Ciavolich, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Fosso Cancelli, 2023
Ciavolich, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Fosso Cancelli, 2023
- 75cl
- 12%
- Rosé Still
- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
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Optimal drinking window: 2026 - 2029
Est. delivery in late summer, 2026
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is rosé with something to say. Made from Montepulciano — the same grape behind some of southern Italy's most muscular reds — but vinified briefly on the skins to produce a deep cherry-pink wine that sits confidently between a pale Provence rosé and a light red. Ciavolich's Fosso Cancelli bottling is a fine example of what makes this appellation so compelling: it has structure and presence without any heaviness, and a dry, mineral-edged finish that makes you reach for the glass again.
Ciavolich is one of Abruzzo's most respected family estates, farming their vineyards in the Pescara hills with real care and a commitment to expressing the land rather than simply the grape. This 2023 is drinking superbly right now — vivid, precise, and ideal for the table.
This is a wine to drink, not to cellar. Right now, in 2026, it is at its most vivid and expressive — the cherry fruit is bright, the acidity is singing, and the mineral edge is perfectly sharp. Over the next year or two it will remain enjoyable, though the primary fruit will begin to soften and lose some of its zip. By 2029, we'd expect it to have faded from its peak, and holding it beyond that point would be a gamble with diminishing returns. Open it with something good to eat and enjoy it for exactly what it is.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep, luminous cherry-pink with a clear, bright rim — this is a rosé that means business.
NoseFresh sour cherry, dried rose petal, and a flinty mineral quality that cuts through immediately. There's a whisper of blood orange and a faint herbal lift that keeps it lively and interesting.
PalateDry and taut, with a fine-grained grip that you don't expect from a rosé — it earns its place at the table rather than just on it. The cherry fruit is precise rather than plush, framed by bright acidity and that characteristic mineral spine.
FinishClean, savoury, and longer than you'd anticipate — it fades on a stony, slightly bitter almond note that is very satisfying.
Overall impressionA rosé that rewards attention and rewards food — one of central Italy's most quietly compelling wines.
Food Pairings
In Abruzzo, Cerasuolo is the natural companion to arrosticini — those small, intensely flavoured skewers of mutton cooked over charcoal that are practically the regional dish. The wine's structure handles the fat and smokiness with ease. Locals would also pour it alongside chitarra pasta with a lamb ragu, or with grilled lake trout from nearby Lago di Scanno. Fresh sheep's milk cheeses, particularly pecorino abruzzese, are another natural partner — the wine's acidity cuts through the richness beautifully. This is a wine built for the kind of long, relaxed lunches that Abruzzo does better than almost anywhere.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 12-14°C — cool enough to preserve its freshness, but not so cold that the structure disappears. No need to decant; this wine is ready and willing straight from the bottle. A standard white wine glass or a medium-bowled all-purpose glass works well, giving the aromatic lift room to develop without dissipating the wine's focus.
The Fosso Cancelli vineyard sits in the Pescara hills at moderate altitude, benefiting from the cooling influence of both the Adriatic to the east and the Apennines to the west — a combination that preserves freshness and acidity even in warm vintages. Soils are predominantly clay and limestone, giving the wines their characteristic mineral edge and structural backbone. The diurnal temperature swings here are significant, slowing ripening and locking in the aromatic precision that defines Ciavolich's style.
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC was elevated to its own standalone appellation in 2010, having previously existed in the shadow of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Cerasuolo. It is made exclusively from Montepulciano grapes, vinified as a rosé with brief skin contact, and must reach a minimum of 12% ABV. Unlike many Italian rosati — which can be pale, soft, and forgettable — Cerasuolo is required to be deep in colour and structured in character, earning its reputation as one of Italy's most serious rosés. Think less of a Provençal blush, more of a wine that can sit happily on a dinner table alongside grilled fish or pork.
Abruzzo in 2023 was shaped by a hot, dry summer that put growers under real pressure, particularly during the critical ripening window when temperatures climbed well above seasonal averages across much of central Italy. Those who managed their canopies carefully and held their nerve on harvest timing were rewarded; those who didn't found themselves with fruit that had pushed past freshness into something flabbier. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, the region's workhorse, responded well where yields were kept in check — delivering the kind of deep, saturated colour and firm tannin structure the grape does best, with enough acidity preserved to give the wines real grip.
The overall picture is a vintage of concentration and weight rather than finesse, with the best wines showing real personality and staying power. Pecorino and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo whites are drinking well now and won't necessarily improve with keeping, but the better Montepulcianos want a year or two yet to settle — we'd be opening the mid-range bottles from 2025, and holding anything serious until 2027 or beyond.
FAQs
What does Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo actually taste like?
Think of it as a serious rosé rather than a summery sipper. Ciavolich's version delivers vivid sour cherry, dried rose, and a stony mineral edge, with a dry, structured palate that makes it a natural companion to food. It has more in common with a light red than a pale Provence rosé.
When should I drink this wine?
Now, ideally. The 2023 is in a lovely place in 2026 — the fruit is bright and the structure is well-integrated. It will hold until around 2029, but there's no benefit in waiting. This is a wine made for the moment.
What food should I serve with it?
Anything from the grill does well here — lamb chops, grilled fish, or pork. In Abruzzo, it would go straight to the table alongside arrosticini (charcoal-grilled mutton skewers) or a pasta with lamb ragu. Fresh sheep's cheeses are also a fine match.
How should I serve it?
Serve at around 12-14°C — cool but not fridge-cold. No decanting needed; just pour and enjoy. A standard all-purpose glass or a medium white wine glass will do the job perfectly well.
Is Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo a serious wine or just a rosé?
It is emphatically both, which is rather the point. Cerasuolo has its own DOC entirely separate from the red Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, reflecting the fact that it is made with genuine ambition and structure. Ciavolich's Fosso Cancelli is a fine argument for taking Italian rosé as seriously as the Italians do.
What makes Ciavolich different from other Abruzzo producers?
Ciavolich is one of the region's oldest estates and one of the most focused. Under Chiara Ciavolich, the emphasis has been on organic farming and precision in the cellar — the aim is wines that express the Pescara hills rather than simply the Montepulciano grape. The results consistently stand out for their clarity and sense of place.
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