Cellar Profile
The winery was founded in 1969 as a cooperative between 20 individual growers in Abruzzo, one of Italy’s most productive wine growing regions. Today, there are 400 grower members with 700 hectares of vineyards. Soils here are calcareous clay, created by runoff from the towering Apennine Mountains to the west. The moderating influence of the Adriatic Sea to the east, as well as the cool evenings in spring and fall, help temper some of the hot days during the growing season. With an eye towards tradition, Novaripa produces wines made with indigenous grape varieties that have grown here for millenia—Passerina, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Pecorino and old vines of the ubiquitous Montepulciano d’Abruzzo—along with international varieties such as Pinot Grigio. Buyers+Cellars is proud to represent Novaripa’s Agronika and Sagoma brands in Ontario.
Region
Abruzzo is an Italian wine region on the east (Adriatic) coast. In terms of quantitative wine production, it remains Italy’s fifth most prominent region after Sicily, Puglia, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna. The geographical makeup of Abruzzo is quite remarkable. A rugged, mountainous region with a lengthy coastline, its lush, green landscape is scattered with national parks and forests. Abruzzo is ideally situated between the Adriatic sea to the east and the Apennine mountain range and the Maiella massif to the west. The region is home to Gran Sasso, one of Italy’s highest peaks at 2912 masl. The high altitudes see dramatic diurnal temperature variations which, when combined with cool mountain air currents, moderate the temperatures in the vineyards situated on the slopes. This provides a perfect mesoclimate for vines with the most favourable growing conditions being found in the low hills of Teramo, the Colline Teramane.
Vineyard
Novaripa was founded in 1969 as a cooperative of 20 growers. Today, the winery works with more than 400 growers, covering more than 700 hectares of vineyards throughout Abruzzo.
Winemaking
After separation from the skins, hand-picked grapes are fermented in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 15-18°C.
Varieties
Passerina is an ancient and traditional grape variety used in white wines from central Italy. The variety differs considerably from region to region in terms of the wine it makes, but a familiar character of ripe citrus fruit unites all Passerina wines.
Tasting Notes
Pale yellow in the glass, this Passerina offers notes of ripe grapefruit, petrichor and lime on the nose. On the palate, the citrus replays, along with a hint of rosewater and some typistic almond. Fresh acidity lends to a refreshing finish.