Est. 2001. Importer & Distributor of Fine Wine, Craft Spirits, and Ginjo Sake

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Emidio Pepe
www.emidiopepe.com

Emidio Pepe
Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Torano Nuovo
People: Pepe Family, Owners & Winemakers


History: Emidio Pepe has been passed down from father to son for four generations. In 1899, the founder of the family, Emidio Pepe was already well known for his excellent wine, which was born with fresh grapes that can be found on the Toran hillsides; and on 1944, his son Giuseppe was alreading selling wine. In 1964 Emidio Pepe, grandson of the founder of the firm, looking ahead, understood the great qualities of the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and begun selling it in bottles as if it was "Black Gold." 

Today his daughter Daniela and Sofia Pepe continue with a great passion in producing famous wines, respecting all the methods their fathers used 40 years before. In the last few years Daniela and Sofia, with the typical tenacity of the Pepe Family and the fearlessness of their youth and spirit, have enlarged the properties and elevated the production for the wine cellar, always under the vigilant protection of their father Emidio Pepe. 

Location: The family owns 15 hectares of vineyards, cultivated by Emidio with biodynamic methods, in Torano Nuovo in the province of Teramo. The winery is sandwiched between the Adriatic Sea and Apennine mountain range which makes for ideal and very interesting climatic conditions for growing Montepulciano and Trebbiano grapes. The evening cooling effect offered by the mountain and sea air during the hot summers helps extend the ripening period adding to complexity and quality of the wines. The soils in that area are full of minerals and some lime which produces wines that have lively acidity and mineral notes. Acidity is crucial for the longevity of a wine and many of Pepe’s wines can age for years despite the fact that the wines are made organically and have been for decades. 

Production: The wines are made in a super traditional style. It is rare to find such a raw expression in today's age of industrialization. Harvest, crushing and destemming is done by hand. No additives or sulfites are used, and wines undergo indigenous yeast fermentation. The family ages their wine in an air-conditioned underground wine cellar. They are the only wine cellar that can offer a vertical from 1964. All the bottles are hand-decanted before entering the market, carefully controlled and selected in a small laboratory where Rosa Pepe pours the wine from one bottle to another, to eliminate the natural sediments that occur at the bottom of the bottle. At the end the bottles are hand-labeled and go for sale. And this is why the Pepe Family guarantee all the bottles for quality, genuineness and long life.

From Wine Advocate 2/2013
"Emidio Pepe is one of the benchmark producers in Italy. His Trebbianos and Montepulcianos are loaded with personality and character. The wines also have proven to age exceptionally well."

YouTube Links
Emidio Pepe Winery in Italy | What is Organic

Media Links
Avvinare: Emidio Pepe, An Iconic Winemaker in Abruzzo
Tar and Roses: The Wines of Emidio Pepe 1964-2001

Social Media
Emidio Pepe Facebook
Items
Emidio Pepe 1995 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Emidio Pepe 2002 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price — —
Emidio Pepe 2004 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Emidio Pepe 2005 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price — —
Emidio Pepe 1970 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Emidio Pepe 1974 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price — —
Emidio Pepe 1980 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price — —
Emidio Pepe 1982 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Emidio Pepe 1983 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Emidio Pepe 1984 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price — —
Emidio Pepe 1985 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Emidio Pepe 1994 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price — —
Emidio Pepe 2000 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Emidio Pepe 2002 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price — —
Emidio Pepe 2003 Montepulicano d'Abruzzo DOC Net Price Reviews —
Reviews
Emidio Pepe 1970 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 97

Perfumed and ethereal, offering gorgeous layers of dried wild flowers, pine, spice box and leather to the light yet well-integrated core of dried wild strawberry. Burnt citrus and hints of date mark the tangy finish. An intellectual wine that's mature but in no rush to be consumed. Non-blind Emidio Pepe vertical (May 2013). Drink now.

- The Wine Spectator (5/1/2013)

Emidio Pepe 1982 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 95

This is silky and settled, with fine tannins marking the dried cherry fruit character. Quick to reveal nuances of olive, leather, bresaola and sautéed porcino. Non-blind Emidio Pepe vertical (May 2013). Drink now through 2021.

- The Wine Spectator (5/1/2013)

Emidio Pepe 1983 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 89

The fully mature 1983 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, a faded red, presents the wilder side of Montepulciano with an earthy, gamey profile and notes of licorice, leather and evolved, stewed fruits that develop in the glass.

- The Wine Advocate (10/1/2006)

Emidio Pepe 1985 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 91

The 1985 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is another wine that is stunning today. A medium faded red, it opens with an alluring, ethereal nose followed by notes of tobacco, leather, stewed fruits and minerals. Much of the fruit has faded, yet this delicate, medium-bodied wine displays enough supporting structure and freshness to drink well for another ten years although it is a joy to drink right now. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016.

- The Wine Advocate (10/1/2006)

Emidio Pepe 1995 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 89

With its mature, slightly oxidized nose and evolving flavors of roasted nuts and candied orange peel, Pepe’s 1995 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo strikes a beautiful balance, showing more advanced nuances while maintaining excellent underlying freshness.

- The Wine Advocate (10/1/2006)

Emidio Pepe 2000 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 97

Rustic and well-structured, offering an attractive mix of mature spice box, leather and forest floor notes, with a concentrated core of wild cherry and gamy blackberry fruit. Full-bodied, featuring a long, chewy finish of coffee and iron. Non-blind Emidio Pepe vertical (May 2013). Best from 2015 through 2030.

- The Wine Spectator (5/1/2013)

Emidio Pepe 2000 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 90

The 2000 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, from a much warmer vintage, is a big, powerful wine packed with dark fruit, earth and game notes. It doesn’t have the level of finesse and balance of the 2001 and its less lively color along with its evolving flavors suggest it will reach maturity sooner, although for this producer that is measured in relative terms. Anticipated maturity: after 2010.

- The Wine Advocate (10/1/2006)

Emidio Pepe 2003 Montepulicano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 87

Emidio Pepe is an iconic leader of the organic and natural wine movement in Italy. This meaty Montepulciano d'Abruzzo shows some aromas of rubber and Band-Aid followed by polished cherry fruit. A soft and velvety mouthfeel is followed by cured meat and bresaola.

- The Wine Enthusiast (7/1/2013)

Emidio Pepe 2003 Montepulicano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 94

Pepe’s 2003 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a bomb. Tar, leather, scorched earth and black fruit emerge from this dark, imposing Montepulciano. The wine comes together beautifully in the glass, as the aromas and flavors gain breadth and dimension. Despite the rich style, there is nothing excessive or over-ripe here, just exceptional balance of ripe fruit as captured by a traditional approach to vinification. A final blast of tar informs the long finish. Pepe fans will flip over the 2003, but readers who prefer subtlety over power will want to cellar this for a few years to allow for some of the baby fat to melt away.

- The Wine Advocate (6/1/2010)

Emidio Pepe 2004 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC
Rating: 90

The 2004 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo reveals an intriguing array of smoke, earthiness, matchstick, tobacco, apricots and ripe white peaches. This beautifully-layered, complex wine is sure to acquire even more complexity in bottle. It is one of Italy’s most distinctive whites. Anticipated maturity: 2008 -2026.

- The Wine Advocate (2/1/2008)