Above: a view from the Controguerra appellation in northernmost Abruzzo, looking westward. Photo was taken last month when I was on the ground there.

Please check out Eric Asimov’s wonderful article on the wines of Abruzzo for the Times, published last week.

It was a thrill to see a major wine writer like him write about the region without eliding so many of the great producers there.

As Eric notes in the piece, there are just a handful of wineries that most wine professionals know. Historically, my colleagues and I — guilty as charged — have often focused on those “stars” without taking the time to dig even a little bit deeper.

I’ve been working this year as the Abruzzo growers’ association official ambassador to the U.S. I’ve been blown away by the quality of the wines and the talent and vision of the people I’ve been tasting and meeting across this pristine and breathtaking region (just have a look at the photo above).

I can’t recommend Eric’s column enough and I encourage you to look beyond.

And for those amenable to following along here, I’ll be posting about my experiences there — recent and future. I believe a lot of people are going to be surprised by what I’ve discovered.

Writing in a hurry this morning on my way back to New York City. Wish me luck and wish me speed. And don’t miss Eric’s article!