2000 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
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Tasting notes
The 2000 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Italian release) from Emidio Pepe has a curiously Médoc-like bouquet at first, quite powerful with darker fruit than the Roagna, touches of cedar and Provençal herbs. It was a little standoffish at first. The palate is nicely structured, again, a bit austere at first, yet it gains an almost reluctant sensuality towards the finish. You could drink this now, though I would be intrigued to revisit it after two or three more years.
Critic scores
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The utterly classic 2000 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Vecchie Vigne wafts up with an earthy mix of underbrush, savory herbs and musky animal tones before releasing its hints of mulled cherry and crushed plums. This enters the palate with the silkiest of textures that communicate pure elegance and balance. Ripe red fruits saturate and leave a mineral staining under an air of tobacco. Through it all, a core of vibrant acidity maintains perfect balance. The 2000 finishes lightly structured, long and buzzing with energy. This textbook vintage of Emidio Pepe is a pure pleasure to taste and has many years of steady, positive evolution packed into it. That said, make sure to give the wine some time to open in bottle to really unlock its aromatics. What a darling.
Roasted meats, dried fruits and leathery complexity on the nose and palate, delivering a sort of burgundy-bordeaux mash-up that is yet uniquely Italian. Profound and lengthy, with absolute balance still in place. (RH)
The 2000 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, from a much warmer vintage, is a big, powerful wine packed with dark fruit, earth and game notes. It doesn't have the level of finesse and balance of the 2001 and its less lively color along with its evolving flavors suggest it will reach maturity sooner, although for this producer that is measured in relative terms.
About the producer
Emidio Pepe is a star of the Abruzzo region and one of Italy’s most famous names. Worshipped by natural-wine lovers for its low-intervention approach, this estate makes category-defying, age-worthy examples of Montepulciano, Trebbiano and Cerasolo d’Abruzzo, as well as Pecorino Colli Aprutini.