Due east approximately 50 miles from Rome you’ll find yourself entering the Abruzzo region of Italy. Tucked along the Maiella mountain range and the coast of the Adriatic Sea is the province of Chieti, perhaps most well known for its rich soil that allows for the award-winning Masciarelli wine family to call it home.

By Brigitte Charest

Gianni Masciarelli was a passionate and talented man of wine who believed his destiny was in his family and in his land. He embarked on his lifelong dedication to wine in 1981, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Giovannino. He shared his passion with his wife Marina Cvetic, and the pair used their constant strive for excellence to become high-profile winemakers. Starting in San Martino sulla Marrucina, an Italian village of 1000 residents, a 6 acre plot of land became the first vineyard and olive grove for the Masciarelli family. After Gianni Masciarelli’s untimely death two years ago, Marina took it upon herself to honor her husband’s lifelong passion by taking over his role in the company and ensuring the family business continued to flourish.

Not only cultivating grapes for winemaking, the Masciarelli winery also produce fine olive oils and just completed their latest venture, Marina Cvetic’s renovation of the Palazzo Baronale di Semivicoli in the province of Chieti. Built between the 17th and 18th centuries, the palaces’ stone exterior is so intricate it resembles gold lace. The interior does not lose any of the luxuriousness, as the old charm is interwoven with polished contemporary styles. Each suite in the ten room inn is accompanied by breathtaking views of the vineyard, the Adriatic Sea, dense wooded hills and steep valleys. Marina designs her guests’ stays using the same patience and quality as she uses when crafting her wines. Personalized dinners tailored by Italian tradition are administered by talented chefs and intimate wine tastings can easily be arranged. The Harvesting Package allows guests visiting during the harvesting season to witness the first steps of winemaking, enjoy semi-private tours of the vineyards, and indulge in wine and oil tastings. The exquisite attention to detail used to design this serene Italian retreat derived directly from Gianni and Marina’s construction of one of Italy’s top wineries.

The Masciarelli vineyards and groves now make up 865 acres and extend throughout Abruzzo and produce 12 varietals of wine and four fine olive oils. The deeply-rooted family tradition of winemaking has allowed for the Masciarelli winery to be the recipient of the “Tre Bicchieri” or Three Glasses award from Gambero Rosso – a prestigious Italian food and wine magazine – a remarkable 14 times in a row for their Masciarelli Villa Gemma Montepulciano. Their selection includes Montepulciano, Trebbiano, Rosé, Cerasuolo (Rose and Cerasuolo both made from the Montepulciano grape), Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Production of these exceptional wines is up to 1.5 million bottles annually and is exported to 36 countries. The quality of Gianni Masciarelli’s wines is a direct reflection of the dedication that Marina and her children carry on and live by each day to keep their family tradition alive. Masciarelli wines are imported exclusively and distributed by Masciarelli Wine Company, Weymouth, MA. — www.masciarelliwine.com