Masciarelli Abruzzo Wine Lunch

It was such a pleasure to enjoy a sip of Masciarelli wine again after my visit to Abruzzo a few years back with I.E.E.M. Wine.

It was an exciting visit in which we discovered the terroir of the region and the major grape varieties, Trebbiano and Montepulciano.

The Lunch Venue

The lunch was held in Roscioli Restaurant in New York, in its wine cellar.

It was a gorgeous venue that made me feel as if I was in Italy, with its vaulted ceilings and delicious cuisine.
What made this luncheon exceptional was the four well-chosen wines of Masciarelli Tenute Agricole, arranged to pair with key dishes from the five-course menu.

Miriam Lee Masciarelli, an attractive woman who now runs the winery with her mother, introduced the wines and the terroir from which they came.

Miriam Lee Masciarelli

At just 36, Miriam radiates the quiet authority of someone born into vineyards yet shaped by global perspective.

As Brand Ambassador and Administrator of Masciarelli, she leads tasting events and brand vision around the globe.

During our lunch, her stories flowed as easily as the wines — tales of microclimates, family traditions, and a relentless pursuit of terroir expression.

Discovering Abruzzo

Cradled between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains, Abruzzo is a tapestry of altitudes, climate pockets, and soil types that lend themselves to viticultural alchemy.

Known as the “green region of Europe,” Abruzzo boasts three national parks and unparalleled biodiversity.

Limestone, clay, loam, elevation shifts, ocean breezes, and glacier-fed air currents all work together to shape distinctive vineyard characters.
Masciarelli reads the nuanced language of this landscape like a native tongue. With over 60 vineyard plots across all four of Abruzzo’s provinces (Chieti, Pescara, Teramo, and L’Aquila), the estate articulates a comprehensive story of the region.

A Family with Deep Roots

Founded by Gianni Masciarelli in 1981, the winery started with a bold vision: to elevate the wines of Abruzzo from rustic anonymity to world-class refinement.

During a trip to Croatia in search of oak barrels, Gianni met Marina Cvetić, who would become both his wife and his powerhouse winemaking partner.

Her impact is unmissable: fierce, elegant wines that speak of tradition through a modern lens.
When Gianni passed away unexpectedly in 2008, Miriam was just 18. She seamlessly stepped into leadership alongside her mother, guided by academic rigor (studies in Economics and Wine Marketing) and a heartfelt devotion to extending her family’s legacy.

Today, she fosters international partnerships and also orchestrates the immersive wine tourism experiences at their restored 17th-century wine resort, Castello di Semivicoli.