Usually on Fridays, I publish tasting notes for some of the wines that I receive as samples. That is true again today, as all the wines listed below landed on my doorstep for me to review. All of the wines today come from a single producer, however. Late last year, I “attended” a Zoom call with second generation winemaker, Miriam Lee Masciarelli, whose father, Gianni, founded the winery in 1981, making it a fairly young producer, at least by Italian standards.

Today, with an annual production of over 2 million bottles, Masciarelli is one of the largest producers in Abruzzo, the up-and-coming region directly east of Rome. Masciarelli has several product lines, and the following reviews come from the black label Villa Gemma line and the Marina Cvetić collection of Riserva wines, named after Gianni’s wife.

2022 Masciarelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Colline Teatine Bianco, Villa Gemma, Italy: Retail $20. Heavy Bottle (655g; 1lb 7.1oz). 100% Trebbiano. Pale straw with a slightly muted nose but some citrus comes through with some salinity and white flower. The palate is pleasant with good fruit and ample acidity. I would love to wax poetically about this wine, but, frankly, it is not one for contemplation. It is to be consumed, preferably with others, around a dinner table, a Netflix selection, or a board game. And it will disappear quickly (it was Mrs. White in the Library with the Candlestick). Very Good. 88 Points. 

2022 Masciarelli Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore, Villa Gemma, Italy: Retail $20. Heavy Bottle (653g; 1lb 7oz). 100% Montepulciano. Under cork. One of the few appellations in Italy dedicated only to the production of rosé, Cerasuolo is fairly rare in the U.S. as most of the wine is sold and consumed in Italy. And that is a shame, at least for Americans, as every Cerasuolo I have tried has been delicious, including this fantastic wine. One could make the argument, based solely on color, that the wines from the region are more of a “light red” than a “rosé” but throw a bit of a chill on the bottle and there is no more confusion. Bursting with rich and lively cherry and strawberry fruit and balanced with a lip-smacking tartness, this is a wonderful choice for the pool, for a bowl of carbonara, for a late-night movie with fresh popcorn, and everything in between. Lovely. Outstanding. 94 Points. 

2018 Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva Villa Gemma, Italy: Retail $95. Very Heavy Bottle (767g; 1lb 11oz)). Under cork. 100% Montepulciano. I do not have much experience with this appellation and even less with the producer, but both will certainly have to change. Fairly dark in color with plenty of dark fruit (blackberry, cassis), spice (black pepper, cardamom, anise), and earth on the nose. The palate is initially all about that fruit, followed quickly by a shot of mocha, and then spice. The tartness is present and balanced, carrying through to the finish, which has plenty of tannins, indicating plenty of life ahead of it. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2020 Masciarelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Marina Cvetić Riserva, Italy: Retail $60. Very Heavy Bottle (763g; 1lb 10.9oz). Under cork. 100% Trebbiano. I feel like this is a familiar refrain, but I do not have a ton of experience with the wines of (fill in the blank, in this case Abruzzo) but that is because I do not spend enough time with my friend Jeremy Parzen (at least when it comes to Italian wine). Straw to yellow color in the glass with a wheelbarrow-full of citrus on the nose; bright and cherry, inviting one to dive right in. And I did. Tart, bright, even linear (yeah, a real wine geek term, I know) on the palate with plenty of that citrus to spar with all that acidity. Again, not a region that I know well, but this is gangbusters. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2019 Masciarelli Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Marina Cvetić Riserva, Italy: Retail $30. Heavy Bottle (648g; 1lb 6.8oz). Under cork. 100% Montepulciano. I have now sampled numerous wines from this producer, and this is the last one in the line. While this is perhaps not my favorite in the line-up, it is still quite tasty and worthy of consideration. Fairly dark in the glass with plenty of dark fruit on the nose: blackberry, cassis, maybe some plum plus spice (cumin? cardamom?), dark earth, and an herbal aspect that enthralls (at least me). Fruity, rich, tart (even really tart) with more than an ounce of verve, and plenty of intrigue.  Excellent. 92 Points.