Paride D'Angelo , Pecorino, 2024

Certified Organic Viticulture focusing on deeply sustainable agriculture and biodiversity, with zero synthetic chemicals used in the vineyards. To preserve the micro-ecosystem and protect vital soil capillaries, the vineyard floors are never ploughed, but instead managed solely with a flail mower. Nutrient replenishment relies entirely on organic matter, combining green manure from leguminous plants (rich in potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium) with natural manure. Driven by a rigorous, quality-focused artisanal philosophy, all essential canopy work and the selective harvest of the 5-year-old, Guyot-trained vines are executed entirely by hand. 

Hand-harvested grapes are immediately 100% destemmed upon arrival at the gravity-fed cellar. The fruit undergoes a gentle prefermentative cold maceration for 48–72 hours to fully extract the complex, Mediterranean-herbal aromatics characteristic of the variety. Vinification is carried out via spontaneous fermentation using only indigenous yeasts, completely without the addition of sulfur dioxide. Following fermentation, the juice is racked and remains in the same stainless steel tanks, aging on its fine, noble lees for a minimum of 6 months. Regular, manual bâtonnage is performed to build mid-palate texture and structural roundness, followed by an additional 3 months of refinement in tank and bottle before release. 

The 2024 growing season in Abruzzo opened with a cold, dry winter, followed by an unusually warm February that initiated an early awakening in the vineyards. Spring brought regular, heavy rainstorms that crucially replenished the deep water tables before a sudden drop in early spring temperatures temporarily delayed budbreak. A remarkably wet May required intensive, hands-on canopy management to protect the young clusters, but the weather turned beautifully with a warmer-than-average June. Despite facing several localized, tense hailstorms across the hillsides through July and August, a fine, stable, and sun-drenched late summer held firm into the harvest period. This pristine finale allowed the organic Pecorino grapes to achieve perfect phenolic maturity while locking in the brilliant, crystalline acidity and low-pH profile vital for this sulfur-free vinification.

Vines are situated in Pianella, within the Colline Pescaresi IGP, an enchanting terroir nestled dynamically between the Majella and Gran Sasso mountain massifs and the cooling breezes of the Adriatic Sea. Positioned at an altitude of 200–250 meters above sea level with a full southern exposure, the soil features a complex clay matrix with limited amounts of silt and sand. This combination of mountain-influenced diurnal temperature swings and reflective maritime ventilation allows the thick-skinned Pecorino grape to maintain its signature, razor-sharp natural acidity while developing intense, concentrated flavors.