Emidio Pepe passed away on 28 July 2026, aged 94, after more than sixty harvests. A pioneer of natural viticulture and a tireless champion of his region’s indigenous varieties, he has transformed the fortunes of Abruzzo wine. A look back at the life and legacy of a man who made Montepulciano d’Abruzzo a legendary wine.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of legendary winemaker Emidio Pepe, with whom we have been fortunate to work together for several years. Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones.

The man was a visionary and here we honour him with a brief look back at his legacy and the contribution he made to the wines of his native region and to the wider wine world.

A child of the land, heir to a long line of vine-growers

Born in 1932 into a farming family in the province of Teramo in Abruzzo, Emidio Pepe grew up in tune with the seasons and the work among the vines. Wine has long run in the family’s veins: his grandfather began making wine in 1899, and his father carried on the tradition. But it would fall to Emidio to turn everything on its head.

1964: a decision that changed everything

For decades, like most Abruzzo producers of the day, the family sold their wine in bulk. In 1964, Emidio Pepe made a decision that may seem unremarkable today but was revolutionary at the time: he began bottling his production himself.

Behind this choice lies a deep conviction: Abruzzo’s wine heritage – Montepulciano and Trebbiano – deserved better than the anonymity of the bulk trade’s vats. It had its own identity and soul, and an ageing potential that no one had yet sought to champion.

A pioneer of natural viticulture, ahead of his time

Long before biodynamic practices and natural viticulture became fashionable, Emidio Pepe charted his own course. His philosophy was founded on simple yet uncompromising principles:

• No selected yeasts: all fermentations are spontaneous, carried out by indigenous yeasts alone
• Everything is done by hand: harvesting by hand, rigorous selection of bunches, and traditional foot treading for the white grapes (without breaking the stalks) to yield juice that’s naturally ready to ferment
• No mechanisation of cellar work, which requires a delicate touch
• Natural products and biodynamic preparations only
• Exclusively native varieties: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo for reds, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo for whites
• Natural vinification

A founding member of the Triple A collective (Agricoltori Artigiani Artisti), he was ahead of his time, pioneering an approach that the world of viticulture would only rediscover decades later.

Cement in vinification: the hallmark of a philosophy

As early as 1964, Emidio Pepe opted to use glass-lined cement vats for maturation. This material was already considered outdated then, which stainless steel and wood would gradually replace in most Italian cellars.

For him, cement was, on the contrary, the ideal vessel: neutral and inert, it supports the wine without influencing it, allowing the wine to express itself at its own pace, without trying to steer it in any particular direction. A vision of the winemaker as a guardian rather than the wine’s architect.

« Io faccio vino e basta » – “I make wine, that’s all.”

This phrase, repeated tirelessly by Emidio Pepe, sums up his vision of the craft better than any words could. Behind this apparent simplicity lies an absolute commitment: to put the vine, the place and time at the heart of everything, and to let the wine tell its own story.

He was also among the first in Abruzzo to recognise that Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Trebbiano could mature and improve over the long term. True to this conviction, the estate releases its bottles only once the family believes the vintage has reached its optimal expression. A patience that runs counter to usual commercial logic – and goes a long way towards explaining the legendary reputation these wines enjoy on the secondary market.

A 350,000-bottle wine library

Over the decades, Emidio Pepe’s cellar has evolved into something unique in the world: a veritable library of time, now home to more than 350,000 bottles. And anyone who has ever opened an older bottle from the estate knows just how gracefully they age.

A priceless historic treasure, a living archive charting the evolution of vintages, vines and Abruzzo’s climate since the 1960s. A treasure that lovers of fine Italian wines have been vying for at auction for years.

A legacy passed down to future generations

For the past twenty years or so, his daughters Sofia and Daniela have been running the estate, staying true to the principles established by their father. They are now joined by their own daughters, Chiara, an oenologist, and Elisa, head of agritourism. Four women dedicated to a vision forged by a man of conviction. The future of the Emidio Pepe estate is in safe hands.

Italian wine has lost one of its greatest ambassadors.