2021 Emidio Pepe 'Casa Pepe' Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Emidio Pepe established his namesake estate in 1964 in Torano Nuovo, Abruzzo, with a vision to produce age-worthy wines from Montepulciano and Trebbiano using traditional, manual methods. From the beginning, Pepe rejected chemical inputs and mechanization, opting instead for biodynamic principles and hands-on techniques such as foot-treading grapes and hand-bottling. Now managed by the third generation, including his granddaughter Chiara De Iulis Pepe, the estate remains committed to long élevage and bottle aging, with releases often delayed until the wines have reached maturity.

The estate is located in the Teramo province in northern Abruzzo, nestled between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso mountains. This unique positioning creates a dynamic interplay of maritime and alpine influences, with cool mountain air moderating the heat from the coast. The region falls within the Colline Teramane DOCG for Montepulciano, known for producing structured and balanced wines. The area benefits from steady ventilation and wide diurnal temperature shifts, promoting healthy fruit and gradual phenolic ripening.

Pepe's vineyards are planted on clay-limestone soils rich in minerals, which support deep-rooted vines and provide natural acidity and structure to the wines. Elevations range between 250 and 400 meters, enhancing drainage and promoting slow, even ripening. The terroir, coupled with Pepe’s non-interventionist ethos—including wild yeast fermentations, no filtration, and extended aging in concrete—results in wines with both power and precision. Each bottle reflects not only vintage and soil, but also the continuity of a deeply rooted, generational approach to viticulture.