Ciavolich
Divus
2020
Abruzzo
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOP
Montepulciano 100%
12 Months
Neutral oak
100%
Blackberry liqueur, Cigar box, Stewed plum, Fig.
About
Ciavolich 2020 Divus
Dark fruits and spices weave through the fuller bodied but surprisingly elegant palate. With a keen eye towards sustainability, Chiara succeeds at telling the story of her land and traditions through her wine. We always admire vignerons and wines that know unapologetically who they are, not bending to trends or fickle consumer tastes. Given proper cellar conditions Divus will reward patience with up to 10 more years of age but is ready for your table tonight.
Full and dark but elegant, serve at any dinner party where a red is desired.
Pairings
In a Pinch
Lamb chops.
Deeper Dive
With the time spent in oak and additional bottle aging, Divus is built to shine next to traditional Abruzzese lamb. Whether the famous arrosticini skewers or a simply grilled rack this wine complements without overpowering. There are deep, almost sappy stewed fruit notes that are best with grilled proteins.
Montepulciano made with as much care as this is does a remarkable job of being full bodied without too grippy or too acidic which is is the complaint of so many other famous Italian varietals. Confidently serve this to any red wine fans and they will agree this goes remarkably well with food without being overbearing.
Pairing Scale
This is a general guide to give you an idea where this wine falls in a spectrum of dish complexities.
Steer Clear
Anything super delicate or flaky such as white fish will be overpowered by this wine. While a little heat, particularly from grilled peppers, is okay a fully spicy dish will clash with the body and tannins here.
Cheeses
Pecorino
Pecorino
Country: Italy
Animal: Sheep
Type: Hard
Texture: Grainy
Rind: Edible
Style: Salty, tangy, nutty
Caciocavallo
Caciocavallo
Country: Italy
Animal: Cow
Type: Semi-hard
Texture: Elastic, firm
Rind: Edible
Style: Smooth, earthy
Ricotta
Ricotta
Country: Italy
Animal: Sheep
Type: Soft
Texture: Crumbly
Rind: Edible
Style: Salty, rich, earthy
Recipe Ideas
Service
Which glasses?
Go with large Bordeaux glasses if you have them, otherwise all-purpose works just fine.
Should I decant this?
Why "Yes"?
While not reaching your table before several years of age, the complexity here begs for a little more exposure to air to fully bloom.
How long?
Generally you would want to decant a younger wine for longer to help it open up and be cautious of exposing older wines to oxygen for too long. There are always exceptions of course, but this is a pretty good rule to follow.
Serving Temp
The correct serving temperature is important to show a wine’s true potential, but don’t stress over getting the temp exactly right. Use the chart below to try to get in the right ballpark.
Aging
When should I open this?
If a wine has been released by the producer and is available for sale, it means it is ready to drink. Wines don’t necessarily get “better” with age, they just change. Typically, this change involves things like losing fresh fruit flavors in exchange for more savory notes.
The moment you should open the bottle depends on your preference, so it’s more important to understand the evolution and the life span of the bottle than it is to try to time its opening perfectly. (It’s far better to open a bottle too early than too late.)
This bottle should probably be opened between:
2025 – 2035
Producer
ABOUT US
The Story
The Ciavolich family is an old family of wool merchants of Bulgarian origins who, to escape the advance of the Saracen invasion, took refuge in Italy in the town of Miglianico, in the province of Chieti around 1560.
The transition to land owners happened during the XVIII century. In 1853 Francesco Ciavolich built in Miglianico, opposite his private residence, the first winery, nowadays one of the most ancient and suggestive in Abruzzo, where to work independently grapes that came from the surrounding lands. At the end of the XIX century an important marriage marked the future path of the winery on Loreto Aprutino’s side: the one between Giuseppe Ciavolich and the noblewoman Ernesta Vicini from Loreto Aprutino. Donna Ernesta gave life in her private building in Chieti to one of the most active literary salon of the early century receiving among others her friends Costantino Bardella and Francesco Paolo Michetti.
Her son Giustino was a cavalry officer during World War I and on returning during his retirement, he took care of the family’s properties passing down to his son Giuseppe Ciavolich the love for the land and a burning desire to hand down the estate. In autumn 1943 just after harvest, the German troops while retreating placed their general headquarters on the higher floors of the private residence in Miglianico allowing the family to stay in the underground winery. On 8th December of that same year the SS forced their evacuation. That was the last harvest to be produced in the ancient underground winery.
In the 1960s from the inheritance division of Donna Ernestina, the family received the estate of Loreto Aprutino, in the province of Pescara, of circa 50 hectares. Here Giuseppe Ciavolich planted Montepulciano, Trebbiano and Cococciola varieties.
