Tenuta Arabona
Tenuta Arabona
Glug Staff
Photography: Tenuta Arabona
Wednesday 03 January 2024
This article is from
Abruzzo
issue 31
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Tenuta Arabona has made its home in the beautiful town of Manoppello, surrounded by the sunny hills of Pescara, a land dotted with 12th century Cuterician monasteries on the Adriatic coast. It is here that Maria Antonietta De Acetis and husband Domenica Radica planted their first vines on his parents’ farm, and pursued their lifelong passion to produce exceptional organic wines that authentically represent the territory and their labour in the fields.
Family is at the heart of Tenuta and its 20 hectares of vineyards, with the couple sharing the main duties between them. Influenced by his parents, Domenica is professionally trained and so takes care of the cultivation, picking and production side of the company, while Maria Antionetta brings her expertise to sales and finance. The combination clearly works, with the winery scooping up many regional and national awards, a great feat considering it is only 17 years old.
Among these award winners are some classic Abruzzo varieties: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, known for its rich plum-scented nose and robust body, and Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC, which blends Montepulciano vines with local Abruzzo varieties, to produce full bodied, characterful rosé. Alongside these native vines, the winery has planted international varieties such as Carbernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
The prevailing southwesterly Libeccio wind blowing off the Adriatic coast hits the Maiella mountains and creates a unique microclimate for the grapes, identifiable in every sip.
The strong influence of terroir is also emphasised by Domenica’s enthusiasm for sustainable practises. The winery uses minimal intervention, and refines the grapes in stainless steel tanks and bottles, with very little aging in barrels, giving a true expression of the area.
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