When wine turns from a dream into reality – Tenuta la Riserva

„Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Harriet Tubman

The most important thing is to believe strongly, with passion in your ideal and your dream, and one day this will surely become a reality. Every moment matters, we must focus on the present in order to develop ourselves and to fulfill our dreams in the future, because we are directly responsible for the road we build in front of us. 

Thanks to these ideals was born Tenuta La Riserva back in 2008 as a new winery, but with people whose experience in the wine area dates back for several generations. The aim was to combine the tradition of winemaking with the innovation to provide a complete experience that starts in the vineyard and ends right in the bottle. Each bottle contains a gram of emotion and passion, and the wonderful people who deal with this winery today make it possible for these feelings to reach us too. We talk of so much more, not just a story of good wines. We are talking about a feeling that excites us all – we are talking about family.

I want to start by telling you that the wines of  Tenuta La Riserva have a certain peculiarity, and until I had the opportunity to visit the winery I had not tasted old Italian grape varieties such as Pecorino or Passerina. 

The wines of  Tenuta La Riserva are organically certified for the white varieties such as Pecorino, Passerina, Trebbiano, Verdicchio and Chardonnay, as well as for the red varieties Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. The experience itself when you taste these wines is absolutely wonderful and makes you feel happy, fulfilled and at the same time privileged, which is why the winery wants to offer wines that can be savored and on which you can meditate, wines that reflect the ancient beauty of this special area.

I really want to tell you more about the wines we had the opportunity to taste and which I hope we will have the opportunity to see as soon as possible in the specialty shops in our country. After visiting the winery in August, we stopped in the tasting room to enjoy the wonderful Bacchic wonder and to receive of course all the details about the wines in front of us.

Marche IGP Passerina comes from the vineyard located in Offida and Castel di Lama where the soil presents itself with a slight clay tendency. Obtained from 100% Passerina with an absolutely superb straw color, the wine stands out through a delicate bouquet of white flowers and sage with a distinct freshness and a delicate but persistent aftertaste at the same time. Although you know I am not a fan of culinary associations with wine this time I will tell you that it is absolutely perfect if you associate it with light fish-based snacks. Vinification takes place by light pressing and fermentation at a controlled temperature at 12 ° C for 14-16 days.

Festina Lente Offida Passerina. 100% Passerina, a special wine from the vineyard located in Offida and Castel di Lama, like the first wine presented. Vinification takes place after the selection of the best grapes, by light pressing, decanting and fermentation at a controlled temperature. With 13% volume and a well balanced acidity, the wine is noticeable in the pale yellow color with a subtle hint of green and a pleasant floral bouquet that reminds us of white flowers and subtle notes of anise and sage. With a special minerality and a freshness that is intensely felt, the wine is characterized by a persistent aftertaste.

GHEORGÒS Offida Pecorino DOCG is a wine obtained from an old grape variety, 100% Pecorino by selecting the best grapes. The maceration is a rapid one at 5 degrees followed by a light pressing and fermentation at controlled temperatures. The bouquet of this wine is at least interesting and I do not think you had the opportunity to taste this Pecorino with subtle notes of anise and pineapple, a special combination of flavors, an explosion on the taste buds that persist intensely. The acidity is perfectly balanced to feel each note separately. Personally I would taste it with aperitifs such as ripened cheeses (I liked the intensity given by cheeses with wine), but of course it depends on each person how this association feels.

I think it’s time to move to the red wine area too because Tenuta La Riserva impressed us with two sensational blends. Rosso Piceno DOC  is a subtle blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Montepulciano. From the first nose you will smell intense notes of black currant but with delicate raspberry notes. It is a dry wine, with balanced tannins, corpulent and fruity with a persistent and intense taste. A harmony of notes that makes us discover this wine as we enjoy it with any dish. Vinification takes place by light pressing and fermentation on the skin between 14-16 days at a controlled temperature between 24-26 ° C. Maturation follows in stainless steel tanks until bottling.

The last wine we had the opportunity to taste during our wonderful visit to  Tenuta la Riserva is Ner Piceno Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC. Obtained from 60% Montepulciano and 40% Sangiovese, the wine represents a plea for balance and refinement like a velvet. This wine is destined for a special moment that can be a beautiful autumn evening in the right company along with meat dishes, ripened cheeses or fine cold meats. Vinification is done by gently pressing the selected grapes followed by fermentation on the skin for 12-18 days at a controlled temperature (between 24-28 ° C); first maturation is done in stainless steel tanks, followed by aging in oak barrels for the next 12 months. When you have it in the glass, you immediately think of a ruby whose color this wine presents and whose delicacy is felt at each sip.

Passerina Frizzante. Although it was the first wine tasted I left it for the end because it impressed me pleasantly. Vinification is done by gentle pressing and fermentation at a controlled temperature of 12 ° C for a period of 12-14 days. Made from 100% Passerina, this delicate frizzante is simply perfect for summer, for the hot days of August. We had the opportunity to enjoy this frizzante on an August evening in the “secret” garden of the hotel where we stayed in Ascoli. It was so nice and perfect that when I think about the experience I could imagine myself being back there. I could enjoy a bottle even now in October chilled from the breeze of the autumn wind. I’m sure I won’t have to wait too long until it reaches the optimum temperature for serving.

At the end of a beautiful trip to Tenuta La Riserva

There are moments that remain in our memory for a long time. There are some special places that make you want to go back there. There are people you get to meet, special people you hope to meet again. There are dreams and there is reality. And a dream that comes true is the most precious one. This is Tenuta La Riserva, a dream that came true for us.

Our thanks go to the wonderful people who welcomed us at the winery, we thank Carlo and Simona for having us and for the wonderful moments we spent together.

We also thank Cristina and Tito, the official importer of the wines in Romania, for facilitating this special visit and for introducing us to these wines. Also note that the wines are available also in my hometown through Wine Hunter.