Emidio Pepe old vines vs. young vines

L

Levi Dalton

Levi Dalton
The Emidio Pepe winery in Abruzzo produces some of my favorite wines. Over the years, I have seen encountered people who do not realize that Pepe makes multiple bottlings with similar labels. What is sold in Italy is in general different that what is sold in the United States, for instance. This is related to age of the vineyard parcels used. The wines are sold for different prices (young vines = cheaper), and distinguished in the Pepe cellar by different storage areas. Over a couple of visits to Emidio Pepe, I have put together the following about the different bottlings.

This is a summary for Montepulciano and Trebbiano. For the Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo it is all the same wine, but that is not sent to the United States. The Pecorino (which does make it to the States) is also all the same wine.

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo old vines:
- all from 2 vineyards, which are the oldest vineyards, and both of which are on pergola
- not green harvested
- smaller berries from and also generally less leaves on the pergola vines. The older vines are less vigorous. Berry size can vary a lot within a grape bunch from the pergola vines, although they are generally smaller berries than the trellised vines
- the vine spacing is wider in the pegola parcels- in one of the pergola vineyards it is 3 meters by 3 meters (think about it)
- the oldest vineyard at Pepe faces full south (some of the others do not), and it is about 30% limestone subsoil under the clay
- about 70% of the Pepe vineyard surface is on pergola, including the Trebbiano that they have planted that way as well
- released when it is deemed ready for sale by the family, who tastes through each year to assess the progress of the wines
- when this is sold it is decanted from its bottle into a new bottle, without the sediment. It is then bottled with a cork printed with the year the decantation took place (not the year of the harvest- the year of the harvest is on the label). This decantation also means that the old vines sees longer on the fine lees than the young vines, because the old vines is originally bottled with some of those lees (before it is decanted).
- this is sold in the United States and the UK
- bottled after the young vine wines, so the bottle number is higher
- in the future there will be some sort of mark on the label to differentiate the old vine from the young vine bottling; currently there is no such mark

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo young vines:
- this was not made before the 1990s (basically, they didn't have what they deem as young vines before that time, because they weren't planted yet)
- this sees the same amount of time in cement as the old vines (2 years), but the tanks in the cellar are divided by the vineyard parcels (old vine parcels go into certain tanks every year, young vine parcels go into other tanks)
- released in Italy after 3 years from the harvest (the 2013 is the current release)
- this is sold in Italy and the UK (the UK gets both the young vines and the old vines Montepulciano)

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo old vines:
- there is generally only one cement tank of this fermented each year; in big years it can be as much as two tanks
- they bottle before the first spring for the old vines, and they anticipate malolactic conversion happening in bottle (unlike the young vine Trebbiano, where malo happens in tank and then it is bottled after)
- they want the malo in bottle with the old vine Trebbiano so that the resulting CO2 is trapped in the bottle as a preservative. If your Trebbiano seems a little spritzy or has odd flavors when you first open it, it can be helpful to decant the bottle and release the CO2.
- the bottles of this are stored standing up in the winery cellar
- bottled after the young vine wines, so the bottle number is higher
- I used to think that if it had the green organic flag on the bottle, it was the young vines release, but then I was served an old vine Trebbiano with the flag on the label on this last trip to the winery, so that theory was incorrect

I did a side by side of 2010 Pepe Montepulciano old vines and young vines, both pulled from the winery cellar at the same time. Here are my tasting notes:
2010 Pepe Montepulciano old vines:
more of an oxidative, orange fruit character; some licorice hints. Obvious differences with the young vines: this has a more granular texture, and is much more complex, nuanced. Speaks less loudly. More notes of leather, of rope. More of a cord of structure running through it in the background. This gets better and better with air- with air this becomes a star, an exemplary and complex wine of layers and length. Also sophistication and presence on the palate. There is some noticeable alcohol there.

2010 Pepe Montepulciano young vines:
Softer, more harmonious at this moment. Showing well now. Less complex and nuanced, but also seemingly less rustic than the old vines. A nice wine, but the flavors only go so far. Broad and easy on the palate. Hints of rose and some raspberry fruit. This does have some refinement to the fruit. More harmonious red fruit, but also more one note than the old vines. Less acidity here than in the old vines. With time in the glass this seems more obviously straightforward, while the old vines gains and gains.
 
3 meters on a side is a lot of room! Are they expecting the vine to explode one day?

More seriously: I think a number of modern plantings are done with very tight spacing, with the idea in mind that competition between the vines will make them work harder and therefore produce more interesting grapes. EP seems not at all concerned with this idea. Is the pergola training helping to restrain the vine's vigor?
 
If you think about the Vieux Telegraphe rows on La Crau, they are quite wide by say, Burgundy standards. Why? There is less rain in the Southern Rhone than in Burgundy, and you do not want increased competition for it that water. If you think about Barolo, you see plenty of space from vine to vine for Nebbiolo, but sometimes less space for Barbera. Why? The first 2-3 buds on a Nebbiolo cane do not give fruit. So you need a longer cane. And thus you need more space.

For some areas of Abruzzo you need a wide space as part of the pergola. Why? Because you need somewhere for the snow to fall so that the collected weight of the snow does not bring down the pergola.

It has to do with regional variables.
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
If you think about the Vieux Telegraphe rows on La Crau, they are quite wide by say, Burgundy standards. Why? There is less rain in the Southern Rhone than in Burgundy, and you do not want increased competition for it that water. If you think about Barolo, you see plenty of space from vine to vine for Nebbiolo, but sometimes less space for Barbera. Why? The first 2-3 buds on a Nebbiolo cane do not give fruit. So you need a longer cane. And thus you need more space.

For some areas of Abruzzo you need a wide space as part of the pergola. Why? Because you need somewhere for the snow to fall so that the collected weight of the snow does not bring down the pergola.

It has to do with regional variables.
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Interesting. Is Vieux Telegraphe typical of CdP or typical of La Crau, or neither?
 
Not to be plug-y, but Daniel Brunier discusses the topic in the interview I did of him. You can hear him explain the situation in his own words. It is I'll Drink to That episode 357.
 
On consecutive Leaf nights, two celebrities from the Abruzzo shone brightly.

2011 Valentini Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 14.0%
It’s the middle of winter, but we opened this Pussy Power rosé in (self-serving) honor of the Women’s March. The orange-tinged faded carmine is the first thing that stands out. Florally funky, dredging up Italianate nouns like Campari and Negroni from the uppermost tier of the associative depths. Fetchingly layered, with umammamia viscosity and a light caramel finish (before food). Zero alcohol heat. Integrates seamlessly with the repast (not pasta). The last precious drop elicited one of those cloyingly sentimental salutes to those about to die; decidedly overwrought in the cold glare of the morn, but you get the idea.

2012 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 13.0%
Bottle purchased from the boot so, per Levi, ‘tis the pubescent vines version, meant for consumption by 'dem less demanding Europeans. After a two hour decant, aroma is still on the closed side, but with some attractive red berry and rose hips peeping though. The mouthfeel, however, is instantly lovely, with barely perceptible CO2, light tannins, bright acidity, and eminently satisfying weight. Light medicinal iodine aftertaste. Fruity, yet restrained. Zero rusticity. At the point of sentimental salute, the overriding perception was that of an unmitigated young beauty, at the higher levels of primary pleasure that can be expected from a relatively structured, non-carbonic child.
 
Thanks for this Levi. I've had a long-term obsession with the Emidio Pepe wines, though I'm still yet to try any myself.

I also assign bonus points to Oswaldo for "ummamamia." That's with at least 6.5 extra points.

Cheers!

Kevin
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
On consecutive Leaf nights, two celebrities from the Abruzzo shone brightly.

2011 Valentini Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo 14.0%
It’s the middle of winter, but we opened this Pussy Power rosé in (self-serving) honor of the Women’s March. The orange-tinged faded carmine is the first thing that stands out. Florally funky, dredging up Italianate nouns like Campari and Negroni from the uppermost tier of the associative depths. Fetchingly layered, with umammamia viscosity and a light caramel finish (before food). Zero alcohol heat. Integrates seamlessly with the repast (not pasta). The last precious drop elicited one of those cloyingly sentimental salutes to those about to die; decidedly overwrought in the cold glare of the morn, but you get the idea.

2012 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 13.0%
Bottle purchased from the boot so, per Levi, ‘tis the pubescent vines version, meant for consumption by 'dem less demanding Europeans. After a two hour decant, aroma is still on the closed side, but with some attractive red berry and rose hips peeping though. The mouthfeel, however, is instantly lovely, with barely perceptible CO2, light tannins, bright acidity, and eminently satisfying weight. Light medicinal iodine aftertaste. Fruity, yet restrained. Zero rusticity. At the point of sentimental salute, the overriding perception was that of an unmitigated young beauty, at the higher levels of primary pleasure that can be expected from a relatively structured, non-carbonic child.
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Very evocative notes.

I am told there is a strong following for Pepe in Brazil.
 
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