Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Le Vasche Caprera 2021

Caprera is, above all, an intimate and wild place, nestled between the rocky peaks of the Gran Sasso and the Maiella mountains, where the forest blends seamlessly with vineyards and olive groves. The rich wildlife is an integral part of daily life on the estate, protected by centuries-old oaks and vast patches of Apennine flora.

The two friends and founding partners, Luca Paolo and Alfonso, decided to embark on this adventure together in 2012, when they began searching far and wide across Abruzzo for a piece of land. When they arrived in Pietranico, in the Vasca district, it was love at first sight a remote corner, far from the intrusions of modern life. There were olive trees and lots of woodland, but no vineyards, so they chose to plant their own.

Naturally, they turned to native grape varieties, well-suited to the land and able to express its character to the fullest: Montepulciano, Trebbiano Abruzzese, Passerina, and Pecorino. There were no inherited family traditions, lands, or winemaking knowledge only stories of countless glasses of wine shared with winemaker friends, past experiences in Sicilian harvests, and studies in biodynamic agriculture and permaculture.

Because Caprera is above all an agricultural story, a story of rediscovering a deep bond with their land of origin.

The estate comprises 22 hectares of organically farmed land across two different plots, close to each other but very different in nature. Only a small part is planted with vines. There’s a lot of woodland, around 500 olive trees, and cultivated fields where local varieties of wheat are grown, as well as an apiary and a small lake that is home to a diverse range of wildlife.

The farm is therefore an agricultural organism, where all parts coexist in harmony, each serving the others. Only within complexity can balance be found.

The first vineyards were planted on marl, blue clay, and calcarenite soils—deep, compact, and heavy soils that are not easy to work. Yet they are rich and complex, custodians of great vitality.

The vineyards sit at an altitude of 400 meters, in a land constantly swept by winds, which give the wines great character and structure, while also lending remarkable freshness. These are wines known for their freedom of expression, their energy, and above all, wines made to be enjoyed in moments of sharing and conviviality.