When Israelis think of Italy, they think of Piedmont, Tuscany, Valpolicella, and even Sicily and Friuli. Less thought is given—and we’re certainly less used to encountering—imported wines from less branded regions like Abruzzo in central-southern Italy or nearby Marche.
In this review, we have two wineries from those regions: Cirelli and Umani Ronchi. That also means that in the current tasting, we’ll encounter grape varieties that the Israeli palate is less accustomed to. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the dominant red variety in the region and should not be confused with the Tuscan Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The white grapes produced in Abruzzo are Trebbiano and Pecorino.
Cirelli Winery, led by winemaker Francesco Cirelli, is located 150 km south of Umani Ronchi. Like it, it is close to the Adriatic Sea. It produces red Montepulciano grapes and white Verdicchio. Cirelli’s wines are organic and biodynamic.
All the wines in this tasting, from both wineries, offer excellent value for money. Both basic reds from the two wineries, priced at NIS 59 and NIS 65, deliver a spectacular return, as do the other wines, with the most expensive priced at NIS 89.
There’s quite a bit of excellence here, especially among the whites. And there’s also one orange wine—not funky at all, but utterly charming—from Cirelli. The reds can carry even an elaborate meat meal, and the overall profile of all the wines tasted is particularly refreshing. Worth paying attention. Cheers!
<br>Cirelli, Rosso 'La Collina Biologica' 2022
Price: NIS 65
Best paired with: Sandwiches, pasta, pizza
Reviewer’s note: Light, fruity, spicy, accessible, fun, and summery. Can definitely be sipped chilled, even when it's hot.
Value for money: 4.5/5 (Excellent)
<br>Cirelli, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'La Collina Biologica' 2022
Price: NIS 89
Best paired with: Carpaccio and beef tartare, minute steak, even steak
Reviewer’s note: Fruity, rich, spicy, with well-balanced acidity that avoids being too rich or overly fruity. A good wine of its kind with high gastronomic value, providing good value for NIS 89.
Value for money: 3.5/5 (Good)
<br>Cirelli, Pecorino 'La Collina Biologica' 2023
Price: NIS 89
Best paired with: Sashimi, carpaccio and raw sea fish tartare, grilled calamari, fish with olive oil sauces
Reviewer’s note: Good fruit, present but not heavy. Sharp, balancing acidity. Minerality. A touch of creaminess. Very nice complexity.
Value for money: 4/5 (Very good)
<br>Cirelli, Orange 'La Collina Biologica' 2023
Price: NIS 89
Best paired with: Seafood, white meats, veal
Reviewer’s note: Dry, present but restrained fruit, acidity, minerality, complexity, multiple nuances, and a clear lack of funkiness compared to others in the genre.
Value for money: 4/5 (Very good)
<br>Umani Ronchi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Podere' 2023
Price: NIS 59
Best paired with: Pizza, pasta, barbecue
Reviewer’s note: Pleasant, abundant but not overwhelming fruit. Good acidity. Plenty of spice. Light and accessible. A wine that can even be sipped chilled at the height of summer.
Value for money: 4.5/5 (Excellent)
<br>Umani Ronchi, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 'Casal di Sieraa' 2023
Price: NIS 85
Best paired with: Fish, seafood, shellfish
Reviewer’s note: Strong fruity profile, but not overwhelming. Even stronger acidic profile. Nice balance between these two dimensions. Elegance, a touch of velvetiness, dry finish. A worthy wine that offers very good value.
Value for money: 4/5 (Very good)
<br>Umani Ronchi, Rosso Conero 'San Lorenzo' 2022
Price: NIS 89
Best paired with: Carpaccio and beef tartare, minute steak, steaks
Reviewer’s note: Concentrated red fruit on one hand, refinement and softness on the other. Complexity, many nuances, and elegance. All this in a bottle that gives you change from NIS 90. A lot of wine for not a lot of money.
Value for money: 4.5/5 (Excellent)