2021 Pepe, Emidio - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Casa Pepe (750ml)

Emidio Pepe stands among Abruzzo's most revered producers, farming biodynamically in Torano Nuovo since taking over the family estate in 1964. This bottling is only the second vintage of Casa Pepe as a standalone single-vineyard wine, drawn from a small parcel planted to pergola directly in front of the winery between 1970 and 1974. The vines grow on classic Abruzzese blue clay-marl with a strong silt base, a soil profile that holds water well and extends the ripening season, making Casa Pepe the last plot harvested each year at the estate.

True to Pepe tradition, the grapes are hand harvested, foot-trodden, and fermented with native yeast in cement tanks before resting there for roughly two years. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered, then hand-decanted into a fresh bottle only at the time of sale.

In the glass, this Montepulciano shows an intense ruby color with garnet reflections. Fresh roses and violets lift above ripe blackberry, layered with wet stone minerality and subtle earthy tones that deepen with air. The palate is velvety yet structured, with firm, well-integrated tannins, balanced acidity, and a long, persistent finish carrying notes of dark fruit. It pairs beautifully with roast lamb, game, aged pecorino, or Abruzzese ragù, and rewards patient cellaring.