Cantina Tollo Maiolica 2023

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To travel often offers you the opportunity to try wines and grapes that otherwise you would never come across.

Having recently been in Abruzzo, Italy, I was eager to try grapes besides Montepulciano, Trebbiano or Passerina that you can easily find in Hamburg. 

As soon as I got inside the incredibly charming Casa del Caffè in Ortona, my eyes were drawn to the wines of Cantina Tollo and specially to this Maiolica that I want to share with you. 

As you can guess, I have never heard of this grape before and, therefore, my curiosity has taken over my buying option and I left the shop with a bottle in my hand (as well as really nice mix of coffees done by the owner who, by the way, has recommended me to have the wine slightly chilled). 

When home I quickly put it in the fridge and prepared some nibbles to go along with it.

Having read something about it in the meantime, my curiosity grew even bigger.

Maiolica was almost extinct and it is now the object of several recovery projects, even though there was only 13ha planted in 2013.  

Produced in both stainless steel tanks and amphorae, this Maiolica by Cantina Tollo has presented lively fresh red fruits along with some earthy and herbaceous notes which were a perfect match to some matured pecorino and fegato sausage. 

I found it tremendously juicy with very interesting complexity that made my time in Abruzzo even richer and more interesting.

Trying again some rather unknown and less represented grape has granted me tremendous joy and broadened my tasting experiences. 

 

 

16/20

Country: Italy
Region: Abruzzo
Grapes: Maiolica
Winemaker: Riccardo Brighigna
13,5%
Link: https://cantinatollo.it/en/iconic/maiolica/

 

Location: 66026 Ortona, Province of Chieti, Italy

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