Italo Pietrantonj

Abruzzo, Italy

The PIetrantonj philosophy dictates that the maturation of red wines is carried out in oak casks of medium and large capacity, in order to ensure that the qualities of the grape are faithfully preserved.

With records dating back to 1791, and an official start in 1830, the house of Italo Pietrantonj is as old as it gets for wineries from Abruzzo. Eight winemaking generations deep, Pietrantonj is rich with family heritage and tradition. The winery is now run by two sisters, Roberta and winemaker Alice, whose great-great-great grandfather Nicola was the first certified winemaker in the Abruzzo region, gaining a diploma from the Royal School of Conegliano Veneto in 1889.  The estate farms just over 60 hectares of estate vineyards high up rolling hills of the Apennine Mountains. To this day, the house shows off its 9,500 gallon oak and walnut barrels from 1870, and two 37,000 gallon tanks lined with beautiful Murano tiles that were built in 1893. 

The estate vineyards lie in the area between Vittorito and Corfinio, at elevations ranging between 350 and 400 metres. The vines enjoy superb exposure to sunlight, while the local terroirs receive abundant ventilation and experience significant temperature differences between day and night, thanks to the nearby Sirente, Maiella, and Morrone mountains that surround the Valle Peligna.

The soils, which are medium textured, primarily clay but rich in organic material, give an assertive character to the wines that is classic to the area and characteristic of the wines grown on the mid- and high-level hillslopes. These conditions, markedly different from those in the plains or next to the coast, decisively favor the ripening process of the grapes, developing and concentrating the aromatic compounds and keeping acidity levels high.

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