Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC Selezione Vecchie Vigne 2002

Wine Description for Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC Selezione Vecchie Vigne 2002 by Emidio Pepe

Character

Emidio Pepe is a legend of Italian winemaking – an uncompromising craftsman who has practised biodynamic principles for decades before they became fashionable. His Selezione Vecchie Vigne from the 2002 vintage represents the pure essence of old Montepulciano vines from Abruzzo. Pepe eschews all technical intervention: no temperature control, no pumps, no filtration. The grapes are destemmed by hand, the wines age for years in cement and bottle before they even reach the market. The result is a wine of remarkable authenticity and longevity, which after more than two decades combines youthful power with mature complexity.

Terroir & Origin

Abruzzo, wedged between the Adriatic and the Apennines, offers a unique microclimate for winemaking. Emidio Pepe’s old vines are rooted in calcareous clay soils in Torano Nuovo, where cool mountain breezes keep the grapes fresh even during hot summers. This elevation and the dramatic day-night temperature fluctuations give the Montepulciano an elegance and acidity structure often lacking in warmer sites across the region. The year 2002 was classic and balanced in Italy – ideal for long-lived red wines.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Montepulciano is the soul of Abruzzo – a late-ripening variety with thick skins that produces tannic, deeply coloured wines. In Pepe’s hands it becomes an expression of radical naturalness. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, extended maceration and ageing in cement vessels preserve fruit clarity and mineral precision. Pepe bottles his wines unfiltered – a statement against industrial winemaking and for artisanal integrity.

Food Pairing Suggestions

A wine of this maturity and structure demands robust, earthy flavours: wild boar ragù, braised lamb with rosemary, grilled Portobellos or aged Pecorino. The classic pairing would be Arrosticini – the typical lamb skewers of Abruzzo. This Montepulciano also shows its full grandeur with truffle dishes or braised beef.