While in Oslo, we were lucky enough to crash a winemaker dinner with Valle Reale, a winery in the Abruzzo region in Italy.  We settled in to the back room at buzzing Cru restaurant as the lovely Guilia gave us some history of the winery and region before tasting us through the portfolio of wines.  Flights of wine were paired with delicious food and amazing conversation with new friends.

Abruzzo is located east of Rome, is known as the “greenest region in Europe” and is home to many national parks.  Valle Reale focuses on the Montepulciano varietal, not to be confused with the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (a Sangiovese-based wine from Tuscany).  The reds, while based in the same grape, ranged from juicy red fruit in the younger 2014 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Organic DOC to darker black fruit from the oldest vines on the property in the 2011 San Calisto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.    

The white wines were made with the Trebbiano grape, yielding a citrus driven wine with notes of stone fruit and a slightly herbacious finish.  The natural yeast and lack of filtration of the wines create a luscious, full-bodied finish.   

A big thanks to Cru and Valle Reale for including us in this special night.  Such a fun way to cap off our weekend in Oslo!  

Stay tuned for part 3 of my Oslo travelogue including what we did besides eating and drinking!