THIS WEEK'S TASTING FLIGHT:

Tenuta de Sterlich

A fresh, vibrant trio shaped by Abruzzo's elevation and coastal breezes

This week we are heading to Abruzzo, Italy and to Tenuta de Sterlich, a small estate focused on precision rather than polish.

Abruzzo is a region in central-southern Italy located directly east of Rome, sitting between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. That contrast shapes everything. Warm days ripen the fruit. Cool nights and steady coastal air keep the wines bright. You feel that tension in the glass.

Tenuta de Sterlich works almost entirely in concrete and neutral vessels, a choice that says a great deal about the estate’s priorities. There is no new oak sweetness softening the edges, no heavy barrel imprint shaping the profile. Instead, the wines lean on fruit purity, texture from time on lees, and the natural tension that comes from Abruzzo’s climate. That restraint gives them a certain clarity. You taste vineyard before cellar. Structure before gloss.

For a region often associated with easygoing, everyday reds, this kind of precision stands out. The result is a set of wines that feel focused, grounded, and unexpectedly refined, the kind that reward both a first sip and a second look.

Our $25 tasting flight puts three classic Abruzzese styles side by side: Trebbiano, Cerasuolo, and Montepulciano. A white, a rosato, and a red that share a common thread of freshness and structure.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2022

• Textured and subtly powerful, with orchard fruit and lees richness balanced by steady acidity.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 2023

• Bright cherry, grapefruit lift, and a subtle tannic edge. Think chillable red rather than classic rosé.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022

• Dark fruit, firm structure, and savory depth framed by lively acidity.

Whether you are new to and curious about Abruzzo or already familiar with Montepulciano’s potential, this flight provides an engaging introduction to a region that, in our opinion, deserves more attention.

Join us in the Tasting Room starting this Thursday to explore Abruzzo and Tenuta de Sterlich for yourself!

Cheers,

The Petit Philippe Team

A QUICK NOTE: We will be closing to the public at 5 PM TONIGHT (Wednesday, February 25) for a private event.

Introducing

WINE ATELIER

A Modern Wine Education Program

Based on your recent feedback, we created Wine Atelier as a more flexible way to learn wine.

Wine Atelier is a modern wine education program built around guided tastings, practical knowledge, curiosity, and community. It's structured enough to build confidence, but flexible enough to meet you wherever you are in your wine journey.

Each workshop stands on its own. You can follow a single topic that interests you or build knowledge across the season. No intimidation. No rigid curriculum. Just thoughtful, engaging wine education designed for real life.

Become a member to receive:

• Early access to workshops
• Preferred pricing
• Enhanced workshop wine credits

Learn More →

Explore Atelier Memberships →

2026 Atelier Workshop Season at a Glance →

Saturday, March 14th | 6 PM - 8 PM

CalStar Cellars Wine Dinner

w/Winemaker & Proprietor Rick Davis

Join us for an evening with Rick Davis of CalStar Cellars, a Sonoma producer known for focused, site-driven Pinot Noir.

Over a multi-course dinner, we will explore wines from Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Mendocino, and Anderson Valley. Executive Chef Charlie Reid will prepare seasonal pairings, and Rick will walk us through vineyard sites, vintage decisions, and what defines cool-climate Pinot at its best.

📅 Saturday, March 14

⏰ 6:00 - 8:00 PM

🎟 $135 per person

Purchase Tickets →



Thursday, March 26th | 6:30 PM - 8 PM

March Wine Atelier Workshop

How Wine Works: Tasting, Structure, and the Foundations of Flavor

What makes a wine feel balanced? Why does one wine feel powerful and another feel elegant?

This workshop focuses on structure and flavor. We will taste with intention, break down acidity, tannin, alcohol, and texture, and build a clear framework you can apply anytime you open a bottle.

📅 Thursday, March 26

⏰ 6:30–8:00 PM

🎟 $100 | Atelier Members receive preferred pricing

Reserve Your Seat →

Explore Atelier Memberships →

Join Us for Weekly Tasting Flights

Available during the hours below

5:00 - 9:00 pm | Thursday

5:00 - 9:00 pm | Friday

1:00 - 9:00 pm | Saturday

1:00 - 7:00 pm | Sunday

Tenuta de Sterlich

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2022

Abruzzo • Italy

$45 retail

A structured, lees-aged expression of Trebbiano that shows both depth and freshness. Rather than a light or neutral white, this is textural and layered, shaped by extended time in concrete.

The wine spent approximately 15 months on fine lees in concrete. Aging in concrete allows for gentle oxygen exchange without adding oak flavor, so the fruit remains pure while the texture becomes more integrated and rounded. Extended lees contact builds weight and subtle savory complexity, giving the wine more presence on the palate.

Varietals & Vinification: 100% Trebbiano. Native fermentation and aging in concrete, with extended lees contact to develop texture and integration. No new oak. Minimal intervention throughout.

Tasting Notes: Aromas of yellow apple, pear, and alpine herbs, with a faint honeyed, waxy nuance from lees aging. The palate is fuller than expected, with a broad mid-palate balanced by steady acidity. The finish is clean and lightly mineral, keeping the wine focused despite its texture.

Sterlich crafts a more serious expression of Trebbiano, offering richness without heaviness, and shows how concrete and lees work can turn a familiar grape into something layered and structured.

Bring a Bottle Home →

Tenuta de Sterlich

Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2023

Abruzzo • Italy

$45 retail

A vibrant and structured take on Cerasuolo that highlights why this category has become one of Abruzzo’s defining styles. Made from Montepulciano, this style leans more towards a lightly chilled red than a typical rosé. The fruit is bright, but the structure is real.

The Montepulciano has brief skin contact, giving the wine its cherry color and subtle tannic structure. Fermentation and aging in concrete preserve brightness and clarity, allowing fruit and minerality to lead rather than oak influence.

Varietals & Vinification: 100% Montepulciano. Short maceration for color and phenolic structure, followed by native fermentation in concrete and aging in neutral vessels to preserve freshness and minerality.

Tasting Notes: Bright cherry in color, with aromas of fresh cherry and pomegranate layered with a subtle grapefruit lift. The palate is mouthwatering and dry, with bright acidity, light tannic grip, and a mineral edge that keeps it focused. The structure gives it more backbone than most rosé, making it particularly versatile with food.

The Cerasuolo style can be considered a step between rosé and a true red wine, and makes for a delicious chillable light red. For Tenuta de Sterlich, it shows Montepulciano in a lighter frame without sacrificing structure.

Bring a Bottle Home →

Tenuta de Sterlich

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2022

Abruzzo • Italy

$50 retail

A firmly built Montepulciano that emphasizes structure and freshness over plush fruit. This is a serious, food-driven expression that reflects both site and restrained cellar work.

Fermentation in cement allows for controlled extraction while maintaining purity of fruit. Without the influence of new oak, the grape’s natural tannin and acidity remain front and center. The result is a wine defined more by structure and balance than by sweetness or overt richness.

Varietals & Vinification: 100% Montepulciano. Native fermentation with moderate extraction in cement, followed by aging in neutral vessels to maintain clarity and avoid overt oak influence.

Tasting Notes: Deep ruby in color, with aromas of dark cherry, plum, and subtle earth. The palate is bold and structured, framed by pronounced but refined tannins and vibrant acidity. While the wine shows ripeness, the fruit remains measured rather than jammy, and the finish is dry and savory.

For everyday drinkers, it delivers depth without heaviness. For enthusiasts, it demonstrates how Montepulciano can express power with balance when handled with restraint.

Bring a Bottle Home →

Producer Deep Dive: Tenuta de Sterlich

Abruzzo | Italy

Founded in 2017, Tenuta de Sterlich began when two friends from Teramo acquired a single hillside estate in Mosciano Sant’Angelo, positioned between the Gran Sasso mountains and the Adriatic.

The estate covers roughly 23 hectares, with many vines planted decades ago. Farming is organic and biodynamic in practice, with careful vineyard work and low yields.

In the cellar, the approach is restrained. Fermentations rely on native yeasts. Concrete plays a central role. Oak influence is minimal. Texture comes from time on lees rather than barrels. The goal is straightforward: let the vineyard speak clearly.

Though the winery is young, it draws inspiration from long-standing producers in the region. Work with Professor Leonardo Seghetti, known for his association with Valentini, connects the estate to Abruzzo’s deeper winemaking traditions.

De Sterlich represents a shift in the region. Focused vineyards. Thoughtful farming. Wines built for the table rather than for scale. It is a clear example of where Abruzzo is heading.

Regional Overview: Abruzzo

Where Mountain Air Meets Coastal Influence

Abruzzo does not always get the spotlight, but in our opinion, it certainly should!

Mountains rise sharply inland. The Adriatic Sea sits just to the east. That contrast shapes the wines. Warm sun ripens Montepulciano fully. Cool nights preserve acidity. The result is fruit with structure and lift rather than heaviness.

For decades, much of Abruzzo’s production went into cooperatives and bulk wine. That reputation still lingers, but the region has been evolving. More growers are bottling their own fruit. Old vines are being taken seriously. Concrete and neutral aging are replacing heavy oak.

Montepulciano is the red grape that defines the region. It brings color, tannin, and depth. When grown in hillside sites, it also carries freshness.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is the traditional white. In careful hands, it can show real texture and longevity, especially with extended lees aging.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo may be the region’s most distinctive category. Made primarily from Montepulciano with short skin contact, it produces a deeply colored rosato with structure and savory character.

Abruzzo today is not about excess. It is about balance, native varieties, and wines that belong at the table.

Appellation Focus: Abruzzo DOC and the Region's "Core Three"

Trebbiano, Cerasuolo, Montepulciano

A key milestone in Abruzzo’s modern identity is the creation of Abruzzo DOC in 2010, which helped formalize and elevate the region’s leading native varieties under a broader, quality-minded framework. It also sits alongside the long-established category wines that still form the foundation of how most people encounter Abruzzo in the glass.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC

Cerasuolo was historically made under Montepulciano d’Abruzzo rules, but it became its own DOC in 2010, recognizing the category as something more than a byproduct of red-wine production. The name references its cherry-like color, which comes from brief skin contact with Montepulciano’s deeply pigmented skins. Regulations generally require at least 85% Montepulciano, reinforcing its close relationship to the region’s flagship red grape.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and the Teramo Hills benchmark

Within the broader Montepulciano landscape, the most prestigious named zone is Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG, promoted to DOCG status in the early 2000s and tied to the hillier, more structured side of the region’s red-wine identity. Its rules are stricter, including a minimum of 90% Montepulciano and defined aging requirements, reinforcing a more disciplined, age-worthy expression.

Why Abruzzo Matters Right Now

Abruzzo is increasingly compelling because it offers a rare combination: native grapes with strong identity, a climate that naturally supports freshness, and a growing bench of producers proving that restraint and site expression can be the region’s most powerful signatures. The best estates today are not trying to mimic anywhere else. They are clarifying what Abruzzo has always had: mountain energy, coastal light, and wines built for the table.

 info@petitphilippe.com | www.petitphilippe.com

Wine emergency? Text us at 415.306.4283

BE WELL + STAY CONNECTED