Masciarelli (Mass-shee-ah-RELL-ee) Winery is located in the Abruzzo region of Italy on the eastern coast, just east of Rome on the Adriatic Sea. It was established in 1981 from the entrepreneurial intuition of Gianni Masciarelli. Today, Miriam Masciarelli (Gianni’s daughter) works with her mother, Marina Cvetić Masciarelli, to run this fabulous family winery that now has 22 labels and seven product lines all sourced from 60 vineyards in all four provinces of Abruzzo. One of their product lines, Villa Gemma, honors the modest family home where Gianni Masciarelli was born.

2022 Villa Gemma Cerasuolo D'Abruzzo Superiore ($24)

This wine is produced from 100% Montepulciano but is made as a rosé. But instead of calling it a rosé, they call it a Cerasuolo, meaning ‘cherry-colored.’ And, indeed, this wine is a beautiful cherry color.

This Cerasuolo shows how well suited the Montepulciano grape is for a rosé. The grapes are grown in eight vineyards, harvested in crates, destemmed and remain on the skins for 12 hours, followed by fermentation in stainless steel. It remained on lees for three months prior to bottling.

The use of Montepulciano grapes that remain on skins for such a brief period and then on lees, produces an excellent wine. You may not be a rosé fan, but this Cerasuolo will win you over! With notes of cherry and strawberry on the nose, it has wonderful candied-cherry flavors with medium acidity and a light finish. It is medium-full bodied, 14% ABV and dry.

This is a super wine that isn’t your typical rosé - it’s a Cerasuolo! And, at this price, it’s a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Masciarelli Winery