Emidio Pepe’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is one of Italy’s most singular and long-lived wines — naturally made, unfined and unfiltered, and aged traditionally in glass and botti rather than new oak. The 2022 vintage delivered dark, ripe fruit with fresh acidity, and in Pepe’s hands this becomes a wine of both intensity and remarkable balance, honouring varietal character and terroir without flamboyance.
On the nose, the wine unfolds with black cherry, bramble and black plum, interwoven with rose petal, wild herbs and a whisper of graphite. More subtle layers of tobacco leaf, earth and spice add nuance rather than weight. The palate is medium-bodied and wonderfully energetic, with juicy dark fruit framed by vibrant acidity and fine, chalky tannins that give shape and persistence. A distinct mineral thread runs through to a long, savoury finish marked by wild rosemary, peppercorn and gentle earthiness — a reminder of both vine and place.
This is Montepulciano that blends rustic energy with refined drive: expressive now with air, yet built for long ageing.
Corked Points: 94/100
