Emidio Pepe

Italy, Abruzzo

The Story

The Pepe family estate was founded in 1899 and for much of that time it was dedicated to growing high yields of grapes to sell to a local co-op. It was only in 1964 that Emidio Pepe decided that the quality of their grapes was too good to waste and moved towards producing their own wines. Back then, this was limited to just a single hectare of vines. Today it stands at around 17 hectares.

While Pepe’s wines today are produced using painstakingly precise organic and biodynamic techniques, in the 1960s he initially tried to be ahead of the game, buying the latest and most innovative machinery. But he soon realised that this would mean constantly upgrading his machines to meet the demands of a local market known for its cheap, bland, and young wines. Instead, he took a leap of faith and developed his own philosophy of winemaking – much to the derision of other winemakers at the time, many of whom, understandably, were awestruck by the rapid modernisation of farming technology.

While his wines today represent some of the best in the region, his early vintages found little appreciation, especially in Italy. In fact, it was only after a trip to New York that he found a market – an early stepping-stone towards the international reputation he has today.

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The People

Emidio, Sofia, Daniela, Chiara & Elisa

The Emidio Pepe estate is a family affair, with Emidio working alongside his daughters Sofia and Daniela as well as his granddaughters Chiara and Elisa. His other daughter, Stefania, runs her own winery. The terroir they work on is in the hills, between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains, creating excellent conditions for the Montepulciano and Trebbiano grapes that grow there.

The vines are grown up pergolas, which means that the leaves soak up the hot summer sun, while the grapes hang below in the cooler shade. This technique also allows better airflow around the plants. The soil, mainly of clay and calcareous rock, is maintained using traditional methods, the grapes are picked by hand, and treatments using synthetic chemicals are strictly avoided. Another peculiarity of Pepe is that he uses exclusively cement tanks to age his wines, rather than oak barrels which he feels adds unnecessary oak tones in the wine. Emidio's wines are unfiltered, unfined, and sulphites are forbidden.

The Place

Abruzzo, Italy

Nestled between the hills, the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains, the terroir is perfect for the Montepulciano and Trebbiano grapes that are grown there. The vines are trained up pergolas, which allows the leaves to soak up the hot summer sun, while the grapes hang below in the cooler shade. This technique also allows better airflow around the plants. The soil, mainly of clay and calcareous rock, is maintained using traditional methods, the grapes are picked by hand, and treatments using synthetic chemicals are strictly avoided. Another peculiarity of Pepe is that he uses exclusively cement tanks to age his wines, rather than oak barrels which he feels adds unnecessary oak tones to the wine. Emidio's wines are unfiltered, unfined, and sulphites are forbidden.