Chiara’s ‘Fosso Cancelli’ range of wines was born in the mid-2000s with the intention of showcasing the estate’s oldest vineyards in their most transparent and unadulterated forms, employing simple yet historical approaches to vinification. Hand-harvested, hand-pressed in an ancient antique press, fermented spontaneously without temperature control, and raised entirely in cement and eventually, bottle - like we said, simplicity and transparency. Ciavolich’s 2017 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ‘Fosso Cancelli’ smolders up from the glass with darkly alluring aromatics of sage, Morello cherry, hoisin, polished leather, licorice, and underbrush. Despite its delicate texture the wine packs a potent punch, with masses of dark red fruits and sweet inner herbal tones that are all expertly balanced by crisp acidity, the finish leaving a staining of minerals and berry concentration to linger under inner violet florals. This is a mouthful of truly characterful Montepulciano that shows tremendous depth, especially to those patient enough to nurse this wine through an evening. Drink now through 2027.
The Ciavolich family traces their roots back to Bulgaria in the 1500s. A family of wool merchants by trade, they left their homeland to escape the Saracen invasion, settling in the province of Chieti, in the southeastern corner of what would become Abruzzo. Fast-forward a few centuries and the family established their first cantina and cellar in 1853, one of the first ‘modern’ wineries in the region. Fast-forward another 150 years and the estate passes into the hands of the young and talented Chiara Ciavolich and her husband Gianluca, who are currently in the midst of guiding this historic property into a very bright future. Now totalling just shy of 40ha of vineyards located across the townships of both Loreto Aprutino and Pianella, Chiara and Gianluca combine a modern approach with traditionalist philosophies, elevating Abruzzo’s classic native varieties to a level too few in the region are able to achieve.