Study / Region guides
Abruzzo
3 DOCGs and 7 DOCs. Examined in Unit 2: Central and Southern Italy.
- Borders
- Marche, Lazio, Molise
- Wine provinces
- Teramo, Chieti, Pescara
The land
Abruzzo goes from the highest peaks of the Apennines, Gran Sasso and Maiella, to the Adriatic in about 50 kilometres. Cold air from the mountains meets warm air from the sea.
Most of the vineyard is in the hills of Chieti province in the south. The Colline Teramane are in the north.
The grapes
Montepulciano is the red grape, and it has nothing to do with the Tuscan town. Trebbiano Abruzzese is the white, with Pecorino, Passerina and Cococciola behind it.
Which grape leads which appellation
- Montepulciano 5
- Casauria, Colline Teramane Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Villamagna
In the vineyard and cellar
The pergola abruzzese, a high overhead canopy, is still the common training system. Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is a deep rosato from Montepulciano with its own DOC.
History and trade
Cooperatives make most of the wine. A handful of growers, Valentini and Emidio Pepe above all, showed how long Montepulciano and Trebbiano can age.
The DOCGs
Oldest first. The year is when each one became a DOCG.
| Appellation | DOCG since | Grapes | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colline Teramane Montepulciano d'Abruzzo | 2003 | Montepulciano (min 90%), Sangiovese | Teramo |
| Terre Tollesi (Tullum) | 2019 | Montepulciano, Pecorino, Passerina | Chieti |
| Casauria | 2025 | Montepulciano (min 90%) | Pescara |
The DOCs
| Appellation | DOC since | Grapes | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abruzzo | 2010 | Pecorino, Passerina, Cococciola, Montonico, Montepulciano, Trebbiano | Entire region, all four provinces (L'Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, Chieti) |
| Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo | 2010 | Montepulciano (min 85%) | Entire region, all four provinces |
| Controguerra | 1996 | Montepulciano, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Trebbiano, Passerina, Pecorino | Teramo |
| Montepulciano d'Abruzzo | 1968 | Montepulciano (min 85%), Sangiovese | Entire region, all four provinces, with subzones Terre dei Peligni, Teate, Alto Tirino and Terre dei Vestini. The Casauria subzone became its own DOCG in November 2025. |
| Ortona | 2011 | Montepulciano, Trebbiano | Single comune of Ortona on the Chieti coast |
| Trebbiano d'Abruzzo | 1972 | Trebbiano Abruzzese, Trebbiano Toscano | Entire region, all four provinces |
| Villamagna | 2011 | Montepulciano (min 95%) | Chieti |
Facts that get tested
The kind of thing an exam asks about Abruzzo. Cover the answers and try them.
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is
A deep rosato from Montepulciano. It has had its own DOC since 2010. Cerasuolo means cherry coloured.
Which was Abruzzo's first DOCG, in 2003?
Colline Teramane Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Colline Teramane covers the hills of Teramo province in the north. Tullum followed in 2019 and Casauria in 2025.
Trebbiano Abruzzese was long confused with which grape?
Bombino Bianco. It is a distinct variety and much more interesting than Trebbiano Toscano, though all three can go into Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.
Which two massifs shape Abruzzo's vineyards?
Gran Sasso and Maiella. They are the highest peaks in the Apennines, a short drive from the Adriatic.
The Pecorino grape's name is linked to
Sheep. Pecora is Italian for sheep. The story goes that flocks ate the grapes as they came down from the mountain pastures.
Think you've got it?
Twenty questions on Abruzzo, with every wrong answer drawn from the region and its neighbours.
Quiz me on Abruzzo