A Young Woman Continues Her Parents’ Legacy In Abruzzo

When her father, Gianni, handed away all of the sudden in 2008, Miriam Lee Masciarelli assumed his function of Vineyard Administrator. Enrolled on the time in a program that may earn her a level in Economics and Administration at Rome’s Luiss College, the 18-year-old pupil additionally turned a Junior Model Ambassador for Masciarelli Tenute Agricole, the vineyard began by her father in Abruzzo in 1978.

After commencement, Miriam Lee labored for a wine importer after which a communications company specializing in wine, each in New York, earlier than returning to Abruzzo to work along with her mom, Marina Cvetić, full time on the vineyard. At present she holds the title of Model Ambassador, specializing in promotions, sponsorships, and occasions worldwide, however on any given day she could also be discovered at her household’s lodge, Castello di Semivicoli, serving to company plan an immersive wine tourism expertise, or at one in every of Masciarelli’s wineries toiling alongside winemaker Attilio Alfino.

Whereas her father is credited with placing Abruzzo on the map as a area able to producing advantageous wine, the youthful Masciarelli is tasked with persevering with to unfold the information to the remainder of the globe. Gianni Masciarelli established Masciarelli Tenute Agricole in San Martino, Chieti, Abruzzo in 1979, 10 years earlier than the delivery of Miriam, his and Marina’s first little one. Since that point Masciarelli has expanded into all 4 provinces of Abruzzo—Chieti, Teramo, Pescara, and L’Aquila—they usually now have greater than 60 plots of vineyards in 13 municipalities of this rugged area east of Rome. With over 741 acres of vineyards, they’re the most important privately owned vineyard by winery measurement in Abruzzo, which runs from the mountains of central Italy to the Adriatic Sea.

Gianni Mascarelli’s first classic, 1981, produced 700 bottles of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and 1,300 of Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. At present the model makes round 2,200,000 bottles per 12 months. Along with native grapes Montepulciano, Trebbiano, and Pecorino, Masciarelli additionally grows and vinifies Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Malvasia, and Chardonnay. As Gianni purchased extra winery land and continued to discover the hyperlink between terroir and style in winemaking, he met Marina Cvetić in 1987, and the 2 married in 1989. At present, Marina is accountable for all winery and vineyard operations, assisted by her daughter Miriam. They produce wine in six ranges: Masciarelli Traditional, Villa Gemma, Marina Cvetić, Castello di Semivicoli, Gianni Masciarelli, and ISKRA.

In 2004, Gianni and Marina bought Castello di Semivicoli, the previous nation residence of the Perticone household, which was constructed within the 17^th and 18^th centuries. Restoration befell over 5 years, and the Castello opened as a high-end wine and culinary vacation spot, adorned with an enthralling mixture of interval items and trendy furnishings. It’s the first tourism facility and the eighth in Italy to have acquired the EMAS certification, the EU system of eco-management and audit regarding sustainability measures, and it’s a member of Les Collectionneurs, the celebrated group of hoteliers, restaurateurs, and vacationers, chaired by famend French chef Alain Ducasse.

We visited Castello di Semivicoli earlier this 12 months and tasted by way of the wines with Miriam Lee Mascarielli, which gave us a chance to speak to her about her inspiration and profession path in addition to her household’s vineyard and lodge.

World Wine Guys: Why do you assume it is very important talk about Abruzzo first after which Masciarelli if you end up presenting your wines? 

Miriam Lee Masciarelli: It’s essential to speak about Abruzzo first as a result of we imagine what defines our wines is the terroir. The Abruzzo area could be very wealthy and has one of many largest panorama biodiversity of all of Italy. The terrain, local weather, solar publicity; they’re all distinctive components of this land. It’s due to this fact important to first talk the qualities of the place the place a specific wine is born and solely then to debate particular person traits or completely different personalities based mostly on producers. On this sense, Masciarelli absolutely represents Abruzzo, on condition that we’ve got vineyards in all 4 provinces, and we’re due to this fact the expression of all the terroir. Due to this nice biodiversity we’re in a position to produce 4 completely different Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, as they’re all completely different from one another, with peculiar traits that rely exactly on the world of ​​origin of the grapes.

WWG: How did your work expertise outdoors of your loved ones’s enterprise put together you for returning to work at Masciarelli? 

MLM: My expertise in the USA has helped me enhance the way in which we manage and handle the completely different departments inside our enterprise, particularly Advertising and PR. At a human stage, it made me perceive my distinctive strengths and weaknesses, absolutely revealing my vocation and my need to work on this planet of wine, following in each of my dad and mom’ footsteps.

WWG: Which qualities or traits do you assume you have got inherited from every of your dad and mom that show you how to in your job? 

MLM: I inherited my excessive curiosity and nice ardour for wine from my father. I received many issues from my mom’s aspect, however crucial might be perseverance. She taught me that nice alternatives come up from difficulties and that while you fall you at all times get again up.

WWG: Apart from your mom, do you have got any feminine function fashions?

MLM: A girl I love very a lot is Gaia Gaja, the daughter of Angelo Gaja. She was born from two sturdy dad and mom, well-known individuals who have established themselves very nicely on this planet of wine and because of her tenacity and persona she has additionally managed to get seen and to attain nice success on this planet of wine.

WWG: What can a visitor of Castello di Semivicoli anticipate throughout a go to? 

MLM: Our company’ vacation experiences are tailored. Individuals who go to us are completely different, so we like to take a seat along with them as a way to perceive their wants and provide a extra customized service. We provide non-public guided excursions to our vineyard, and we make them expertise the harvest as a way to absolutely admire the trail that begins from the winery and brings the wine to the desk. For these company who wish to immerse themselves 100% within the flavors of Abruzzo, we additionally manage outside tastings and customized cooking programs. For born explorers, we offer bike rental and manage mountain climbing excursions. No matter their concept of ​​a vacation is, we at all times tailor an expertise to our visitor wants and wishes. We outline ourselves as “Artisans of the Future.” That’s why behind all of the actions we provide, be it vine rising, bottling, distribution or hospitality, there’s at all times a private method to that work accomplished with love, perseverance, and persistence.