Wines from Abruzzo

There are vineyards that are more than just plots of land. They are part of the family history, witnesses to generations who have worked and lived here. Casa pepis one such place: the vineyard directly in front of the winery in Torano Nuovo, 0.8 hectares, which Emidio pepplanted in 1974 with a careful mass selection. Between 1972 and 1974, he grafted the best genetic material he could find on various Montepulciano plots in the region onto rootstock from 1970 – an old technique when there were no nurseries and winegrowers had to master grafting themselves. The result is an extraordinary genetic diversity: under the old pergola, each vine has slightly different leaves, slightly different grapes – and yet, in DNA tests, always Montepulciano. A living archive of this noble grape variety. With a southern exposure and plenty of morning sun, Casa pepbenefits from the silt-dominated soils that give the Montepulciano the fullness and expressiveness that make it the richest and most opulent of the two new single-vineyard wines.

Decanted, tested and re-corked at the winery | Ruby red colour with violet reflections and a black core. Dark forest berries such as blackberries and mulberries on the nose, underpinned by warm undergrowth notes. Then ripe blood oranges and subtle cedar notes. On the palate, it is defined by flavours of liquorice, the tannins are close-knit and low-pore, reminiscent of the finest dark chocolate and control the generously juicy fruit with their delicate play. Armed for many years of bottle ageing, we recommend reaching for a carafe in its youthful stage. Then it reveals itself with stimulatingly tart flavours of dark tobacco and enormous pressure, dark, dense and rich with an orchestral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine like a contemporary document: the Selezione Vecchie Vigne 2000 by Emidio pepstands for a unique quality standard - biodynamically produced, matured for decades, then uncorked by hand, checked by Emidio, re-corked and only then released for sale. The result is a rarity that not only bottles history, but brings it back to life. The grapes come from the estate's oldest vines, some of which are ungrafted, cultivated according to biodynamic principles and harvested in a peak vintage with a mild spring, hot summer and small, concentrated harvest. Fermentation took place spontaneously, without temperature control, in glass fibre vats - ageing without wood, without filtration.

The 2001 was also held back at the winery for decades, only to be opened by hand, tested, re-corked and only released when fully ripe, according to Emidio peptried and tested ritual. It is this unique combination of artisanal care, patient maturation and uncompromising authenticity that makes Vecchie Vigne a vinological event. The year 2001 was somewhat more balanced in Abruzzo than 2000: a cooler spring followed by a warm, well-ventilated summer - perfect conditions for structured, finely differentiated wines with staying power. The grapes come from ancient Montepulciano vines, fermented spontaneously in glass fibre vats, without temperature control, matured in glass fibre and cement vats and in the bottle.