Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018

Emidio Pepe Wines is an Italian producer in Torano Nuovo of northern Abruzzo. Founded in 1964 by Emidio Pepe himself, the winery and estate remains within the family to this day.

Emidio Pepe produces only four wines: a Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo and a varietal Pecorino made under the local Colli Aprutini IGT. The estate also owns 300 olive trees in Teramo, Abruzzo, and produces the PDO extra virgin olive oil Pretuziano delle Colline Teramane.

Estate vineyards are nestled between the Adriatic coast and the Gran Sasso and Maiella mountains, where the conditions for growing grapes are ideal. The 14.5 hectares (36 acres) of vineyards enjoy all-day sunshine, cooling sea breezes, a significant diurnal temperature shift, and well-draining clay soils.

Grapes are harvest by hand and in the winery, the Trebbiano and Pecorino grapes are traditionally crushed by foot in large wooden vats. Montepulciano grapes are fermented whole in cement vats with indigenous yeasts.

The entire collection of Emidio Pepe wines are bottle-aged rather than barrel-aged with the cellar housing more than 350,000 bottles. Each vintage, wine is decanted into a new bottle to ensure any unwanted sediment is removed.  - Information from Wine Searcher