New York, NY, May 15, 2024 — Montepulciano d’Abruzzo powerhouse Tenute Agricole Masciarelli has expanded its Abruzzo footprint even further with the purchase of organic producer Valori.
Masciarelli and Valori have been closely linked since 2005, when the Valori wines were included in the inaugural portfolio of Masciarelli Distribuzione, now known as Gianni’s Selection. The Valori and Masciarelli wines will retain their separate U.S. importers.
A long association between the two families started when Luigi Valori and Gianni Masciarelli helped introduce French winemaking savvy, sustainable practices, and cutting-edge technologies to Abruzzo. Luigi Valori will remain at his namesake winery, sharing his many years of knowledge, especially vineyard related. In turn, the Valori wines will benefit from Masciarelli’s marketing power.
The full name of the estate, printed on every label, is Chiamami quando piove – Valori (Call me when it rains – Valori). “It’s a useful reminder of who is really in charge”, explains Luigi Valori, referring to the 35-acre (14 ha) farm he bought in 1996, “It covers all those times when Mother Nature puts her foot down and bars us from working in the vineyard and points out that there’s a time for work and a time for play.” Valori is a trained agronomist, so a laser focus on the vineyard is to be expected.
Valori wines are now available in 25 states. The first Valori wines, a Pecorino, Montepulciano and Montepulciano Riserva, arrived in the U.S. five years ago, followed by a Cerasuolo. As of the 2013 vintage, all are certified organic. Annual production stands at around 12,500 cases. Yields are one-fifth or less of those allowed by DOC regulations.
Located in the Teramane Hills, the property spans 35 acres/14 ha between the municipalities of Sant’Omero and Controguerra. Luigi Valori, a one-time pro soccer player with Ascoli Calcio FC, bought the estate and started producing wines in 1996.
- Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC. organic, $15 SRP, 750 ml
- Abruzzo Pecorino DOC Valori, organic, $17 SRP, 750 ml
- Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, organic, $19 SRP, 750 ml
- Montepulciano Vigna Sant’Angelo, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, organic, $35 SRP, 750 ml
Valori wines are Imported by Dark Star Imports, New York, NY
Valori: Trained viticulturalist Luigi Valori has been making wine at the 35-acre/14 ha Teramo Hills estate since 1996 transitioning to organically certified wines with the 2013 vintage. The focus at Valori is entirely on quality, with yields less than one-fifth of those allowed under DOC regulations. Proximity to the sea and an abundance of sunshine translate into wines with a light mineral body, but warm, balanced flavors.
Masciarelli: The Masciarelli family are leading proponents of world-class winemaking in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. Gianni Masciarelli released his first vintage in 1981 from just five acres of vines. Masciarelli now accounts for 741 acres, scattered over 60 non-adjoining parcels, and is the sole Abruzzo producer with vineyards in all four provinces. The focus is on working with the region’s local grapes – Trebbiano Abruzzese and Pecorino for the whites, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo for the reds.
