With the passing of Emidio Pepe, one of the great champions of Italian wine is gone. A pioneer of high-quality Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, he demonstrated—at a time when few believed it possible—that the region’s great wines could stand the test of time. A meticulous winemaker, a guardian of tradition, and an innovator at heart, he leaves behind a legacy that has profoundly shaped Italian and international winemaking.
There’s a still image that tells us who he was Emidio Pepe. It was he who discovered this, when he was still a very young winemaker, Mario Soldati during the travels that would give rise to *Vino al vino*. When he arrived in Torano Nuovo, he met that young man. Who was behind the wheel of a convertible, unaware that this encounter would mark the beginning of a story destined to become legendary. Soldati immediately sensed that he was in the presence of an extraordinary winemaker, and he was the first to share this story with the general public.
With the passing of Emidio Pepe at the age of 93, Abruzzo has lost its most iconic winemaker. A man who transformed Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from a wine often considered best enjoyed young into a red capable of aging gracefully over decades with extraordinary vitality.
The news was announced by the family and sparked an immediate outpouring of condolences in the wine world.
A visionary when no one else was
Born in 1932, Emidio Pepe founded the Torano Nuovo winery in 1964, at a time when talking about artisanal winemaking, spontaneous fermentation, absolute respect for the vineyard, and the longevity of wines seemed almost utopian.
He, on the other hand, never changed course. He continued to work the land with a a deeply traditional approach. Relying on the observation of nature, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, unfiltered bottling, and practices that many years later would become commonplace for many.
The Montepulciano That Defies Time
His greatest achievement was demonstrating that Montepulciano d’Abruzzo could age wonderfully. The historic tastings of old vintages held at the winery have amazed critics and wine enthusiasts from around the world. Definitively establishing Abruzzo as one of the great wine regions.
Over the years, leadership of his company had gradually passed to his daughters, Daniela and Sofia, and today to his granddaughters, Chiara and Elisa, who have managed to preserve its identity without compromising its principles.
The Memory
With Emidio Pepe’s passing, one of the last great patriarchs of Italian wine. A reserved man, unwilling to compromise, capable of staying ahead of his time without ever chasing after it. His legacy lives on in the bottles that will continue to tell, year after year, how time can be a great wine’s best ally when it is born from a land treated with respect and conviction.
PRODUCER
