Villa Gemma 2018 preview

The new course of Villa Gemma, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva symbol of the Masciarelli winery and of Abruzzo as a whole, has been increasingly evident for 11 years in the hands of Miriam Lee, eldest daughter of Gianni Masciarelli and Marina Cvetic.

Can a label that is historic and strongly connoted by the man who conceived it become emblematic of the company's new feminine course? Miriam Lee Masciarelli has shown that it is possible, because, today, the face and hand that can be glimpsed behind the Villa Gemma are no longer those of her father Gianni (or her mother Marina), but, unequivocally, her own. 

We are talking, of course, about the Abruzzo-based winery Masciarelli and the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Villa Gemma, a symbolic wine of the winery as well as of Abruzzo as a whole, which was previewed to the Milanese press in the new 2018 vintage.

Marina Cvetic, who has led the company since her husband's passing and who since the birth of this label has found herself "acting as a guinea pig," as she smilingly put it, first with her husband and now with her daughter, called it "a wine that gives well-being." And, goblet in hand, it was impossible not to agree with her. 2018, after all, was a very good vintage in Abruzzo and cooler than 2017.

"Villa Gemma is a wine that has gone through many renaissances over the years," Marina recounted, "it has changed vineyards several times, but, above all, it has changed hands. Intended by Gianni Masciarelli in 1984 - the man who first understood the potential of Abruzzo's native grape varieties, those that "spoke the language of his people," and then passed it on to the world - it had become almost a sacred and untouchable relic at the winery after the patron's sudden death in 2008. It was the couple's eldest daughter, Miriam Lee, who fearlessly took on the difficult task eleven years ago. After all, she had "lived" this wine since she was a child, always accompanying her father in the vineyard as well as in the cellar and, above all, at tastings of the great labels that had been a source of inspiration for Gianni.

Since in this family the courage and resolve of its women are now a matter of course, that is how, with her mother's pragmatism and her father's visionary spirit, Miriam even found the courage to renew it, the Villa Gemma. First by changing winemaker and relying on the advice of Carlo Ferrini; then by varying the processing, choosing to return to vinification in steel, as had been done until 1996, when Gianni had switched to fermentation in large wooden vats. Maturation always takes place for two years in barriques, but not necessarily of the same wood as his father did.

Since 1990, the Montepulciano that makes up Villa Gemma has come solely from the Cave cru vineyard, 5 hectares of high-density planting in the hills near Chieti, in San Martino sulla Marrucina, the winery's headquarters. The soil type is a medium-textured limestone mixture, while underground streams provide essential water reserves for the vineyards, which thus require no irrigation, even in the hottest years. The particular geographical conformation of the area, then, nestled between the Maiella mountain range and the Adriatic Sea, allows good ventilation and a wide temperature range between day and night, guaranteeing an ideal microclimate for producing quality grapes.

To further strengthen the bond with its new patronne, for the past three years the label has been participating in the Masciarelli Art Project, an initiative desired and carried out by Miriam Lee. The project consists of hosting from time to time at Castello di Semivicoli (the wine resort owned by the family) a different artist, who, being inspired by the surrounding beauty, creates a permanent installation and a special label. A way to embellish the wine with a limited edition, in continuity with that entrepreneurial ability and artistic sensibility shared by members of the Masciarelli family.

Coming to the tasting, click on the name to learn about the characteristics of the

• Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva Villa Gemma 2018

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