Tullum Dop is one of the smallest Dop areas in Italy and is the first designation of its kind in Abruzzo. It covers an extremely limited area – 300 hectares in the Municipality of Tollo in the province of Chieti – and is characterized by rigid production parameters.

The density of cultivation must be no less than 3,300 vines per hectare, vinification and bottling must be carried out within the area, and grapes coming from vineyards located on the valley floor or situated at less than 80 m ASL are not permitted.

The types currently produced are: Red Reserve, Red, Pecorino, Organic Pecorino, Passerina, Chardonnay Spumante and Red Raisin Wine.

With Tullum Dop, Tollo’s producers have obtained recognition of this area’s tradition, with more than a thousand years’ history of winemaking. 

Vine growing and grape and wine consumption in Tollo date back to Roman times, as evidenced by the discovery of wine and oil dolia (earthenware containers used for storing and transporting) and wine cellars, but also by the remains of Roman villae rusticae, where winemaking played a central role. 

Specialisation in vine-growing has remained throughout the centuries, and successive periods of rule – from the Lombards to the Normans, to the Kingdom of Naples – have not prevented the inhabitants from cultivating them. 

A tradition that steadily developed over the centuries until the twentieth century when, during the Second World War, the small town of Tollo – not far from Ortona, at the battle front – was literally razed to the ground. Together with the historic centre, the farms and vineyards were destroyed. 

However, Tollo’s farmers did not lose heart, and immediately after the war they started growing vines once more. The hills were again decorated with vineyards, and emigration, which decimated the population of Abruzzo, did not affect the town.

Today Tollo has more than 4,000 inhabitants and wine production is again the main line of business.