The handmade wines of Emidio Pepe are absolutely unique, combining the raw power of California reds, the elegant perfume of Barolo, the earthy complexity of Bordeaux and the finessed grace of Grand Cru Burgundy. Those who understand them soon become obsessed (like me), but be warned: these wines are not for everyone. For some, these wines are just too untamed, too expressive, too raw. One thing, however, is undeniable - these bottles truly redefine what Trebbiano and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo can be.

Like the man, the wines of Emidio Pepe are uncompromising individualists, celebrated by the initiated few, yet unknown to the larger public - at least for now. These wines gain in reputation every year, and they are slowly earning a loyal following. This means it's getting harder and harder to find the few bottles that this small family-run estate can produce. If you would like to try these wines, now is the time. We are proud to be able to offer you a number of outstanding bottles, all of impeccable provenance, coming directly from Emidio Pepe's cellars to you!

Unyieldingly Individual
2007 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Soulful, Uncompromising, Irreproducible

"Bucking every trend and modern convention, the wines of Emidio Pepe represent one of the most singular expressions in winemaking today." -Antonio Galloni

An encounter with the wines of Emidio Pepe always leaves a deep impression.

For lack of a better word, these wines are honest. They can be wild, animal, woven with dark rich earth, leather, sun-baked grasses and herbs, flowers. Yet, for all this depth and complexity, the wines are clear, with jewel-like red fruit that shimmers and oscillates between vibrant and bright, and dark and heady. These wines have a perfume that can fill a room.

Valentini's Cerasuolo - what they call rosé in Abruzzo - dramatizes this. It's a rosé that has the power and palate presence of a red wine and yet, has the sleek mineral spine and freshness of a white wine.

In Valentini's hands, Montepulciano becomes decidedly noble, soaring and vivid. It's wild and gamey, spicy and dark-fruited, yet with beautiful clarity, balance, structure... and, most uniquely for Abruzzo and Montepulciano, PRECISION.

The late Edoardo Valentini was not a man to give away his secrets.

And the world desperately wanted them...

He was able to take Abruzzo's duo of normally undistinguished wines, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo and Montepulciano, and raise them to cult status, to being mentioned in the same breath as the world's great wines.