If you have ever visited Abruzzo wine country, then the above photo, from one of Masciarelli’s top parcels, should be no mystery to you.

In the 1980s, Gianni Masciarelli revolutionized Abruzzo viticulture when he became one of the first Abruzzo growers to use Guyot training in the place of tendone (pergola continua); high-density plantings intended to encourage competition among the vines; and organic growing practices. Everyone thought he was crazy. But today, some 40 years later, his legacy and the extraordinary wines are witness to his vision and brilliance.

Earlier this month, Masciarelli’s now longtime enologist Attilio Alfino took me on a tour of one of the winery’s top parcels. Attilio, who worked directly with Gianni before his passing, is a sort of living memory of the winery and arguably one of the best raconteurs of his vision and life’s work.

I can remember so clearly now: two decades ago, Masciarelli was the first “fine wine” I had ever tasted from Abruzzo when a leading NYC wine professional encouraged me to explore the extraordinary labels from this estate.

There’s no doubt in my mind that many Italian-focused wine professionals would tell you the same thing: Masciarelli and a handful of his contemporaries changed the way our generation thought of Abruzzo viticulture — and its potential.

One thing that I didn’t know about Masciarelli was that part of Gianni’s vision was to diversify his vineyards. As the amazing Attilio explained to me, Masciarelli owns literally scores of growing sites (more than 60, spread across Abruzzo’s four provinces, according to the estate’s website).

This was a truly revolutionary concept in Abruzzo, where, historically, a small group of families owned the majority of vineyard sites. Gianni upended that hegemony. And the diversity gave him a broader palette for his wines.

Gianni was also among the first to use barrique aging for his wines. I was blown away by the winery’s riserva Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, which is fermented and aged in barrique.

But it was the winery’s Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo that made me fall in love again.

I’ll be pouring and speaking about Abruzzo wines at three of the stops along the Slow Wine Guide tour in mid-March. See details here.