De Fermo lives a stone's throw away from Valentini. And the two share more than simple proximity. They make profound examples of Cerasuolo.

I love crisp, gulpable rosés, but there's the rare occasion that I taste a rosé that reminds me that the category has potential for greatness. De Fermo's did just that.

De Fermo is a relatively new producer to me, but having tasted the past two vintages of the Cerasuolo I include it amongst the most serious ones that I know. Think of producers like Simone, Cotat, Horiot, Tempier and Valentini.

De Fermo's Cerasuolo is, above all else, deep and complicated. And yet for all its meatiness, it remains poised and refreshing. It's this tension between intensity and edgy vibrancy that I love.

This is a bottle that's easy to drink on its own and really excels with summer fare - everything from grilled meats to tomatoes. In the heat of the summer, I can struggle with drinking red wines. This offers a perfect alternative.

The Cerasuolo has a ruthless, scorched earth minerality with notes of roses, spice and cherry fruit. It has a beautiful wildness. The best thing that I can compare it to is if Paolo Bea made rosé.

De Fermo is located in Loreto Aprutino in Southern Italy's Abruzzo region which, as we mentioned earlier, is the same town as Valentini. Generally, Abruzzo is known for producing indifferent wines in mass quantities. However, people like Valentini and Emidio Pepe have shown that Abruzzo can produce great, ageable wines. Compared to where Emidio Pepe is, Loreto Aprutine is more inland, warmer and higher altitude. De Fermo farms their 17ha biodynamically and takes a very hands-off approach in the cellar. They sell the majority of their grapes off in bulk, keeping only the best for their own bottlings.

The result is a Cerasuolo of captivating purity and the rosé that I'll be drinking the most of this summer. I highly recommend that you check this out and go deep. Keep in mind, there's no rush to drink a rosé this serious. Some age will tease out naunces of texture and flavor and allow the minerality to gain prominence - this is definitely a rosé that you'll want to drink well beyond the summer.

To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Ian McFadden

Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits

2015 De Fermo Cince Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo