Castello di Semivicoli

The Masciarelli family arrived at this early-2000s project with a clear ambition: restore a historic estate and return its clay-limestone vineyards to their winemaking past. Twenty hectares at 300 metres now yield Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo—a vibrant rosé from Montepulciano grapes that carries cherry and floral notes shaped by Mediterranean breezes—and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, a crisp white edged with citrus and mineral that reflects the region's proximity to the Adriatic. Traditional vinification methods anchor the work, honouring techniques that predate the castle's dormant decades. Guests descend into the castle cellar for guided tastings that trace Abruzzo's twin pillars of Montepulciano and Trebbiano through glass and story. Vineyard tours led by the winemaker map the parcels where clay meets limestone, explaining how soil composition shifts the weight of each vintage. Food and wine pairing dinners thread local cuisine through the estate's portfolio: Cerasuolo alongside seafood pulled from nearby markets, Trebbiano with light pasta dressed in olive oil and herbs, Montepulciano poured against charred lamb and pork from the hills. Rooms occupy the restored castle structure, designed with rustic elegance that balances stone and timber against whitewashed walls. Views sweep over the estate's rows and the surrounding Abruzzo hills, a landscape of vine and oak that shifts colour with the seasons. The architecture preserves the building's historical bones while offering the comforts expected of a contemporary wine-country stay—a deliberate contrast between medieval form and modern function. The kitchen draws from Abruzzo's pastoral and coastal traditions, plating arrosticini skewers, brodetto fish stews, and handmade chitarra pasta that pair naturally with the estate's wines. Beyond the property, the region offers access to Gran Sasso peaks for hiking, medieval villages clinging to hillsides, and the Adriatic coast less than an hour east. The setting invites exploration of a wine zone that remains quieter than Tuscany or Piedmont, its Montepulciano and Trebbiano still anchored to local tables rather than global trends.