Praesidium winery
The Praesidium Winery is a small farm based in Prezza, in the heart of the Peligna Valley.
A splendid place for excursions, but above all if you are passionate about wine.
Because it is here that Montepulciano d’Abruzzo was born, among these rugged and threatening-looking mountains.
Philosophy of the Praesidium winery
The Pasquale family has been farming here for three generations in a completely natural way on 5 hectares.
We’re not afraid to use this word, which is so overused and controversial these days, because the way Ottaviano grows grapes and makes wine is so simple and natural that it’s almost poetic.
Copper and sulfur are the only things used in the fields, and the wines are not filtered or clarified.
However, in order to produce in such a clean way, the grapes must be flawless and come from vineyards that receive daily care, with weeding carried out by hand with a hoe to avoid using any chemicals.
Style of Praesidium wines
There is a lot of love and a lot of Abruzzo in Praesidium wines; even just by smelling them, you realize that there are no veils but only true sensations.
Very little sulfur, lots of matter, and an extract that gives volume.
Always vigorous sapidity, clear aromas, and juicy, full, but very fine tannins, which are able to withstand aging for 10 to 20 years.
The vines are dense, the yields are low, and every task in the vineyard requires manual labor. In the family, we could say that you have to live in the vineyard to understand it.
The aging takes place in large barrels and is slow, allowing so much material to develop into an incredible poem.
Elegant earthy smells, flowery smells, and tertiary smells that hint at a taste you’ll never forget fill the wines.
Why should you visit the Praesidium winery?
If you want to taste and discover the taste of Montepulciano and the real Abruzzo, that of the mountains, you must pay a visit to Ottaviano Pasquale to taste some great wines.
Once you have tasted Praesidium wines, you will never forget them.
The cellar has recently been restored, and on the upper floor we find an elegant tasting room, while the lower part is completely carved into the rock and houses the large oak barrels.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
This Montepulciano has an intense ruby color and a wild, elegant nose with sweet spices and alpine herbs that mix with notes of red fruit in alcohol. This is all backed up by mineral notes that make it clear right away how important this wine is.
In the mouth, it has a sure-footedness; it moves savory and warm, with a drink that has a champion’s naturalness. Already well-balanced and harmonious, with strong tannins and a long finish, it brings back memories of cherries in alcohol.
A bottle to always keep in the cellar for any lamb dish, but also excellent for veal with tuna sauce, chicken curry, baked lasagna, roast beef, hamburgers, and fillet Wellington.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo
Savory like the mountains where it was born.
Dark cherry color.
The nose is complex, sharp, and wide-ranging, with cherry, rhubarb, licorice, juniper, and tea all standing out.
In the mouth, it is tight, well-shaped, juicy, and balanced, with firm tannins and round fruit that go together perfectly.
It was stellar with pizza and excellent with Chinese steamed ravioli, but it was also worth trying with pumpkin cappellacci with meat sauce.
If you want to buy the wines of the Praesidium cellar or book your visit to the cellar, contact Antonia Pasquale.
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 349-1760737
How to reach the Praesidium winery: Via Nazareno Giovannucci, 24 67030, Prezza, Aquila
Services offered by the cellar:
- Visit of the historic cellar by reservation
- Walks in the vineyards