Masciarelli Castello di Semivicoli Pecorino 2020

Cellar for up to 4 years. Serve chilled.

The Abruzzo region of Italy was largely dominated by low quality bulk wine production before Gianni Masciarelli arrived on the scene in the late 1970s. Gianni was inspired by a summer spent in Champagne to found his very own winery which would prioritise low yields and an artisanal approach to winemaking. He began in 1981 with just 5 acres of vines surrounding his grandfather’s house in San Martino sulla Marrucina using a combination of indigenous and international grape varieties which suited the local soils.

It wasn’t long before Gianni’s efforts were noticed by the rest of Italy and the world, winning him a total of 29 Tre Bicchieri awards from the legendary Gambero Rosso wine guide. Although Gianni sadly passed away in 2008, the property continues to be run by his wife and oldest daughter and has now expanded to 900 acres of vineyards spread across Abruzzo’s four provinces.

This elegant and vivacious white wine is named after the imposing Castello di Semivicoli, a 17th century palace surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. The Pecorino grapes grown here are harvested in September to preserve plenty of freshness alongside the ripe fruit flavours. Once in the winery the grapes are macerated on the skins for a short period and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. The result is a fresh, crisp Pecorino that’s bursting with typical varietal notes of green apple, zesty citrus, and pear as well as aromatic notes of sage, thyme and dried oregano.