Overview
Do you prefer the red of its presumed founder, the Longobard Roscio da Montechiaro, from whom the village's name derives, or the red of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, king of the area?
This is a rhetorical question. We know which red you like the best. Leave the Germanic belligerence in the history books and drink the region's iconic wine in one go, like an elixir of life, as well as the oil, 'pulpy' and nutritious as bread.
Set your feet on the 'happy' land of Rosciano, in the province of Pescara, formed of clay, sand and gravel and kissed by the sun and the 'crisp' air of the Gran Sasso and Maiella mountains, mitigated by the Adriatic breezes.
This is the womb of the delicious fruits of the olive trees and the Montepulciano and Trebbiano vines, whose super-award-winning labels have for years carried the name of the region all over the world, and which have decreed Rosciano the 'City of Wine' in the prestigious national association.
The village with its medieval roots will also satisfy you with its cultural heritage, such as the castle with the tower known as 'dei Paladini', in memory of a legend that indicates the Paladin giants as the ones who built it at the time of the first crusade, around which the village later grew.
Admire the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (also known as the Church of St Eurosia, patron saint of the village), with paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries, including three works by Nicola Ranieri da Guardiagrele dated 1774 and a 'Madonna of the Rosary with Pope Pius V', in Mannerist style, dated 1581.
Also visit the small church of San Nicola, which houses a valuable series of Renaissance frescoes from the school of Andrea De Litio, Abruzzo's leading 15th-century artist.
Also explore the hamlet of Villa Badessa, once an Arbereshe linguistic centre, which renews its tradition in Greek-Byzantine liturgical rituals, under the Eparchy of Lungro, Calabria. If you have time, you can attend one of the celebrations in the local church, which houses a rich collection of Byzantine and post-Byzantine icons, considered to be among the leading icon collections in Western Europe.
The Arbereshe community, coming from the Ionian Islands around Corfu and the villages of southern Epirus, was settled in the lands of Rosciano in 1743, thanks to the approval of King Charles III of Bourbon.
Sagne and beans, cannelloni, maccheroni alla chitarra and arrosticini, keep you company at the table. And don't worry about your digestion: you are in an area of fine distillates and herbal liqueurs, such as Genzianella, Nocino, Ratafià, Centerbe.