Cantina Indigeno Rosso Montepulciano 2017

Cantina Indigeno's Rosso is a blend of 90% Montepulciano and 10% Trebbiano grown organically on stony limestone soils in the Teramo hills around Montorio al Vomano. The vines average around 30 years old and are farmed without synthetic inputs, sourced from the winery's own parcels and neighboring growers willing to use only copper and sulfur in the vineyard.

In the cellar, grapes are destemmed and loaded into open-top vats where the skins remain in contact for 18 days. Fermentation proceeds spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and no temperature control. After pressing, the wine rests on its lees for eight months in fiberglass containers, which preserves freshness without adding oak influence. It is bottled unfiltered and unfined with zero added sulfur.

The result is a light-to-medium bodied red that runs counter to the traditional, structured style of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. At 12.5% ABV, it leads with bright red fruit, earthy mineral character from the limestone soils, and a clean herbal edge contributed by the Trebbiano. The palate is juicy with soft tannins and lively acidity.

Classified as Abruzzo IGT, this wine sits outside the conventional DOC framework, reflecting the producers' focus on freshness and drinkability over appellation convention.