Approximately 90% of the grape-vines grown in Abruzzo consists of two main vines which are an important part of the local heritage: the Montepulciano and the Trebbiano. In addition to these are a variety of other well-know Italian and international vines such as Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon. … Continue Reading
The Truffle is by far the most luxurious and expensive edible mushroom in the world: a Kilogram of white truffle, the more exclusive variety, can run up to € 9.000,- with the black truffle costing somewhat less. White truffles are available between October and December and the black variety between December and March. Still today, pigs are at times used to sniff out the hidden aromatic treasure but mainly specially trained dogs are used. Truffles are best enjoyed as fresh as possible since they tend to lose much of their aroma within the first days.
In order to optimally unfold the intense aroma of the truffle a catalyst such as butter or oil are needed. The simplest way to prepare truffles is at the same time the most popular: fresh ribbon noodles in butter or oil upon which the truffles are grated in thin slices. Be aware of truffle oil! This oil is most often added with artificial truffle aroma and what seem to be pieces of truffle at the bottom of the bottle usually aren’t truffles at all. … Continue Reading
Those who engage themselves thoroughly in the world of olive oil will notice its not at all different from the world of wine: there is an extremely broad range to explore until one has tasted his way to his favourite product(s) and the palate is seasoned enough for the fine nuances hidden in each. Abruzzo offers Extra Virgin Olive Oil with the highest quality standards in great taste. … Continue Reading
The health concious gourmet has learned to appreciate and known the advantages of olive oil consumption for quite a while. The oil isn’t only healthy but also very tasty and of the highest quality.
The discussion regarding the Mediterreanean diet which is full of vegetables, fish and particularly olive oil, has considerably motivated inhabitants of the “northern” countries to change some of their eating habits and add the liquid gold to their own recipes. … Continue Reading
If you happen to be in the Abruzzo region in the summer and are a garlic lover, then Sulmona should definitely be on your list of places to visit as it is well known for its red garlic (aglio rosso di Sulmona or also called “Solmino”). … Continue Reading
Almond’22 is a small micro brewery in Spoltore located on the lush green countryside in the province of Pescara. The Almond’22 building is from the late 19th century. In 1922 a group of elderly women worked here pealing almonds to produce the world wide famous confetti of Sulmona. This gave the proprietor the idea of [...]
Italian Wine Tourism is popular as never before as announced on February 19 at the BIT (Borsa Internazionale del Turismo) in Milan. 2009 saw a 20% rise compared to 2008, which translates to € 3 Billion spent in this sector! Stats go on to show that it’s imperative that wineries and wine regions build a [...]
The charm of Abruzzo lies very much on the geographical variety the region offers and not to mention, the fact that it is still basically “untouched”. A place where Italy is still… well, I will go as far as saying, “still Italy”.
In the Fall of 2009, Abruzzo was the shooting backdrop for the film “The American” starring George Clooney, directed by Anton Corbijn. The film is set to be released in September 2010.
The Gambero Rosso “Tre Bicchieri” (3 Glasses) is probably one of Italy’s leading wine guides and influences the consumer market immensly.