🍝PERFECT PEPE 🍝

Hey, Fionn again.

Currently writing this in crippling pain. Yesterday was spent giving the warehouse a good old reshuffle. Said reshuffle involved moving ALL the wine from one shelf to another, nonstop, for hours. All this hard work so we can source more delicious wines 4 u. Totally worth it. Thankfully, these days are few and far between. In fact, on Monday I had to pinch myself as I was invited to taste the newest releases of Emidio Pepe… Guess it’s not so bad after all.

Can confirm they are still the finest wines Italy has to offer. Tuscany? Piemonte? Sicily? Nah, these guys in little old Abruzzo are pumping out the very best. If you’re not familiar with Emidio Pepe, where have you been? Tirelessly promoting the local varieties since 1964. Dedicated to regenerative practices in the vines a long way before the infancy of the ‘natty’ movement. No BS in the cellar either. Whilst, everyone around him was celebrating technological advances, more grapes, more production, more money. Emidio was in it for the long haul. Unwavering, in his traditional approach. He saw what no one else did, he saw the vision and now we all get to bask in its glory. Trust me, these are worth every penny.

Trebbiano first with mouth-watering fruit, herbal charm, and a salty finish. Thankfully, everything at Pepe sees some age before release. Praise the lord. It's nice to finally see someone taking the literal time for our benefit. Hinting at those nutty, golden notes already alongside the youthful fruit this is the best Treb you'll find. Thankfully, we’ve also done the hard graft and have some limited reserves of the 2019. Lucky you.

Pecorino is just the cutest name for a grape! Named after the sheep who eat those juicy berries and make nice cheese with the same name. 2021 leans into the tropical thing, a little creamy before a sharp, salty close. Honestly, so good. Again, 'cos we’re very kind and very good. We’ve got a 2019 for you. This dials up on salinity, minerality, and texture. This was life-affirmingly good alongside a simple pasta from the Pepe Chef with cheese of the same name. The room full of swanky somms and I were in unanimous agreement, the winner of the whites. Serious praise.

The Reds continued to excel as expected. Casa Pepe is a single plot right outside, you guessed it, their house. Even my Italian isn’t that bad. These vines are trained in Pergolas, so the leaves shade the berries below. This gives the wines their famously soft, velvety tannins. Chiara, Emidio's granddaughter informed us you can feel this textural difference on the berries themselves. The sun makes the skins rough and harsh so shade is key for the tannins to be silky smooth. The Pepe's obsession for shade is clear, as they have planted trees to shade the pergola-trained vines. Shade for the shade if you will. Immense now with balsamic beauty aplenty, this will only get better and better. Stock up.

Branella is the other single plot bottling and I’m obsessed. I was almost certain they poured the wrong bottle. This was so ethereal, and elegant. How could this be Montepulciano? Pretty florals, vivid acidity, effortless to drink. Words you wouldn't usually associate with what can be austere and inky in the wrong hands. So immediate, with beauty over power. Again you could age this if you have the patience. Personally, I don't think I could physically wait. 

Also, if you're interested in any back vintages of the seriously aged stuff then please let me know! I'll see if I can pull a few strings for you xox

Enough chit-chat, gotta go rest my weary arms!

LOVE U 
FIONN
XOXO