I doubt people expect me to have an introduction to Emidio Pepe here (but what I expect is Dennis to come and drop a comment here without me even tagging him!), so I guess my tasting notes will suffice.
Although I guess a few words on the wines we tasted might still be appropriate.
First, the elephant in the room: the premox issues with Pepe wines. I feel 75% of the time people open Pepe whites here, the wines are premoxed. Well, this was not the case with our wines: only one was premoxed, and based on the CT tasting notes, it seems this vintage (2015) is just evolving at an alarming rate - almost all the recent notes describe the wine as quite oxidative, if not oxidized. So I even that one wasn’t premoxed, but just oxed, not prematurely. It seems it wasn’t a vintage built for the long haul.
1995 was quite oxidized, but seeing how the wine was 30 years old, I guess there was nothing premature with the oxidation here, either.
I also know how many people dislike the Pepe whites because they tend to be stylistically more obviously “natural” than Pepe’s Cerasuolos or Montepulcianos. However, there seemed to be wild differences between the vintages we tasted - and I can imagine there might even be considerable bottle differences even within one vintage. So while the wines might not be particularly consistent, one really shouldn’t dismiss one vintage based on just one bottle - another bottle might be much cleaner than the first one!
Finally, this was my first time tasting the Pecorinos. They were interesting, and definitely very Pepe, stylistically. However, based on these two bottles, I felt that they can’t really hold a candle to the Trebbianos. Pepe’s Trebbianos just show so much more depth, freshness and structure compared to the softer Pecorinos.
Oh, and if you want to see my take on the Pepe reds, check out my report on our vertical tasting of Pepe Montepulciano!
We also had a few extras in the end - including @OtsoR’s surprisingly youthful 1990 Sauvignon Blanc!
The whites:
- 2016 Emidio Pepe Pecorino Colli Aprutini IGT - Italy, Abruzzi, Colli Aprutini IGT (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Pecorino from a vineyard planted between the 2006 and 2007 harvests. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol. Bottle #2685, annual production 6000-7000 bottles.
Intense and quite deep Mountain Dew-ish neon yellow-green color. The nose feels somewhat natty with aromas of apple cider, some bretty notes of leather, light perfumed floral tones, a little bit of chopped herbs, a hint of crunchy white peach and a touch of ripe Granny Smith apple. The wine feels rich, textural and moderately funky on the palate with a rather full body and somewhat sauvage flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, some sour apple candy tones, a little bit of beeswax, light cidery notes, bretty hints of leathery funk and phenolic spice and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The medium-to-moderately high acidity feels a bit modest for such a big and textural wine, making the overall feel somewhat round and mellow. The finish is ripe, round and moderately wild with a rather long aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple, some cidery tones, a little bit of bretty leather, light beeswax nuances, a hint of sour apple candy and a touch of phenolic bitterness.
Typically Pepe's whites are very distinctive and complex wines with lots of nuance and slightly funky undertones. This wine, however, didn't have the nuance and complexity one normally expects from a Pepe white. Instead, it felt more like a generic natty white with a rather cidery overall feel, lots of bretty notes and a bit of distracting bitterness with rather little of anything interesting. I expected this vintage to be a terrific wine, since 2016 was such an amazing vintage in so many parts of Italy. However, in our vertical of Pepe whites, this wine was easily overshadowed by the 2015 that showed a bit more ripeness in its slightly sweeter fruit flavors, but also came across as cleaner, more complex and overall just a lot more balanced and enjoyable. This wasn't a bad wine, but a far cry from how good Pepe Pecorinos can be.
(87 points) - 2015 Emidio Pepe Pecorino Colli Aprutini IGT - Italy, Abruzzi, Colli Aprutini IGT (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Pecorino from a vineyard planted between the 2006 and 2007 harvests. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14% alcohol. Bottle #745, annual production 6000-7000 bottles.
Somewhat hazy neon yellow-green color. The nose feels complex and somewhat evolved with aromas of beeswax, some ripe apricot, light honeyed nuances, a little bit of poached pear, light cidery sauvage nuances, a nutty hint of slivered almonds and a touch of ripe Fuji apple. The wine feels ripe, waxy and quite balanced on the palate with a full body and nuanced, somewhat wild flavors of honeydew melon and apricots, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of poached pear, light cidery nuances, a hint of chopped almonds and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The medium-to-moderately high acidity manages to keep the wine quite nicely in balance. The finish is long, somewhat evolved and slightly wild with a layered aftertaste of herby spice and ripe Granny Smith apple, some sweeter honeydew melon and apricot tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light cidery nuances, a hint of poached pear and a touch of bretty funk.
After the rather heavily bretty and somewhat natty 2016 vintage, this was a nice return to the form. You can taste that the wines are cut from the same cloth - they both share the waxy richness, somewhat cidery fruit profile and bretty undertones - it was still pretty obvious that while the 2016 had the bretty and cidery qualities cranked up to relatively high levels, they were much at a much more balanced level in this 2016 vintage. This 2015 vintage showed a bit more ripeness with its somewhat sweeter fruit profile, but I didn't mind this as the wine was otherwise much cleaner, more complex and just all in all more enjoyable in comparison. Good stuff - although I admit I find the Pepe Trebbianos more balanced and interesting than these Pecorinos, which often tend to come across as somewhat softer and less focused in comparison.
(90 points) - 2017 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol. Bottle #6342.
Hazy, youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels somewhat wild and slightly green-toned with aromas of birch leaves and some herby green tones, a little bit of Granny Smith apple, light sweeter notes of cantaloupe, sauvage hints of waxy funk and cidery fruit, a touch of saline sea air and a skunky whiff of reduction. The wine feels moderately wild yet still surprisingly fresh and balanced on the palate with a light-to-medium body and bright flavors of sharp cider apples, some leesy and saline tones, a little bit of phenolic funk, light zesty citrus notes, a sweeter hint of cantaloupe and a floral touch of apple blossom. The rather high acidity lends nice sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, long and slightly warm with a subtly wild aftertaste of Granny Smith apple and tangy salinity, some funky phenolic notes, a little bit of cantaloupe, light zesty citrus tones, hints of bittersweet cider apples and cidery funk and a touch of herby greenness.
A rather wild but also sophisticated and enjoyably balanced vintage of Pepe's Trebbiano. Although these wines can be quite bretty or otherwise funky, the level of funk seems to vary quite a bit - and it seemed a bit higher here than in many older vintages. There was a slightly odd green-toned streak amidst the fruity and funky flavors, but nothing particularly distracting - just a tiny nuance. All in all, this was a nice effort that shows good promise regarding its aging potential. It's hard to say if this is going to be among the longest-living vintages of Pepe Trebbiano, but it's quite obvious that the wine is still very young and it will continue to evolve and improve for a good number of years more. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2016 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #2063.
Slightly hazy and moderately intense neon yellow-green Mountaind Dew appearance. The nose feels ripe, fragrant and somewhat sweet-toned with aromas of acacia honey and ripe nectarine, some sweet Golden Delicious apple tones, a little bit of beeswax, light perfumed notes of orange blossom, a tropical hint of pineapple, a mineral touch of wet rocks and a faint whiff of phenolic spice. The wine feels firm, fresh and quite clean on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of honeydew melon and crunchy nectarine, some floral notes of orange blossom, light beeswaxy tones, a little bit of stony minerality, a tangy hint of salinity and a touch of ripe blood orange. The high acidity lends great sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is fresh, lively and acid-driven with an intense aftertaste of fresh peach, some saline brackish tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweeter nuances of honeydew melon and ripe Fuji apple, a hint of phenolic spice and a touch of beeswax.
This was simply a superb vintage of Pepe's Trebbiano. Unlike the 2016 Pecorino, which was way too funky and bretty, this was conversely a wonderfully clean and precise wine with faint phenolic nuances, but no obvious funky qualities. As a matter of fact, with its peachy and appley tones, somewhat honeyed qualities, cool minerality and high acidity, the wine reminded me more of a Riesling than anything else I've had from Abruzzo! At eight years of age, the wine is still very youthful and showing nary a sign of age, promising volumes on its aging potential. In our vertical of Emidio Pepe whites, this was easily among the best wines we tasted - perhaps on par with the similarly fresh, precise and still so youthful 2010 vintage. Very highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2015 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13,5% alcohol. Bottle #2329.
Hazy and quite light amber-ish apple juice color. The nose feels old, waxy and tired with moderately oxidative aromas of chopped walnuts, some dried peaches, light bruised apple notes, a little bit of almond paste and a hint of honeycomb. The wine feels tired and oxidative on the palate with a medium body and very evolved flavors of bruised apple, some nutty rancio notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light sweeter notes of dried stone fruits, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of caramel. The acidity feels moderately high. The finish is quite long, acid-driven and rather tired with a quite oxidative aftertaste of bruised green apple slices, some lemony tones, a little bit of nutty rancio, light saline notes, a sweeter hint of Sultanas and dried stone fruits and a touch of chopped almonds.
A premoxed bottle - although seeing how most of the tasting notes in CT describe the wine as tired, oxidative or past its peak, I think it is safe to assume that we didn't have a faulty bottle; the 2015 vintage of this wine was just off somehow and today most, if not all, bottles of 2015 Trebbiano are oxidized. I don't know why or how, but this is definitely a vintage I'd avoid at all costs. These wines should last for a few decades, but gathering from the CT tasting notes, this vintage has started to show deep color and oxidative qualities just a year or two after its release.
(NR/flawed) - 2014 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol. Tasted from a magnum.
Somewhat hazy and slightly evolved yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, slightly evolved and subtly wild with aromas of honeyed richness and waxy funk, some skunky reductive tones, a little bit of peachy stone fruit, light floral nuances, a hint of wizened yellow fruit, a touch of freshly pressed apple juice and a rustic whiff of cidery character. Although there are some sauvage qualities, the overall feel is much cleaner than the hazy appearance might suggest. The wine feels lively, dry and quite clean on the palate, but at the same time rather thin and underwhelming for Pepe's Trebbiano, lacking the substance typical of this label. There are light flavors of crisp yellow apples, some mineral notes of wet rocks, light herby tones, a little bit of leathery funk and a hint of ripe citrus fruit. The rather high acidity makes the wine feel enjoyably precise and structured. The finish is fresh, light and balanced with a medium-long aftertaste of sharp Granny Smith apple, some ripe citrus tones, a little bit of fragrant floral character, light leesy nuances, a hint of waxy funk and a bretty touch of phenolic spice.
I was surprised how light and delicate the wine was compared to the usual style of Pepe Trebbianos - certainly due to the cool and rainy weather that plagued most of Italy's wine regions that vintage. Apart from the slightly skunky reductive nuances, the nose here was quite lovely, showing not only those classic fruit aromatics typical of the label, but also some evolved complexity and perfumed floral overtones. Only on the palate it became clear that the wine was quite different from all the other vintages of Pepe Trebbianos we tasted, lacking the sense of substance, depth and intensity one expects of this wine. I loved the freshness that came from the lack of big body and substantial fruit, letting the acidity shine beautifully through. However, as the wine otherwise felt somewhat underwhelming, it didn't really leave a lasting impression. Furthermore, as we tasted the wine from a magnum, I wondered if the wines from standard-sized bottles are getting more advanced at this point, since our wine didn't feel young anymore...
(89 points) - 2011 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #14030.
Concentrated neon yellow color with a subtly greenish hue. The expressive nose feels beautifully fragrant and characterful with developed aromas of cooked cream and dried yellow fruits, some cool pepperminty notes of herbs, a little bit of ripe nectarine, light bretty nuances of new leather and phenolic spice, sweet hints of apple jam and honeycomb and a touch of caramel - but there's also a faint whiff of something dull and earthy that makes some people think the wine might be slightly corked. The wine feels firm, balanced and slightly oily on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of ripe Golden Delicious apple and cantaloupe, some developed honeyed tones and notes of poached pear, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light stony mineral notes, a hint of beeswax and a touch of cidery character. There are no signs of TCA, so maybe the slightly dull and musty note in the nose is just some evolved funky quirk. The rather high acidity keeps the wine enjoyably balanced and structured. The finish is dry, crunchy and slightly funky with a medium-long aftertaste of ripe Granny Smith apple, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of cantaloupe, light beeswaxy tones, bretty hints of leather and phenolic spice and an evolved touch of wizened yellow fruits.
A lovely, balanced and characterful vintage of Pepe's Trebbiano that is starting to show some age. There's a tiny whiff of something dull and unsavory that feels like it doesn't belong there - it doesn't feel like the typical bretty funk you normally find in Pepe whites, being somewhat more reminiscent of (but not exactly like) TCA - that takes a tiny toll on the final score. However, as the wine seemed perfectly harmonious and very expressive on the palate with no off notes, I think it's safe to conclude our bottle wasn't corked. All in all, the wine is in a great spot right now and while it might continue to evolve and improve for some number of years, the wine is starting to show some of that wonderful tertiary complexity without losing any of its youthful intensity, so I'd say this is smack in the middle of its drinking window right now. It's hard to say if the wine has reached its peak now, but I can imagine any further improvement here will be quite marginal. Good stuff. Drink now or within the next 10-ish years.
(92 points) - 2010 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #20815.
Deep, slightly hazy and quite intense medium-deep neon yellow-green color. The nose feels ripe, sweet-toned and subtly wild with slightly evolved aromas of juicy nectarine and Golden Delicious apple, some crunchy white peach, a little bit of poached pear, light honeyed tones, a hint of phenolic funk, a touch of bruised quince and a whiff of zesty citrus fruit. The wine feels firm, fresh and balanced on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and mineral notes of wet rocks, some saline notes, a little bit of phenolic funk, light fruity stone fruit nuances of white peaches and fresh nectarines, a hint of beeswax and a touch of chalky bitterness. The high acidity feels a tad higher than is typical for Pepe's Trebbiano, lending a wonderful sense of structure, energy and intensity to the wine. The finish is crisp, crunchy and very focused with a dry, acid-driven aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and sharp green apples, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light evolved nuances of honeycomb and beeswax, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a touch of phenolic funk.
A very impressive and absolutely amazing vintage of Pepe's Trebbiano, coming across as much younger than one would expect from a 14-yo wine. The overall feel is quite clean, but there's still that subtle touch of that phenolic funk that seems so prevalent in Pepe whites - only a minor undertone here, though. Seeing how the wine is only starting to show the very first signs of age now, I can imagine this will continue to age slowly and gracefully for many, many more years. One of the best vintages we tasted in our tasting of Pepe whites and perhaps the best Pepe white I've tasted. Is on the right trajectory and has the stuffing to make something stellar with enough time. While this is an amazing wine now, I can imagine this will get even better with further aging. Superb stuff, very highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2010 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% organically farmed Bombino Bianco (more likely a local synonym for Trebbiano Abruzzese than Bombino Bianco the variety). The wine is made from approx. 5-10% of the best grapes harvested, the rest is sold off as bulk. Fermented spontaneously and aged in old oak casks. Spontaneous MLF. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol. Lot number L6.10. Tasted next to Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2010.
Slightly hazy and still remarkably youthful, pale yellow color with lime-green highlights. The nose feels quite closed, pungent and reductive with aromas of reductive skunk, some smoky notes of struck match and fireworks, a little bit of Granny Smith apple, light oceanic tones of salinity, citrussy hints of lemon wedges and ripe orange, a touch of waxy funk and a nutty whiff of chopped almonds. The wine feels concentrated, high-strung and rather high in extraction with a medium body and intense flavors of lemony citrus fruits and Granny Smith apple, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of smoky and spicy phenolic character, light nuances of beeswax, a hint of bretty funk and a touch of skunky reduction. Even if the exceptional level of dry extract makes the mouthfeel quite chewy, the bracing acidity lends the wine a tremendous amount of energy and structure. The finish is crisp, dry and lively with a very long and concentrated aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and sharp Granny Smith apple tones, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of phenolic spice, light bretty notes of Band-Aid, a nutty hint of slivered almonds and a touch of smoky reduction.
Even at almost 15 years of age, the wine is still very youthful, ridiculously high-strung and still surprisingly closed. Even when the wine was opened a few hours beforehand, it was still very reductive and probably could've used some additional hours more - based on how the wine slowly opened up in the glass, blowing off some of its reduction. The wine, however, remained somewhat reductive through the whole evening, so I'd say this wine needs at least 15 years more before it actually reaches full maturity. While a much more impressive wine in its own right compared to the Pepe's iteration, thanks to the exceptional levels of dry extract, acidity, fruit intensity and just general chewiness, I must say that at the moment Pepe's 2010 Trebbiano was a better wine for immediate consumption. Both the wines were much more youthful than I expected, but even if they are still some ways away from their apogee, I felt that Pepe was quite enjoyable already now, whereas this Valentini needs lots of years sideways before reaching its optimal drinking window. It's a fantastic wine all the same.
(93 points) - 2007 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #13582.
Slightly hazy, rather deep and somewhat concentrated yellow-green color. The nose feels a bit dull and, weirdly enough, somewhat yeasty with aromas of ripe nectarine, some yeasty sourdough starter notes, a little bit of beeswax, light fragrant rosewater tones, sweeter hints of pear jam and juicy white peach, a hint of bretty funk and a touch of leesy creaminess. The wine feels ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and quite open-knit on the palate with a full body and a bit tired flavors of honeydew melon and wizened apricots, some beeswax notes, a little bit of leathery funk, light oxidative notes of malt and roasted nuts, mineral hints of wet rocks and salinity and a touch of sweet, slightly bruised yellow apple. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the wine somewhat in balance, but the overall feel is quite round and starting to get a bit heavy. The finish is ripe, long and sweet-toned with a complex, slightly oxidative aftertaste of honeydew melon and wizened apricot, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light leathery notes of bretty funk, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of bruised quince.
The nose felt a bit weird and dull, but on the palate the wine didn't have that slightly unpleasant yeasty note - instead the overall feel was starting to get somewhat oxidized and tired. The wine was still far away from the nutty, dead and fully oxidized Pepe whites, instead showing evolution and oxidation that is perfectly in line with a white wine more than 15 years old. I guess the wine must've peaked at approximately 10 years of age and is now in a slow decline. I have no idea where the yeasty, dough-y aroma came from, but apart from that, this was a pretty nice and quite enjoyable wine. I wish we could've caught it at its peak instead!
(90 points) - 2003 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% organically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol. Bottle #283.
Quite deep and slightly hazy golden-yellow color with a faint greenish hue. The nose feels a bit restrained and subtly sweet with attractive and moderately evolved aromas of wizened peaches, some honeyed tones, a little bit of pineapple marmalade, light fragrant notes of wilted flowers, a hint of apple jam and a touch of savory spices. The wine feels ripe, round and somewhat evolved on the palate with a full body and complex flavors of wizened peaches, honeyed richness and stony minerality, some dried pineapple notes, a little bit of beeswax, light funky notes of leathery brett, evolved hints of caramel, dried flowers and roasted nuts and a touch of apricot pits. The medium acidity is a bit on the low side, making the wine lack a bit structure and energy, but the overall feel is still somewhat balanced. The finish is ripe, rich and round with an intense and slightly funky aftertaste of wizened peaches, some beeswax, light funky notes of leather and spicy phenolics, light honeyed nuances, evolved hints of caramel and nuttiness and a touch of apple jam.
A rich, complex and beautifully evolved Pepe Trebbiano at its peak. As can be expected from a white from the hot 2003 vintage, this was quite a bit lower in acidity than is typical for this label, and had I tasted this wine in its youth, I would've said that it won't last with this little acidity. Well, for some reason the wine was still fully alive and kicking at more than 20 years of age! There is definitely some tertiary complexity and the fruit has started to evolve into this sweeter dried-fruit territory, but there are nevertheless very few oxidative qualities present here and the wine is just a treat right now. Most likely the wine won't evolve anywhere from here but down, so there is no reason to age it for any longer - but I'm quite sure that if the wine has lasted this beautifully for this long, it is not going to fall apart in the immediate future. I just encourage to drink the wine sooner rather than later. Terrific stuff, highly recommended.
(93 points) - 1995 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% organically farmed Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from a vineyard planted between in 1988. The grapes are foot-stomped in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, the basked-pressed and racked into concrete tanks. Fermented spontaneously, aged on the lees in concrete for one to two years. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 12% alcohol. Bottle #16851.
Deep, subtly hazy and moderately dark golden yellow color with a slightly coppery core. The nose feels old, tired and nutty with slightly dull and quite oxidative aromas of bruised apples, some forest floor, a little bit of honeycomb, light mineral notes of wet rocks and a hint of tangy rancio. The wine feels dry, dull and tired on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and rather oxidative flavors of nutty rancio and bruised apple, some dried herb notes, a little bit of saline minerality, light savory nuances of meaty umami, a hint of honeycomb and a touch of lemony citrus fruits. The high acidity makes the wine feel quite precise and structured. The finish is crisp, acid-driven and a bit dull with a moderately long and rather oxidative aftertaste of nutty rancio, some bruised apple, light lemony citrus tones, a little bit of honeycomb, a hint of dried herbs and a touch of caramel.
This old vintage of Pepe Trebbiano is past its peak, getting quite tired and anonymous. If you like old wines, it is still enjoyable, but it has obviously lost most of its nuance and energy, coming across as somewhat dull and quite sherried.
(NR/flawed)
The “rosés”:
- 2021 Emidio Pepe Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Montepulciano. Fully destemmed. The wine is made the same way as the whites of Pepe: the grapes as crushed by feet in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, 350 kg at a time, resulting in limited skin contact but quite a lot of extraction. Fermented spontaneously, vinified and aged in concrete tanks. Bottle #6246. 14,5% alcohol.
Luminous, only slightly translucent and very dark ruby color that looks more like a light red than a rosé. The nose feels sweet, open and very primary with lush aromas of strawberries and cherry jellies, some ripe red plums, light spicy notes, a little bit of blackberry marmalade and a hint of juicy forest fruits. The wine feels youthful, intensely flavored and rather hot on the palate with a medium body and very primary flavors of ripe black cherries and raspberry jam, some strawberry notes, a little bit of blackberry marmalade, light spicy nuances, a hint of stony minerality and a candied touch of raspberry jellies. The medium acidity comes across as pretty soft, but since the wine isn't the big or hefty in body, the overall feel remains quite balanced. There is also a tiniest bit of tannic tug that helps with the sense of firmness. The finish is ripe, dark-toned and moderately hot with a somewhat sweetly-fruited aftertaste of juicy black cherries, some savory spice, light strawberry jam notes, a little bit of blackberry marmalade, a primary hint of raspberry jellies and a touch of stony minerality.
Even if Cerasuolo is a style of rosé, Pepe's Cerasuolos have always been wines that straddle the line between reds and rosés - however, this wine feels more like a light and super-primary red wine more than a Cerasuolo, lacking the sense of freshness and energy you usually find in these wines. I can imagine the wine starts to come across as more balanced and less sweetly-fruited when it loses those candied primary fruit flavors, but the overall feel is still going to be too ripe with too much alcohol and too little acidity, no matter how long the wine is aged. Just like the similarly super-ripe 2017 vintage, this just isn't my cup of tea. In best vintages, Pepe Cerasuolos can be some of the most stunning rosés in the world, but this is obviously not among those. A hard pass for me.
(85 points) - 2019 Emidio Pepe Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Montepulciano from the 2019 vintage where hailstorms reduced the yield of Montepulciano by 40%. Fully destemmed. The wine is made the same way as the whites of Pepe: the grapes as crushed by feet in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, 350 kg at a time, resulting in limited skin contact but quite a lot of extraction. Fermented spontaneously, vinified and aged in concrete tanks. For some reason the neck label didn't bear the typical bottle number. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, medium-deep and very translucent raspberry-red color that looks more like a pale red than a rosé wine. The nose feels fresh, cool and slightly funky with characterful aromas of brambly black raspberries and dried flowers, some mineral notes of wet rocks, light bretty notes of leathery funk and smoky phenolic character, sweeter hints of black cherries, a touch of licorice and a whiff of game. The wine feels juicy, firm and harmonious on the palate with a medium-to-moderately body and intense, somewhat concentrated flavors of strawberries and sweet black cherries, some brambly notes of black raspberries, a little bit of leathery funk, light stony mineral nuances, non-fruity hints of pipe tobacco and licorice and a sweet touch of balsamic VA. The overall feel is quite structured, thanks to the high acidity and a tiniest bit of tannic grip. The finish is long, complex and subtly grippy with an intense aftertaste of ripe black cherries and wild strawberries, some brambly black raspberry notes, a little bit of licorice, light blackberry nuances, a lifted hint of balsamic VA and a bretty touch of leathery funk.
A youthful but also impressively firm, structured and complex vintage of Pepe Cerasuolo that is starting to drink quite wonderfully. The wine is quite substantial for a rosé - maybe even for a Pepe Cerasuolo - but it also shows wonderful sense of balance with its sturdy structure and judicious level of ripeness. There are definitely some funky qualities, but the overall feel is still pretty clean for how funky Pepe wines can be - and I think this bottle was also slightly cleaner than the one we had last year. This continues to be a banger vintage of Pepe Cerasuolo and even if the wine shows great potential for further aging, the wine doesn't really call for any additional aging as it is drinking might well right now. Highly recommended. Drink or keep - both are winning strategies with this one.
(94 points) - 2017 Emidio Pepe Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Montepulciano. Fully destemmed. The wine is made the same way as the whites of Pepe: the grapes as crushed by feet in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, 350 kg at a time, resulting in limited skin contact but quite a lot of extraction. Fermented spontaneously, vinified and aged in concrete tanks. Bottle #3175. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite deep, moderately translucent and beautifully luminous ruby-red color. The nose feels very rich, ripe and sweet-toned with lush aromas of wizened black cherries and juicy bilberries, some blackberry jam, light apricot marmalade tones, a little bit of savory spice, a hint of alcohol and a touch of dried dark berries. The wine feels rich, round and even slightly jammy on the palate with a full body and quite sweetly-fruited flavors of cherry jam and overripe strawberry, some orange marmalade tones, a little bit of savory spice, light boysenberry nuances, a hint of alcohol warmth and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. Despite the considerable ripeness and rather lush fruit, the wine still shows a surprising amount of freshness and structure with its moderately high acidity and a subtle touch of tannic grip. The finish is ripe, slightly grippy and very sweet-toned with a borderline jammy aftertaste of overripe black cherries, some herby spice, a little bit of cantaloupe, light strawberry jam tones, a hint of apricot marmalade and a touch of sour cherry bitterness.
A very big, ripe and even then quite surprisingly structured vintage of Pepe's Cerasuolo. An impressive wine in its own right, but to me, this vintage has always been somewhat disappointing - despite the rather good sense of balance with the fruit and the structure, I've never really cared for the very sweetish and jammy fruit profile here. Although the wine has retained its surprisingly high acidity, it feels like the fruit department evolved into rather overripe territory on this hot and dry vintage. I guess with this much fruit and structure the wine can evolve and improve in a cellar, at least to some degree, but at the moment it feels like this is not a great vintage of Pepe Cerasuolo; this was the third time I have tasted the wine, and even though it has lost its candied primary qualities, it still feels way too ripe and sweet-toned for my preference. Although this vintage was considerably better than the super-ripe 2021 vintage, this still is far from how Pepe's Cerasuolo should be like.
(89 points) - 2016 Emidio Pepe Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Montepulciano. Fully destemmed. The wine is made the same way as the whites of Pepe: the grapes as crushed by feet in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, 350 kg at a time, resulting in limited skin contact but quite a lot of extraction. Fermented spontaneously, vinified and aged in concrete tanks. Bottle #1636. 13,5% alcohol.
Dark, somewhat translucent and slightly evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels savory, somewhat smoky and subtly funky with attractive aromas of black cherries, some tobacco, light bretty notes of leather and phenolic spice, light wild strawberry tones, a juicy hint of black raspberries and a touch of meaty character. The wine feels dry, firm and subtly wild on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of ripe cherries and wild strawberries, some tobacco, light savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of boysenberry and black raspberry, bretty hints of leathery funk and smoky phenolics and a touch of pomegranate. The overall feel is enjoyably structure-driven with the high acidity and a tiniest bit of tannic grip. The finish is ripe yet dry and crunchy with a long, intense aftertaste of sour cherries, some leathery funk, light juicy notes of cherries and black raspberries, light smoky phenolic nuances, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of crunchy pomegranate.
An excellent, impressively structured and beautifully fresh vintage of Pepe's Cerasuolo that is starting to show the very first signs of aging, yet retaining lots and lots of its intense and wonderfully crunchy youthful fruit. With this much structure along with its intense fruit flavors, I can see the wine continuing to age and improve for many more years - even if it is in a superb spot right now. A very impressive and idiosyncratic effort that is easily among some of the best rosé wines in the world. Very highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2015 Emidio Pepe Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Montepulciano. Fully destemmed. The wine is made the same way as the whites of Pepe: the grapes as crushed by feet in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, 350 kg at a time, resulting in limited skin contact but quite a lot of extraction. Fermented spontaneously, vinified and aged in concrete tanks. Bottle #6086. 14,5% alcohol.
Somewhat pale, translucent and quite evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels savory, restrained and somewhat aged with slightly dull aromas of gamey meat, some strawberry tones, a little bit of dried black cherry, light notes of tobacco and a hint of forest floor. The wine feels ripe, sweet-toned and moderately evolved with a full body and bold flavors of juicy black cherries and wizened dark fruits, some strawberries, a little bit of tobacco, light ferrous notes of blood, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of earth. The wine is medium-to-moderately high in acidity with a little bit of tannic grip. The finish is ripe, savory and somewhat sweet-toned with an evolved aftertaste of wizened dark berries, some ferrous notes of blood, light raisiny tones, a little bit of tobacco, a hint of earth and a touch of dried black cherry. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a somewhat mouth-warming note.
A surprisingly big, ripe and somewhat clumsy vintage of Pepe's Cerasuolo that feels like it is already in a decline. Tasting this next to the wonderfully vibrant and quite youthful 2016 vintage, the difference was stark. While still thoroughly drinkable and somewhat enjoyable, this was a far cry what Pepe's Cerasuolo can be. Even if the wine wasn't this evolved, I still doubt I would've been a fan - the overall feel is just way too ripe, heavy and high in alcohol. A rather disappointing effort.
(87 points) - 2003 Emidio Pepe Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (22.8.2024)
100% organically farmed Montepulciano. Fully destemmed. The wine is made the same way as the whites of Pepe: the grapes as crushed by feet in wooden tubs over 45 minutes, 350 kg at a time, resulting in limited skin contact but quite a lot of extraction. Fermented spontaneously, vinified and aged in concrete tanks. Bottle #1851. 12,5% alcohol.
Dark, somewhat cloudy and quite opaque blackish-red color with an aged maroon hue and a colorless rim. The nose feels meaty and aged, even pretty old, yet still quite attractive with layered aromas of wizened plummy fruit and dried red cherries, some tobacco, light balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of gamey meat, hints of mulberries and dark forest fruits and a touch of medicinal herbs. The wine feels dry, meaty and evolved on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and savory flavors of wizened dark berries, some meat stew, a little bit of medicinal herbs, light licorice tones, hints of dried strawberries and prunes and a touch of balsamic VA. The rather high acidity makes the overall feel pretty balanced and structured, while the gentle tannic grip adds some nice sense of firmness to the palate. The finish is long, savory and subtly grippy with a complex, dry aftertaste of licorice and medicinal herbs, some ripe strawberries, a little bit of balsamic VA, light pruney nuances, a hint of meat stew and a touch of tobacco.
An aged and very complex Cerasuolo that shows much more freshness and structure than I expected from the torrid 2003 vintage. The wine has passed its peak some time ago and it is now in a decline, but it still retains enough sense of fruit, freshness and vibrancy to come across as interesting and thoroughly enjoyable - I guess you could say the wine is still singing, and might even be on its plateau of maturity, if you like very tertiary wines. I had pretty low expectations for this vintage, and even the murky appearance didn't promise much, but I have to admit that this was mighty better than I expected.
(92 points)
The blind extras:
- 1990 de Ladoucette Pouilly-Fumé Baron de L - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé (22.8.2024)
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Fermented and aged in stainless steel. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Intense, still remarkably youthful neon yellow-green color. The nose feels vibrant, somewhat vegetal and still quite youthful with aromas of ripe red apples and pear, some developed honeyed tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light herby green nuances, a hint of chopped green chili, a touch of ripe white currant and a whiff of wool socks. The wine feels ripe, dry and somewhat evolved with a light-to-medium body and intense flavors of tart Granny Smith apple, some honeyed tones, a little bit of crunchy white currant, light stony and saline mineral nuances, subtle green hints of chopped herbs and green chilies and a touch of creaminess. The high acidity lends good sense of freshness and structure to the wine. The finish is ripe, dry and quite intense with a long aftertaste of sharp Granny Smith apple, some developed nutty tones, a little bit of saline minerality, light herbaceous nuances of chopped chilies and vegetal herbs, a hint of evolved creaminess and a touch of crunchy white currant.
Based on the appearance and nose alone, the wine was immediately identifiable as a Sauvignon Blanc, but one still relatively youthful. There were some evolved nuances, but nothing that would point out to prolonged aging. On the palate the wine seemed already somewhat evolved, at least compared to the youthful appearance and nose. I was sure that the wine was a Sauvignon Blanc with some age on it, perhaps around 10 years - 15 years tops. I was completely floored when it was revealed that the wine was actually 34 years old. Apparently this wine has aged at a glacial pace, since there were no signs of oxidation whatsoever and although there were some evolved flavors, the fruit department showed very few if any developed qualities. Not perhaps the most complex or impressive wine in its own right, but still a testament to the aging capability of the best Pouilly-Fumé wines. Stylish stuff.
(93 points) - 2021 Ă…kre GĂĄrd Edel PĂ©t-Nat Rubinstep - Norway, Hardanger (22.8.2024)
A pét-nat cider made with 100% Rubinstep apple variety. Bottled June 3rd, 2022. Best before June 3rd, 2025. 7% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Cloudy yellow color with faint greenish highlights. The nose feels crisp, fragrant and very appley with sweet aromas of ripe Granny Smith apple, some floral notes of apple blossom, light notes of crunchy quince, a hint of apple-scented hand soap and a leesy touch of yeast. The cider feels crisp but also somewhat thin and mild on the palate with light flavors of crunchy appley fruit, some fresh white fruit flavors, a little bit of leesy yeast, light quince tones and a floral hint of apple blossom. The medium acidity feels quite mellow and the gently prickly mousse comes across as light and relatively short-lived. The finish is medium in length with somewhat sweet-toned flavors of ripe appley fruit, some quince tones, a little bit of juicy white fruit and a hint of leesy character.
A pretty average and simple cider. Not bad, but nothing to write home about, either. Despite its three years of age, the cider shows very little signs of evolution and I doubt it is going to fall apart by its best before date. Thoroughly drinkable, but pretty ho-hum.
(83 points) - 2012 Jean Moreau Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (22.8.2024)
A blend of Pinot Noir (approximately 3/4) and Chardonnay from Ambonnay. Vinified at the Union Champagne co-operative. The lot number is L20080 - perhaps that means the bottle is disgorged on mid-March 2020 (i.e. the 80th day of 2020)? 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale lemon-yellow color. The nose feels clean, attractive and nuanced with aromas of nuttiness and leesy autolysis, some mealy apple tones, a little bit of ripe citrus fruits, light saline mineral notes, a hint of juicy white fruit, a toasty touch of bread and a slightly weird, meaty whiff of salami. The wine feels nuanced and balanced on the palate with a medium body and slightly sweet-toned flavors of lemon marmalade, some leesy notes of autolysis, light saline mineral notes, a little bit of mealy yellow apple, a hint of French bread and a touch of chalk dust. The mousse feels quite big and lively at first, quickly settling down to a creamier, more sparse fizz. The dosage shows a little bit through, but the rather high acidity keeps the overall feel in balance. The finish is juicy, nuanced and quite long with a ripe aftertaste of ripe Fuji apple, some lemon marmalade tones, a little bit of French bread and leesy autolysis, light nutty nuances, a hint of ripe white peach and a savory touch of umami.
A pleasant and nuanced Champagne that combines ripe and juicy fruit with more savory and leesy notes of autolysis, nuttiness and chalky minerality. Perhaps the dosage is starting to show a bit more through as the wine ages as I felt the taste was subtly sweeter than before. Otherwise the wine is still going pretty strong, not coming across as particularly aged or tertiary - most likely this wine will continue to age effortlessly for another decade or so. Good stuff and ridiculous value at just 24€.
(92 points) - 2014 Azienda Agricola Grignanello Passione di Grignanello - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (22.8.2024)
A blend of Malvasia (80%) and Trebbiano Toscano (20%) from a 50-yo vineyard. Aged for at least four years in an amphora. Lot number L2020/17. 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous, pale nutty brown or maple syrup color. The nose feels sweet, evolved and syrupy with aromas of maple syrup and sweet ethery VA, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of roasted nuts, light caramel nuances, a hint of smoke and a touch of dried orange peel. The wine feels sweet, syrupy and somewhat volatile on the palate with a full body and layered flavors of bruised apple, some syrupy notes of molasses, light nutty tones, a little bit of orange marmalade, a hint of caramel and a touch of dried dates. The medium-to-moderately high acidity keeps the overall feel enjoyably balanced. The finish is rich, quite sweet and somewhat oxidative with a nuanced aftertaste of maple syrup and caramel, bruised apple, some dried dates, a little bit of nutty oxidation, light orange marmalade tones, a hint of smoke and a touch of ethery VA.
A nice, rich and enjoyably Vin Santo. Shows somewhat elevated levels of VA, but it doesn't really distract from the pleasure - those sweet, ethery nuances intermingle quite nicely with the somewhat oxidative caramel and syrupy qualities. Pleasant, balanced stuff.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
