Emidio Pepe Montepulciano 2003

The Pepe family estate was founded in 1899 and for much of that time it was dedicated to growing high yields of grapes to sell to a local co-op. It was only in 1964 that Emidio Pepe decided that the quality of their grapes was too good to waste and moved towards producing their own wines. Back then, this was limited to just a single hectare of vines. Today it stands at around 17 hectares.

While Pepe’s wines today are produced using painstakingly precise organic and biodynamic techniques, in the 1960s he initially tried to be ahead of the game, buying the latest and most innovative machinery. But he soon realised that this would mean constantly upgrading his machines to meet the demands of a local market known for its cheap, bland, and young wines. Instead, he took a leap of faith and developed his own philosophy of winemaking – much to the derision of other winemakers at the time, many of whom, understandably, were awestruck by the rapid modernisation of farming technology.

While his wines today represent some of the best in the region, his early vintages found little appreciation, especially in Italy. In fact, it was only after a trip to New York that he found a market – an early stepping-stone towards the international reputation he has today.