Emidio Pepe Montepulciano D'abruzzo 1985 1.5Ltr

Winery: Emidio Pepe

Varietal: Montepulciano

One of the most widely grown grapes in Italy is the Montepulciano varietal, which is much loved by wine producers and drinkers alike due to its drinkability and full, ripe flavors It thrives most successfully in warm and dry terroirs, and as such can grow in most of Italy's wine regions, where it is popular with vintners due to the fact that it produces very high yields. In recent years, it has been grown in many other countries around the world, where it is prized for its color and large plummy notes, making it an ideal varietal for many international palates. The wines themselves are usually soft and rounded, with mild tannins present in the mouth. However, the tannins in the grape skins contain lots of pigment, making these wines remarkably deep and dark in color.

Country: Italy

There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.