Tiberio's Fonte Canale: Redefining Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

BY ERIC GUIDO | AUGUST 20, 2024

Tiberio’s Fonte Canale, made from genetically verified Trebbiano Abruzzese, shows the world what is possible for white wines in Abruzzo. Over twenty years ago, before the inception of Fonte Canale, Trebbiano Toscano from Abruzzo–a much different grape from Trebbiano Abruzzese–was the main variety on the market. At the time, Valentini was the only winemaker producing the incredibly difficult-to-find Trebbiano Abruzzese. What set Valentini’s Trebbiano apart from an ocean of Trebbiano Toscano was rarely discussed. There was a simple lack of understanding, or interest, by winemakers to invest time into Trebbiano Abruzzese because sales of their Montepulciano were the staple of their income. That all changed with the release of the Tiberio Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Fonte Canale.

The Cugnoli landscape of rolling hills; you can see the Majella Mountain range in the distance.

It all started in 1999 when Riccardo Tiberio moved his entire family from coastal Pescara to the small town of Cugnoli. Tiberio had found a one-and-a-half hectare vineyard planted to old vine Trebbiano Abruzzese using the traditional double pergola training system. The vines were planted piede franco (ungrafted) and had continued to thrive over decades due to the high content of sand in the soils. Tiberio’s daughter, Cristiana, urged him to purchase it.

Because of the disrepair of this old vineyard, the Tiberios didn’t have an easy start. Cristiana Tiberio quickly explains that they made many mistakes over the years before arriving at the quality level they first strived for over a decade ago. It wasn’t until 2004 that they celebrated their first harvest of Trebbiano Abruzzese. In 2006, with her brother Antonio, Cristiana Tiberio took on the responsibilities of the family winery and vineyards from her father. This began Cristiana Tiberio’s quest to produce a high-elevation Trebbiano, not the Fonte Canale yet. It wasn’t until 2007 that the parcel that now produces Fonte Canale started to bear healthy fruit. At the time, Tiberio advanced experimentation in both the vineyard and the cellar, working to express the identity of the vines. Neither organic nor biodynamic practices describe her approach. Yet, there are no chemicals in her regimen. She chooses to dry farm the vines, forcing them to dig their roots deep into sandy, limestone-strewn soils in search of water-retaining clay.

Sister and brother team, Cristiana and Antonio Tiberio.

In 2012, the Tiberio siblings achieved their goal with the first release of Fonte Canale Trebbiano Abruzzese, made from the same vineyard that inspired their father nearly thirty years ago. Fonte Canale is produced from 736 vines, at least 90 years old, grown using the same double pergola training system, a form of planting that, over a century ago, allowed late fall/winter snow to fall to the ground. The shade from the canopy of these vines also allows Cristiana Tiberio’s Trebbiano to enjoy a long, growing season. Moreover, the constant winds that blow through Cugnoli from the surrounding Majella Mountain range provide continuous ventilation and facilitate thicker skins. The name Fonte Canale originates from a spring that flows underground across the vineyard and attached road.

Cristiana Tiberio describes her wines as liquid minerals. The textural depth and layered minerality are unimaginable, all married to a complex core of citrus-infused fruit. The best part is that there is no wood aging in the protocol. Fonte Canale is refined entirely in stainless steel tanks and bottles. Its exceptional quality and ability to age and come exclusively from work done in the vineyard. It is undoubtedly one of Italy’s most important white wines, with an uncanny ability to mature beautifully in the cellar. 

With the increased demand and price of Fonte Canale, the wine has reached iconic and allocation status. There are just 3,000 bottles produced each year, with the main market being the United States, along with tiny quantities distributed all around the world. For this, common questions from Tiberio’s fans are just how well and how long Fonte Canale can age and when the past vintages will be ready to drink. Trying to answer these questions inspired Cristiana and Antonio Tiberio to organize a vertical tasting spanning the first official release in 2012 up to a preview of the yet-to-be-released 2022. My overall conclusion is that cooler vintages, like 2020, 2018, 2016 and 2013, tend to take on a more structured and mineral-intense persona over the years. They also mature at a slower pace. The warm years, instead, like 2015 and 2021, are more fruit-focused yet still magical. Lastly, readers should not pass the opportunity to taste the 2014 Fonte Canale, an often-overlooked vintage that’s overperforming. As for that first vintage, 2012, it’s still as fresh and lively as ever.

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