Ciavolich
Passerina
2023
Abruzzo
Terre d'Abruzzo
Passerina 100%
4 Months
Stainless Steel
100%
Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Green apple, Guava.
About
Ciavolich 2023 Passerina
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of walking through jasmine or honeysuckle on a trip to central Italy, one whiff of this wine will take you right back to that moment. Fresh, floral, inviting, Chiara is one of the few producers on earth working with Passerina but more should be.
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.
Fresh, floral and very food friendly.
Pairings
In a Pinch
Kettle cooked potato chips.
Deeper Dive
Packing a picnic, especially one with some honey and fruit and cheese? Don’t forget your Passerina.
Tropical fruit notes will make this a very interesting pairing with a varied cheese board. Sushi and raw or delicate fish would also be complemented nicely while still allowing for the food and wine to shine.
For the health conscious, Mediterranean farro or other grain based salads will be delightful with this wine.
Pairing Scale
This is a general guide to give you an idea where this wine falls in a spectrum of dish complexities.
Steer Clear
Gamey protein or stews will overpower this wine. Mild vegetables are ok but anything too green (asparagus, cooked spinach) or spicy will make this wine bitter.
Cheeses
Brie
Brie
Country: France
Animal: Cow
Type: Soft
Texture: Creamy
Rind: Edible
Style: Mild, buttery, nutty
Gruyere
Gruyere
Country: Switzerland
Animal: Cow
Type: Hard
Texture: Dense
Rind: Edible
Style: Salty, sweet, earthy
Pecorino
Pecorino
Country: Italy
Animal: Sheep
Type: Hard
Texture: Grainy
Rind: Edible
Style: Salty, tangy, nutty
Recipe Ideas
Service
Which glasses?
Go with all-purpose or white wine glasses if you have them.
Should I decant this?
Why "Nope"?
Temperature is more important that oxygen exposure as white wines are so often served right out of a kitchen fridge. Let the bottle temper for 10 minutes on your counter or in the glass to fully unfurl the fruit and floral notes here.
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 – 2028
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.
