Have you always known you’d make
one of the world’s great reds?


Have you always known you’d make one of the world’s great reds?

Yes, it was my idea
from the very beginning.

Based on “Manteniamoci giovani, Emidio Pepe the man and his wines”
Emidio Pepe founded his winery in 1964, after working alongside his father and his grandfather which already back in 1889 where making wine at Casa Pepe. Before anyone else, he strongly believed in the great ageing potential of Trebbiano and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and he dedicated all his energies to those two indigenous grape varietals, proving their incredible potential and showing it to the entire world.
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Emidio Pepe
50 Vintages
Where Emidio Pepe wines come to life.
A short video tells the man,
the landscape, the method and the cellar…
Emidio Pepe
50 Vintages
Where Emidio Pepe wines come to life.
A short video tells the man,
the landscape, the method and the cellar…
Play Video

Born in 1932, a man of few words, determined and attentive observer. Solid values and precise ideas in his mind. Tireless worker, he continues today to take care of all his vineyards personally, from the pruning to the harvest. Observes carefully the signals that Nature gives him and with the special sensibility developed over fifty years of harvests, he interprets them and he accompanies his vines and grapes becoming into wine without ever interfering. Attentive custodian of his terroir, he protected his soils and his wines from chemicals and he based all his empirical work on the respect of traditions and on the authentic and genuine expression of his wines.

Born in 1932, a man of few words, determined and attentive observer. Solid values and precise ideas in his mind. Tireless worker, he continues today to take care of all his vineyards personally, from the pruning to the harvest. Observes carefully the signals that Nature gives him and with the special sensibility developed over fifty years of harvests, he interprets them and he accompanies his vines and grapes becoming into wine without ever interfering. Attentive custodian of his terroir, he protected his soils and his wines from chemicals and he based all his empirical work on the respect of traditions and on the authentic and genuine expression of his wines.

OUR FAMILY
Ours is a family run business and all that really counts is in our history, deeply rooted in our land and it is handed down from generation to generation. Still farmers deep inside: while everything changes, grows, evolves with time, our way of taking on the work and the life has remained the same. Today, under the proud gaze of Emidio and Rosa, the main guarantors of this tradition are Sofia and Daniela, together with the young granddaughters Chiara and Elisa. Sofia is the guardian of the oenological knowledge, she follows all the aspects related to the production and the quality, while Daniela follows in first person the administration and financial aspects of the winery. Chiara, Daniela’s daughter, follows the export markets and Elisa, who has just turned eighteen, is starting to support and help the winery world.
Rosa
As every matriarch worthy of its name, she is definitely the one that keeps the family together. She has supported Emidio from the very beginning and worked relentlessly next to him their whole life. She is definitely known for her decanting skill and for having been in charge of that precise and meticulous task of checking each bottle before release. Today, still cooks her best recipes for the whole family every day, feeding at least 12 people and counting…
Rosa
As every matriarch worthy of its name, she is definitely the one that keeps the family together. She has supported Emidio from the very beginning and worked relentlessly next to him their whole life. She is definitely known for her decanting skill and for having been in charge of that precise and meticulous task of checking each bottle before release. Today, still cooks her best recipes for the whole family every day, feeding at least 12 people and counting…
Sofia
She is the one that has started working with Emidio at a very early age, being a patient observer next to him for at least 10 years made her gain the confidence and the respect of Emidio which passed her the knowledge and the control of the cellar. Today Sofia looks after the farming and the winemaking at Pepe.
Daniela
She joined forces at Pepe on the early 90’s, taking care of the entire administration and financial aspects of the winery. Together with Sofia they today own the winery and they both take care of the crucial decisions, reflecting always together and sharing vision and goals.
She joined forces at Pepe on the early 90’s, taking care of the entire administration and financial aspects of the winery. Together with Sofia they today own the winery and they both take care of the crucial decisions, reflecting always together and sharing vision and goals.
Chiara
She started working in the family business very young. Accompanying Emidio and Sofia on their tastings abroad – she learnt fast the rules of the game. She studied in France and got her wine knowledge while visiting producers and learning through their wines. She today takes care of all the export markets, together with spending time in the cellar and in the vineyards.
Elisa
She’s the youngest of the Pepe family to slowly join the wine world. Gently and patiently she is learning its secrets and she has already proved her qualities in wine tasting both in Italy and abroad. She is in charge of Casa Pepe hospitality, taking care of guests coming to Abruzzo from all over the world with the aim of learning about the origin of our wines, about the family and about all that revolves around the Pepe Universe.
Chiara
She started working in the family business very young. Accompanying Emidio and Sofia on their tastings abroad – she learnt fast the rules of the game. She studied in France and got her wine knowledge while visiting producers and learning through their wines. She today takes care of all the export markets, together with spending time in the cellar and in the vineyards.
A EVEN BIGGER FAMILY
What blood doesn’t unite, then wine will do. A big and important part of our family is made up of some of the most hardworking and talented people we know: our team.
Stefano

Stefano, cellar master since 2010. We had the pleasure of hiring him as he was finishing his high school and since then he has been working side by side with Sofia in the cellar following all the steps of vinification.

Stefano

Stefano, cellar master since 2010. We had the pleasure of hiring him as he was finishing his high school and since then he has been working side by side with Sofia in the cellar following all the steps of vinification.

Anna
Anna, the boys call her the “their mom at work”, she is in charge of all the work of precision at the winery, from hand labelling, to decanting, to piling bottles. One of the first collaborators we hired and she is also incredible at making cakes!
Viktor
Viktor, he is in charge of all the wine preparation, shippings, warehouse managing and anything else is needed to be done, you often find him pruning or picking olives.
Viktor
Viktor, he is in charge of all the wine preparation, shippings, warehouse managing and anything else is needed to be done, you often find him pruning or picking olives.
Andrea
Andrea, our latest addition, our smily tractor driver. He is the most caring, attentive and happy person we know. He is in our team since 2016.

Introduction

The title of the book has to contain the entire story. It’s an old publishing rule, one that slowly has been replaced by the importance of marketing, sales and special effects. The heart and soul of this book lies within its title, with the hopes that it is able to transmit the strength, morality and courage of its main protagonist.

INTRODUCTION
The title of the book has to contain the entire story. It’s an old publishing rule, one that slowly has been replaced by the importance of marketing, sales and special effects. The heart and soul of this book lies within its title, with the hopes that it is able to transmit the strength, morality and courage of its main protagonist.
But what does “Manteniamoci giovani” really mean? In the days when Emidio sold his wine from restaurant door to restaurant door, he would pop his head into the restaurant or wine shop and gently ask if they were interested in buying some. In the cases when the answer was ‘no’ he would smile and reply with a, “manteniamoci giovani!” Though a man of few words it doesn’t mean there aren’t any typical expressions that don’t come to mind when we think back to Emidio and his wines, and this one exemplifies the spirit of a man who has tried to stay young.

By looking at him, his quick movements and sharp eyes, I can tell that he has indeed succeeded. He has the same spirit and smile today at 82 years of age as when he began his adventures in wine making some 60 years ago. Back then he never imagined he would reach the point of making wines that are loved and admired throughout the world.
But what does “Manteniamoci giovani” really mean? In the days when Emidio sold his wine from restaurant door to restaurant door, he would pop his head into the restaurant or wine shop and gently ask if they were interested in buying some. In the cases when the answer was ‘no’ he would smile and reply with a, “manteniamoci giovani!” Though a man of few words it doesn’t mean there aren’t any typical expressions that don’t come to mind when we think back to Emidio and his wines, and this one exemplifies the spirit of a man who has tried to stay young.
By looking at him, his quick movements and sharp eyes, I can tell that he has indeed succeeded. He has the same spirit and smile today at 82 years of age as when he began his adventures in wine making some 60 years ago. Back then he never imagined he would reach the point of making wines that are loved and admired throughout the world.
We’ve written this book for wine lovers who haven’t had the chance to get to know Emidio Pepe and his wines, but also for wine aficionados who have tasted his wines but have never visited the winery in Torano Nuovo near Teramo. Thinking about the title of book and Emidio’s philosophy, it brings to mind Albert Bruce Sabin, the medical researcher best known for having developed an oral polio vaccine, who once said, “being young is not a question of age, but a state of mind.” There’s a plate with this sentence hanging over the fi- replace in Emidio’s living room. The meaning it has for him is clear: to be optimist enough to get what he wasn’t able to have as a child through hard work and dedication. Combined with his realistic approach to life, one that is closely linked to his farming roots, the outcome has been a winning philosophy that was especially useful during the harder moment of his life and career. His lively integrity, rising from his rigorous work ethic and lifestyle, both reflected in his physical well-being, has been transmitted into his wines as well. It’s impossible to imagine Emidio Pepe making Brunello or Barolo, or working with other so-called nobler varieties. Just think about what he says about the color wine should be. He says he looks for the blood hues of the Montepulciano, and it doesn’t matter if it’s been resting in the bottle for 4 or 40 years. According to Emidio, if the color is there, then so must the aromatic complexity. His wines are deep and dark-colored, with a dynamic bouquet full of wonder, and a long-breathing persistency.

After walking with him through the vineyard, watching him caress the leaves of the vines and gently pick a grape, tasting it to understand the consistency of the skin, and then bend the shoots to balance the light and air ratio on the leaves, it’s easy to understand that this is “his” wine.

He doesn’t pay the maniacal attention to the Trebbiano as he does the Montepulciano. These vines are lords of their own manors, silent like Emidio, with a tenacious backbone, and they create energetic and expressive whites, able to age and evolve incredibly. If the Montepulciano is Emidio’s conquest, obtained through unfathomed perseverance, the Trebbiano is a gift from above: he found it there, ready to come out of its commonly-believed mediocrity. In one of his notes from over thirty years ago, Emidio wrote about a client’s wonder and amazement at how the wine had refermented in the bottle. He explained the importance of the carbon dioxide as a natural conservator, and said, “it helps the digestive process….” It is the result of the vineyard’s natural expression, allowed to develop through traditional methods compatible with the natural cycle of life, set off through the spontaneous fermentation process in the cellar.
The winery also makes two other wines, the Cerasuolo and the Pecorino. Even though Emidio never speaks of the Cerasuolo, the quality and delicate personality is evident in some of the vintages we’ve tasted. The Pecorino, on the other hand, is all the fad at the moment, and Emidio wanted to understand what it could be. It seems, however, that it has gone beyond his control, as shown by its much higher price compared to the superior Trebbiano. Then again, new customers ask for it and are willing to pay for it. It will need more time, the vines need to age, as we can tell from the Trebbiano and Montepulciano vines, where there is a tangible relationship between persistency and complexity.

I asked Alice Colantonio and Matteo Gallello to write this book in order to give me the liberty to concentrate on Emidio and not worry about the nuts and bolts of the text. Emidio is an extremely reserved man, every once in a while his silence is broken, and tells us a story, an anecdote. I think it has to do with the fact that he’s always had to do everything by himself, he’s had to build everything from scratch. When I asked him how he’d done something, how he’d been able to accomplish a seemingly impossible feat, his answers were always brief. I imagine it must have been similar to the experience Peter Bogdanovich had when interviewing John Ford, one of the most important directors in the history of cinema. Peter had hoped to understand the artistic core and the director’s personal evolution while filming the classic masterpieces “Stagecoach”, “The Grapes of Wrath”, and “The Searchers.” John Ford’s answers were monosyllable at best. When he was asked how he had filmed an especially long horse chase, the director responds, exasperated, “with a film camera, what else should I have used?!” It was 1968, Ford was 74 years old and from the pictures taken during that interview, he looked tired, without any expectations. Emidio, on the other hand, is full of life. He loves listening to other people’s stories, and he’s enjoying the peace his life and vineyard have granted him.

There’s a picture of him under his tendone, holding basket he later filled with the figs picked from the trees surrounding the property. He looks serene, pleased with himself. Anyone who has met him in Verona, New York, Tokyo or his beloved Australia has seen the same expression.

We were able to tip-toe into Emidio’s mental retreat thanks to the help of his daughters Sofia and Daniela, and his granddaughter Chiara. They were essential to helping us delve into the search of anecdotes, documents and travel diaries. Determinant was their de- sire to put down into words the priceless experience accumulated during their father’s (and grandfather’s) sixty-year long career. Rose’s participation was also vital. We turned to her when we needed someone to untangle the web of memories. Their combined contributions helped us get the picture of the real person, whose positive qualities we have outlined together with the difficult and painful controversies that prove the multi-facetted reality of a life intensely lived. The shared reading of events has been translated with two narrative voices: Alice was in charge of Emidio’s biography, and Matteo dedicated his attention to the technical and production aspects, investigating from the very beginning the reasons behind his choice to become a wine maker. I treasured the stylistic diversity of the two young authors, who have successfully adapted it to their respective topics.

Giulia Cerro’s work was to magnify Emidio, immortalize him in powerful images which have been inserted in the Memories chap- ter. He reminds me of the Hollywood actor William Powell famous in the 1930s, known for his role, together with Myrna Loy, in the sophisticated comedies centered around Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man. Like Powell, Emidio is elegant and with has a charming smile, one that could be seen while he drives his tractor or out re- presenting his winery at public events. Our photographer did not Photoshop or retouch any of the pictures, allowing Pepe’s face to communicate all his words did not. She followed them in their day to day activities without intruding. She was also present during the interviews and the tastings, she followed them out in the vineyards and in the cellar. Her images tell the visual story written by Alice, “the family is the key to everything here, it’s what has made them successful, and they are convinced history will prove them right. The land, and what happens to it, often coincides with that of the family. Under the shadow of the mountain, this land of wine speaks a domestic language, a tradition that is rooted in the repetition of what has happened before.”

Marcello Spada loves the wines that come from the Emidio Pepe winery. He was part of the team that visited Emidio for an article written and published in the 20th volume of Porthos magazine, including a vertical tasting of thereds. His involvement was spontaneous. We asked him for some paintings to use as the cover of the book and also within its pages, where he brought to life the eloquence of the Montepulciano and the difficulty to decipher the more introvert Trebbiano. After taking note of the sensations and aromas the wines offered, it was necessary to let one self go, and to accept them for their peculiar beauty. Like Verlaine said in his “Symphony of Silence,” “I spoke of many things yesterday / And my eyes looked into yours. / With the feeling of banality / My love looked for your thoughts / And when you spoke, I was deliberately distracted, / I was paying attention to your secret.”
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