The goal of Il Faggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is to express the potency and strength of the grape varietal grown in this area. The hue is a deep ruby red, while the aroma is one of dark fruits, plums, and cherries accompanied by a subtle note of mocha.  Supple, ripe tannins render a delightful chocolate-cherry finish.

About the Producer

Il Faggio is made for Liberty Wines by Matt Thomson's colleague, Alana McGettigan, at one of the region's best co-operatives in the northern part of the Abruzzi. The aim is to capture in the bottle the power and intensity of the grape, together with a lift and freshness which is seldom found in wine from this region. The name, Il Faggio, derives from the fabulous beech trees which proliferate in this area, especially in the Abruzzo national park.

Vineyard and Winery

The grapes for this wine were grown on a mixture of hillside sites and flatter vineyard plots near the sea, surrounding the town of San Salvo in Abruzzo. Cultivated in the Guyot method, the vines are located at 100-150 metres above sea level.

Only the best quality grapes were chosen for this blend, from primarily hand-harvested fruit. At the winery the grapes were destemmed, crushed and pumped into stainless steel tanks where the must was inoculated with selected yeast strains and fermented for about six days at temperatures up to 34°C. Regular pump overs took place, more frequently during the first few days, to increase extraction. These pump overs became less frequent toward the end of the fermentation process. After pressing, malolactic fermentation took place.