The Vines
The Barba family has 68 hectares in the best spots of the area: Colle Morino, Casal Thaulero, Vignafranca, which all fall within the areas which have obtained D.O.C. for Montepulciano and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and D.O.C.G. Colline Teramane. The vines are the starting point of high quality production.
All the old vines dating back to the 60’s have been replaced starting from 1993: the old “tendone” vines which were once used in Abruzzo to obtain high quantities, have been substituted with modern “espaliers” vines: the Montepulciano and Trebbiano wines derive from careful observation of the best vines selected during the last forty years of management.
The number of stubs, which varies from 4.000 to 6.500 per hectare,
permits the reduction of the quantity of grapes produced
by each vine and therefore obtain a better quality and a perfect ripeness of the grapes.
The Land
The hilly coastal Abruzzo area is characterized by prehistoric deposits which have filled the basin around the Adriatic during a marine sedimentary cycle which took place between the end of the Tertiary and the beginning of Quaternary. In the Vomano valley, these clayey hills, have created a wavy landscape with wide backs which are almost flat, with rounded slopes, but often interrupted by calanques, steep eroded slopes.
In most cases land which originates in this way presents an equal division of material from which forms land with a sandy - clayey structure, generally soft or of medium texture, with varying thickness depending on the inclination and exposition. The water retained is average to low, with low or modest amounts of nutritive elements and humus.
The Harvest
From the end of September until the second week of October, the Montepulciano and
Trebbiano grapes are ripe and ready for picking. The harvest is the result of the hard
work done during the year in the vines.The pruning done at the end of winter, the
plucking of leaves and successive thinning out of the grapes done 30 days before harvest, give us a product
in line with our expectations and goals, but only the best grapes picked will be used for wine production.
The Abruzzo region is usually described as a region of beaches, lakes and mountains. The most attentive visitor, however, would appreciate the beautiful hills in this area, which are situated between the mountains and the coast and on which it’s easy to find vineyards and olive trees. In the Teramo area over 40% of the land is covered by mountains. Going towards the coast, the Apennine Mountains become hills running between large valleys.
The climate of the area is influenced by the altitude and by the geographical position of the hills and valleys. The climate is mild in the area along the Adriatic Sea, with an average temperature of 12-16°C during the year, with good rain, lots of sun, and mild winds.
The hills along the Vomano valley have a particularly favourable climate, thanks to the fact that the Adriatic Sea is so near, which keeps the temperature mild during the winter.
