Tiberio
Pecorino Colline Pescaresi IGP – 2018
Region: Italy - Abruzzo
Tiberio
The story of Azienda Agricola Tiberio rings more like a new world tale than one from the old world of the ancient lands beneath the Majella and Gran Sasso mountains in Abruzzo. At 350 meters, twenty three miles inland from the seaside city of Pescara near the hillside town of Cugnoli, Riccardo Tiberio found an old plot of Trebbiano Abruzzese vines roughly 50 years old so impressive that he decided to change his and his family’s destiny.
Grapes / Soils
| Wine | Blend | Vine Age | Soil Type | Vineyard Area ha or acres |
| Pecorino Colline Pecaresi IGP | Pecorino massal selection | 18 years average | Limestone with a marly-gravel subsoil | 3 |
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Pecorino is an ancient variety that has always called the Appennine ridges of the Marche and Abruzzo its home. A low yielding variety due to sterility of the basal buds, over the centuries farmers shied away from it preferring instead to plant easier to grow, more productive varieties. Therefore Pecorino was all but forgotten, and nearly extinct by the 1970s. Times change, and today high yields are less important than they once were; modern day wine lovers now clamor for high quality grape varieties. Capable of giving distinctive wines, Pecorino fills that bill nicely.
The grape characteristics are essentially round leaves and small, round, very thick skinned berries. The wine is rich in glycerol but also endowed with high total acidity, offering a unique combination of texture and vibrancy. Pecorino wines have become so popular that much Pecorino has been planted recently, however the grape variety always performs best in hilly vineyard sites, its natural habitat.
- Category: Pecorino IGP
- Locality of production: Cugnoli (PE)
- Total area under vine: 3 Ha
- Altitude: 350 meters
- Soil composition: Limestone with marly-gravel subsoil
- Average vine age: 18 years
- Vine training system: Guyot
- Density: 4000 vines/Ha
- Yield: 55 Hl
Harvest Notes
- Harvest: September
- Free run juice only
- Fermented in stainless steel tanks, no malolactic fermentation
- Aged in bottle
Winemaker's Notes
Deep straw yellow color. Intense aromas and flavors of sage, rosemary, green fig, peach, yellow melon. Full bodied and with a lingering minerality. Pair with pasta, seafood, white meats and legumes.
Wine Summary
100% massal selection Pecorino grapes; Alcohol: 13.5%; soils have limestone base with marly-gravel subsoil; vine age: average 18 years; fermented in stainless steel tanks without malolactic fermentation; aged in bottle.
Technical Information
- 100% massal selection Pecorino grapes
- Alcohol: 13.5%
Reviews
93 Points
Pale yellow. Vibrant aromas of lime, lemongrass and minerals, plus a subtle floral quality, without the herbal qualities of most modern, very Sauvignon Blanc–like Pecorino wines and displaying a steely, focused character. Taut citrus and green apple flavors carry no excess weight and are complicated by a subtle anise quality on the long, bright finish. Tiberio’s is a true benchmark Pecorino wine, but this happens to also be either the best or one of the best Pecorinos they’ve made in years. 2019 – 2028
Vinous - Ian D'Agata, September, 2019
92 Points
Cristiana Tiberio planted out Pecorino from just five old vines discovered in her vineyard. Sage and lemongrass aromas meet custard apple, winter melon and green apple. Chewy and packed with flavour, the palate is underscored by searing acidity. Drinking Window 2019 – 2024
Ones to watch: Southern Italian wineries to seek out
Abruzzo: Tiberio
Siblings Cristiana and Antonio Tiberio work solely with a massal selection of Abruzzo’s native grapes. ‘They represent the original genetic patrimony with distinct flavours of the region,’ says Cristiana. Her meticulous yet hands-off winemaking translates into impeccable wines, from the Cerasuolo (a dark and serious yet charming rosato) to the single-vineyard bottling Fonte Canale, crafted from 60-year-old Trebbiano Abruzzese vines.
Decanter, September, 2019
93+ Points
Luminous yellow, with just a hint of a pale green tinge. The lively nose offers aromas of lemon, lime and minerals, nicely lifted by lemon verbena and jasmine notes. Then steely and boasting noteworthy clarity and cut to the fresh lime, guava and green apple flavors. Closes juicy and with a laser-like acidity extending a hint of wild fennel on the long back end. Easily the best Pecorino wine Tiberio has made in the last few years. 2021 – 2028
Vinous - Ian D'Agata, January, 2020
93 Points
The 2018 Pecorino lifts from the glass with an incredibly pretty, understated display. This Pecorino is focused and poised, as crushed stone and white smoke yield to young pear with savory hints of washed cheese rind and sea air. Soft textures are contrasted by salty minerals and vibrant acids, as white orchard fruits give way to pretty inner florals. The depth here is unreal, as it tapers off long and dramatic, densely wrapped up in its youthful state yet buzzing with energy. This is easily one of the best vintages I’ve tasted of Tiberio’s Pecorino. Make sure to place a few bottles in the cellar as well. 2021 – 2030
Vinous, April, 2021
General Info
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Abruzzo |
| Appellation(s) | Abruzzo |
| Proprietors | Riccardo, Cristiana, Antonio Tiberio (father, daughter, son) |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Winemaker | Cristiana Tiberio |
| Annual Production | 8,300 9L cases |
| Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | Sustainable |
