The Pepe family had been making wine from vines on their estate around the »Casa Pepe« since about 1889. Emidio Pepe, born in 1932, had already worked for several years alongside his father and grandfather when he finally founded the winery under his own name in 1964. Before that, viticulture was only a small part of the income sources of the mixed agricultural operation.
Emidio was—at a time when especially the local white wines were drunk as young as possible and steady cash flow was essential for the modest farmers of the region—one of the first to be firmly convinced of the incredible aging potential of the Trebbiano and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo grape varieties. The thoughtful, quiet Emidio Pepe is definitely not a man of loud words, but he is a man of clear determination, and his approach is marked by a clear focus. He has always had a very precise idea of what he wanted to achieve, and at the same time he works tirelessly to implement his plans. Over more than 60 harvests, Emidio has also learned a lot. Every year anew, he observes the signs of nature with a sensitivity that few others can match. And he still likes to be present when the family and the team work in the vineyards and cellar. With his wines, Emidio Pepe catapulted Abruzzo into the consciousness of the wine world.
The wines intended for export come from very old pergola vineyards that have been managed according to the principles of biodynamics from the very beginning.
At their core, the family members still consider themselves farmers. And while everything probably changes over time, the actual work at the winery has remained the same for decades, even centuries. The guarantee for the consistency of Emidio Pepe wines is the preservation of tradition. Today, the family business is run by Emidio’s daughter Daniela and his granddaughter Sofia. While Daniela takes care of the administrative side of the winery, Sofia has loved being by Emidio’s side in the vineyard and cellar since she was a child. She watched him closely and learned from him as he gradually passed on both his deep knowledge and the management of all practical areas to her. Daniela’s daughter Chiara is responsible for export markets, and her sister Elisa mainly looks after overnight guests and the winery’s restaurant.
The vines grown using the Pergola system – that is, overhead, a form of vine training still widely used outside the Abruzzo region in South Tyrol – are cultivated in harmony with nature. As has been done in the region for centuries, Emidio Pepe still grows vegetables and grains between and beneath the vines. These “storybook” vegetables are then transformed into a tempting, traditionally cooked menu for the overnight guests of the small, family-owned hotel. The Pepe family members have seen themselves for generations as conscientious guardians of the terroir. Chemicals play no role in either cultivation or winemaking; instead, careful manual work and respectful practices according to old tradition are relied upon to preserve the authentic expression of the wines.
Overall, the Abruzzo region feels more rural, modest, as well as more original and wild than the rather "polished," chic Tuscany. The home of Emidio Pepe in the village of Torano Nuovo lies amidst untouched nature, in harmony with its own rhythms. The climate there provides the perfect balance for growing grapes, combining the mild, salty influence of the nearby sea with the cold currents of the imposing Gran Sasso mountains, which attract climbers and hikers. This causes the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, leading to the outstanding development of aromas and an ideal balance of sugar and acidity. The clay- and limestone-rich soil allows the vines to spread their roots several meters deep. All these factors – the vineyard locations with plenty of sunlight, the large temperature differences between day and night, and the constant wind that prevents the development of vine diseases – make Torano Nuovo a place with an inspiring wine tradition.
The wealth of unique clones
The unique fingerprint of Emidio Pepe wines is closely linked to the genetic diversity of the vines in the vineyards, some of which are around 100 years old. Emidio Pepe planted his first vineyards using a method now rarely practiced called "Sélection Massale." First, the rootstock vines were planted. Once their root systems were strong enough, Emidio personally grafted them with cuttings from the best vines he could find on an old estate with particularly high-quality vines. This unique genetic wealth of Trebbiano and Montepulciano clones, which differ significantly from most of the region's vines that are often bred for quantity, forms the basis of the distinctive character of all Emidio Pepe wines. Today, the best of these vines serve as "parents" for all newly planted stocks. Over the decades, Emidio optimized vine care and perfectly coordinated the plants' nutrient supply, soil cultivation, pruning, and vegetation.
After hand harvesting with strict selection, all Emidio Pepe wines are fermented using wild yeasts from the vineyards and the cellar. Naturally, there are no enzymes or other substances intended to promote aroma development. Only natural products like copper, sulfur, and biodynamic preparations are used here. The two white grape varieties, Trebbiano and Pecorino, are crushed with the feet in large wooden barrels, 350 kg at a time, for 40–45 minutes. This gently and carefully releases the aromas and flavor compounds from the skins without damaging the stems, which could release bitter notes. The grapes of the red Montepulciano d’Abruzzo are hand-de-stemmed! The berries remain almost intact, and semi-carbonic fermentation begins inside the grapes. This is followed by fermentation in small, flavor-neutral, temperature-controlled concrete tanks, which Emidio started using in 1964 – their durability perfectly matches the fundamental principles of winemaking!
Decanting the red wines
In the winery cellar, there were once over 300,000 bottles stored, waiting for the perfect moment to be released. Since the wines are bottled without any filtration (because filtration also removes flavor!), some sediment forms during bottle aging and settles at the bottom. Therefore, every bottle older than 20 years is hand-uncorked and decanted before sale to remove the sediment and check the quality of each individual bottle. An absolutely insane effort! During this process, some liquid is lost, which is quickly replaced with wine from a second bottle of the same vintage before the bottle is re-corked. It is important to know that the cork is printed with the year of decanting, not the actual vintage year. This way, every customer knows when this meticulous quality improvement process took place. Emidio Pepe’s Trebbiano and Pecorino, alongside the unique red wines aged for a long time in the bottle cellar, are therefore rightly counted among the best wines in the country. The dedication with which the Pepe family treats their wines is absolutely unique!
