2024 Caprera "Le Vasche" Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo

Caprera's 2024 "Le Vasche" Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is a hands-on expression from a small estate in Abruzzo working entirely with organically farmed Montepulciano, hand-harvested in small baskets when the fruit reaches optimal ripeness in late September or early October. This is Cerasuolo in the fuller, more structured register, a style that occupies the territory between rosé and light red rather than the pale, delicate pink many drinkers expect from the category. Montepulciano's deeply pigmented skins mean that even brief maceration yields a wine with real color and weight, and Caprera adjusts its approach vintage by vintage, deciding whether to allow minimal skin contact or press directly based on what the fruit shows each year. The 2024 carries the hallmarks of serious Cerasuolo: vivid berry fruit on the nose layered with spice and a touch of citrus, but the palate is where this wine earns its reputation. There's a saline, mineral texture running through the concentrated fruit, a savory backbone that keeps things from feeling sweet or one-dimensional. Critics have pointed to a smoky complexity in Caprera's recent bottlings, alongside bright red fruit and an earthy, salty finish that makes the wine feel grounded and site-specific rather than generic. This is built for the table, not the poolside cooler. The structure and complexity hold up against grilled fish, veal saltimbocca, tomato-heavy pastas, or a full antipasti spread with cured meats, olives, and aged cheeses. It's the kind of bottle that shifts how people think about rosé altogether, proving that the category can deliver real depth and food-pairing versatility when handled with intention. Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo has gained serious traction among critics and sommeliers in recent years precisely because of producers like Caprera who treat it as a wine worth real attention, not just a warm-weather afterthought. Serve this lightly chilled and expect it to evolve in the glass as it warms.