.
FOOD PAIRING
Fresh seafood, light pasta dishes, and white meats
Color
White
Blend %
100% Trebbiano
Appellation
Abruzzo
Alcohol
13%
Suggested Retail Price
$27
Reviews
Vinous - September 1, 2024 "The 2023 Bianco is sweetly floral and fresh, with a pretty blend of chalk dust, raw almonds, spring flowers and sliced pears. It sweeps across the palate with ease, soft and round with a salty tinge up front that neatly frames its ripe orchard fruits. The 2023 finishes crisp and with a pleasantly bitter tinge of spice and lemon rinds."
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo
Abruzzo Cerasuolo
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.
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.
