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The product
What Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is
Abruzzo’s rosé made from Montepulciano.
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC is a rosé wine made from Montepulciano grapes. The must stays on the skins for just a few hours: long enough to take on a bright cherry red colour, but not to become a red wine.
It is fresh, fruity and full-bodied, more structured than many rosés. That is why in Abruzzo it is drunk throughout the meal, from starters to fish stew.
Territory
Where it comes from
It is made in all four provinces, on the same hills as Montepulciano. Some inland areas, such as the Ofena plain at the foot of the Gran Sasso, are famous for Cerasuolo of great character.
From field to table
How it is made
- Montepulciano grapes are harvested and crushed.
- The must stays on the skins for a few hours, until it takes on the cherry colour.
- It is separated from the skins and fermented at a controlled temperature, like a white wine.
- It is bottled young, in the spring after the harvest.
In the kitchen
How to use it
It is Abruzzo’s most versatile wine at the table.
- With fish stew and grilled fish
- With cured meats and fresh cheeses
- With pallotte cacio e ova and tomato pasta dishes
- Served chilled, at 10–12 °C
Tips
How to choose and store it
- Drink it young: Cerasuolo is at its best within one or two years of the harvest.
- A lively, bright colour is a sign of freshness.
- Store bottles in a dark, cool place.
- In summer it is also an excellent aperitif.
Good to know: until 2010 Cerasuolo was a type of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo; today it has its own appellation.
Ordering
Where to buy it and whom to contact
Contacts checked on the official websites in October 2026: check availability and prices before ordering.
Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo
The consortium that protects Abruzzo’s wine appellations: its website lists the member wineries, the production rules and events.
- Address: Corso Matteotti – Palazzo Corvo, 66026 Ortona (CH)
- Email: info@vinidabruzzo.it
- Website: vinidabruzzo.it
Cataldi Madonna
Winery in Ofena, on the plain known as «Abruzzo’s oven» at the foot of the Gran Sasso, best known for its Cerasuolo.
- Address: Località Madonna del Piano – 67025 Ofena (AQ)
- Phone: 0862 708037
- Email: info@cataldimadonna.com
- Website: cataldimadonna.com
Torre dei Beati
Organic winery in the province of Pescara, making Montepulciano, Cerasuolo and Trebbiano.
- Phone: 085 4916069
- Email: info@torredeibeati.it
- Website: torredeibeati.it
Gallery
Photos
Tap a photo to enlarge it.
Photo 1: a bottle of Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC. Credits: Sanghino (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons, resized; the menu icon is also made from it.
Tradition
History and trivia
Rosé wine has always been made in the Abruzzo countryside: farming families left the must on the skins for a short time to obtain a wine to drink early, fresh, suited to the hot months.
Over time Cerasuolo became a recognised speciality, and in 2010 it obtained its own DOC, separate from Montepulciano’s.
Did you know? Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is considered one of Italy’s most structured rosés, so much so that some producers even age it.