Empson USA Farnese Abruzzo, Italy
The Wines of Farnese FARNESE TREBBIANO D ABRUZZO DOC: 85% Trebbiano d Abruzzo and 15% Malvasia from Ortana. This is a medium bodied wine with persistent floral & peach aromas and a crisp, lingering finish. Excellent Value. FARNESE CHARDONNAY IGT: 100% Chardonnay from Ortona. Bright tropical aromas. Full bodied flavors with an intense finish. A wonderful unoaked chardonnay that goes well with or without food. FARNESE SANGIOVESE IGT: 100% Sangiovese from Ortona, San Salvo and other small farms. 10-20% aged in Austrian wood. Aromas of strawberry and black cherry, medium bodied and pleasant. A Great Value. FARNESE MONTEPULCIANO D ABRUZZO DOC: 100% Montepulciano from Ortona, San Salvo and Poluttri this wine is intense with aromas of red fruit and notes of vanilla, full bodied, well balanced and good persistence on the finish. (No wood aging). FARNESE MONTEPULCIANO D ABRUZZO CERASUOLO DOC: Vine: 100% Montepulciano d Abruzzo from the Ortona district. Bright pink cherry, intense and persistent aroma, fruity with hints of strawberry. Medium bodied, balanced, intense and with a great persistence.
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The Wines of Farnese CASALE VECCHIO PECORINO IGT: A blend of Pecorino, Trebbiano d Abruzzo & Bombino that macerates on the skins for 12 hours for greater depth, as well as malolactic fermentation, 20% of which in barriques, where it sojourns 6-7 months. Lively straw yellow in color with verdant hues, balsamic notes and aromas of apples and pears; excellent body, intensity and persistence. CASALE VECCHIO MONTEPULCIANO D ABRUZZO DOC: Single vineyard, late harvest Montepulciano d Abruzzo that undergoes malolactic fermentation in barrique, where it sojourns a further 6 months. Ruby red with garnet hues, scents of dried flowers, spice and licorice, structured, rich, full, fruit-packed and intense on the palate, with a cellar life of 3-4 years. EDIZIONE CINQUE AUTOCTONI: (Edizione 11) From plots in Colonnella, Ortona, Sava and San Marzano and five autochtonous (native) grapes hence the name. The blend is 33% Montepulciano, 25% Sangiovese, 5% Malvasia Nera, 30% Primitivo and 7% Negroamaro. After 25 days maceration on the skins, fermentation is in barrique, where the wine ages for 13 months. Deep garnet color, intense on the nose, reminiscent of cherry, plums, ripe currant, tobacco, closing on toasted, spicy notes; great body, sweet tannins, velvety texture, nuances of vanilla and chocolate and a rich, long finish. Can easily age 7-8 years. OPI MONTEPULCIANO D ABRUZZO COLLINE TERAMANE RISERVA DOCG: This is Farnese s pinnacle Montepulciano d Abruzzo, from the Colline Teramane appellation DOCG from the 2003 vintage. From particularly small crops, the grapes (slightly late-harvested) are soft-pressed and macerate on the skins for about 25 days, previous to malolactic fermentation in barrique and barrique élevage for 24 months. Ruby to garnet in color, the nose is intense, with well integrated spice, tobacco, vanilla and licorice; full bodied, round, well balanced, rich, long palate. Cellar life is 4-5 years.
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Winery Profile The name Farnese is one of Italy s most illustrious. In Renaissance times, this noble family s wines made appearances on the banquet tables of numerous European courts thanks to princess Marguerite of Austria, daughter of an Emperor and wife to Prince Octavio Farnese. Marguerite lived an adventurous and fascinating life that took her over half of Europe. When she retired in 1585, she chose the Palazzo Farnese at Ortona (built in 1538) as her last home, providing the viticultural activities of this ancient wine country with vital impetus and scope. Over four centuries later, the Farnese wines albeit encompassing an ample range of terroirs and microclimates throughout Abruzzi, instrumental in achieving complexity and consistency, are crafted in the heart of the Colline Teramane DOCG appellation, at titanic, state-of-the-art facilities covering 12.3 acres (3.2 of which is the actual winery). These were entirely refurbished in 2004 and now include ultramodern equipment and vinification lines as well as over 1,000 barriques of the finest French and American oak, employed for a maximum of 3 years, and 50 Slavonian oak barrels of 25 or 50 hectoliters capacity. Joint owners, Valentino Sciotti and Camillo de Iuliis, capsulize Farnese philosophy in two words: Progetto Qualità. Progetto Qualità Farnese is a stringent series of quality criteria providing the framework of every single stage in the process from vineyard to bottle; no one on the Farnese team, no matter how small his role in the total picture, can stray from these demanding standards. The team itself comprises a large group of young, dynamic wine professionals. As Valentino explains, the latest harvest alone saw us employ 6 highly experienced oenologists, all with a very solid reputation, 4 of whom had worked for some of the top wineries in France and southern Italy. These six winemakers are led by Filippo Baccalaro and technical consultant Professor Mario Ercolino not to mention top-notch agronomists like Remo di Giuliantonio. Research and development go side by side with this impressive quality set-up. On the one hand, we are firm believers in the future of native grapes and those of southern Italy in particular; on the other, we like new challenges and look to the international wine scenario. For example, we have commenced experimenting with select clones of Australian Shiraz as well as varieties from Chile and South Africa. Marguerite of Austria, the cosmopolitan Renaissance princess, would have approved.
Critical Reviews Farnese Montepulciano D Abruzzo DOC Farnese Montepulciano D Abruzzo DOC Casale Vecchio Pecorino IGT Casale Vecchio Pecorino IGT Casale Vecchio Montepulciano D Abruzzo DOC Wine Vintage Score Publication Date Opi Montepulciano D Abruzzo Colline Teramane Riserva DOCG Opi Montepulciano D Abruzzo Colline Teramane Riserva DOCG 2007 90 Wine Review Online Dec. 2008 2007 88 Wine & Spirits Jun. 2009 2010 88 Wine Advocate Jul. 2011 2009 88 Wine & Spirits Aug. 2010 2001 91 Wine Advocate Feb. 2008 2005 91 Wine & Spirits Jun. 2011 2004 90 Wine Enthusiast Feb. 2009 Year s Best...from Southern Italy: Farnese Montepulciano D Abruzzo Critics Pick...Extreme Value: Farnese Trebbiano D Abruzzo