We are talking about Valentini’s Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, which is being released these days. As has been the case for decades, the bottle’s arrival is accompanied by a handwritten letter (by Edoardo first, by his son Francesco Paolo now) telling of the estate’s choices for the vintage.
Every year for a long time these days I get a handwritten letter and one or more tasting bottles. He sent them to me Edoardo Valentini and has continued to do so since 2006 by his son Francis Paul. They have always done so out of friendship and mutual esteem and certainly not for any other reason. They have never had any need for favorable scores and criticism to sell their wines, which, as all enthusiasts know, literally sell like hot cakes.
The most beautiful thing is that both Edward and now Francis Paul, have always written strictly by hand, with great care, telling about the seasonal and vintage trends, the analytical data of the various wines and why they decided to bottle or sell this or that in bulk.
As for this year Francesco Paolo decided to put up for sale only the 2020 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. No Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which after all hasn’t come out in a few years, no Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, which for the 2023 vintage that was to come out, was not deemed up to par. With the usual “Valentinian” rigor.
The news about Trebbiano, however, is really interesting and important. Meanwhile, the harvest was done in early October, as it was done in the old days. Then, the analytical data are very good. Alcohol content of 12.20, total acidity of 6.40, even ph of 2.99 and volatile acidity of 0.32. They look like dry numbers, but instead they tell of a Agile and potentially very long-lived wine, indispensable aspects of the company’s philosophy.
I remember that Edward himself once told me “You know, I decided not to send my wines to a critic anymore. He likes young, soft wines, the opposite of what I do, and I don’t want to see written every year how dunce I was“.
Now that wine, which has recently arrived, is resting for a while before uncorking and tasting it. At least a couple of weeks. Because he has to recover from the trip, and his time must be respected. Which are and will be long, as always.
PRODUCER
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