Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC Selezione Vecchie Vigne 2007

Wine Description for Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC Selezione Vecchie Vigne 2007 by Emidio Pepe

Character

Emidio Pepe is a living legend of the Italian wine scene – an uncompromising craftsman who has pursued biodynamic principles for decades, long before they became fashionable. His Selezione from old vines represents the purist essence of Montepulciano from Abruzzo. The 2007 vintage, after more than fifteen years of maturation, displays that tertiary complexity which only patiently crafted wines can develop – earthy notes, dried herbs and a structure that unites time and craftsmanship.

Terroir & Origin

Abruzzo, wedged between the Adriatic and the Apennines, offers a continental climate with cool nights and sunny days. Pepe’s vineyards in Torano Nuovo lie on calcareous clay soils that give the Montepulciano grape structure and minerality. The old vines – “Vecchie Vigne” – root deeply and yield concentrated yet elegant grapes with natural balance. This region was long underestimated, yet Pepe has proven that world-class wines can be produced here.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Montepulciano should not be confused with the Tuscan town – here we are dealing with a distinctive grape variety that finds its most authentic expression in Abruzzo. Pepe works in radically traditional fashion: hand harvesting, spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, no temperature control, no sulphur additions until bottling. The grapes are hand-destemmed, the must is trampled underfoot. Ageing takes place in concrete and large wooden casks. This archaic method demands perfect fruit and produces wines of impressive purity and ageing potential.

Food Pairing Suggestions

A wine of this maturity and complexity calls for hearty, rustic cuisine. Perfect with arrosticini (the typical lamb skewers of Abruzzo), braised wild boar, beef stew or aged Pecorino cheese. This Montepulciano also shows its full class with mushroom dishes featuring truffle or polenta with ragù.