2020-C La Quercia ‘SantaPupa’ Pecorino Colli Aprutini IGT, Abruzzo, Italy (750ml)
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A Monthly Wine Club Selection
La Quercia is located in the town of Morro d’Oro in the small, coastal province of Teramo. It is protected on one side by the Adriatic Sea and flanked on the other by the Apennine Mountains. These natural barriers form a beautiful “pocket” with 300 days of sun per year and comparatively few climate variations. A dedicated farmer and steward of the land, winemaker Antonio Lamona is totally invested in his wines. Antonio’s farm is entirely self-sustaining: they produce their own salami, bread, vegetables, olive oil, and cheese.
Although his father also grew grapes, Antonio is the first in the family to bottle his own wine and, beginning in the late sixties, began cultivating vines that are entirely organic. While Antonio is winemaker and enologist, ownership of La Quercia is shared with three of his lifelong friends: Elisabetta Di Berardino, Fabio Pedicone and Luca Moretti. So, when it's “all hands-on-deck”, La Quercia has four families lending assistance in cultivating and harvesting the 46 non-contiguous hectares of vineyards spread about town.
Once widespread throughout Marche and Abruzzo, the Pecorino grape nearly went extinct in the mid-twentieth century before being rediscovered. Experiencing a renaissance, this crisp, lush varietal is naturally high in both acidity and sugar content. Pecorino thrives in areas with high altitude and cool breezes. Enter La Quercia—situated in the windswept hills of the Teramo, with their SantaPupa Pecorino, both well-structured, and approachable.
100% Pecorino. The grapes were harvested by hand and immediately pressed. After a short cryomaceration, the wine was bottled fresh, and bottle-aged for 4 months prior to release.
Golden hue. Complex aromas of mellow fruit, cheese rind and a touch of clove. The palate is fresh with flavors of Golden Delicious apple, pear, peach and pineapple. Lovely texture with a long, crisp finish.