Organic and biodynamic farming, clay soils. Lees aging for 18 months in cement tanks. Unfiltered, unfined, no SO₂. Pecorino was historically a shepherd's grape – farmers planted it because sheep liked to eat it, which is where the name comes from – and Pepe has taken that underdog variety and made it into something that justifies a serious price tag. When you see what's in the glass, the price stops being a question. Chiara Pepe's first vintage (I interviewed her and she said she would've wanted to pick the grapes earlier in this vintage).
Deep straw gold in the glass. Floral and generous – hawthorn, chamomile, quince, lemon zest, white peach. There's depth here that Pecorino doesn't normally reach – the 18 months on lees have added a creamy, bready undercurrent that weaves through without blunting the freshness.
The texture is the first thing – rich, almost waxy, substantial. But the acidity is doing serious work underneath, pulling through with real drive and keeping the whole thing moving. Yellow plum, ripe pear, a mineral saline quality and a long herbal finish. This is a gastronomic white, built for the table, built for food with weight and character, not for solo sipping on a Tuesday.
by grapenomad