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De Fermo

I’ve been watching steady improvements in both quality and precision at the De Fermo winery for a number of years now. In a region like Abruzzo, where far too many wines get by on their élevage rather than terroir and purity of fruit, tasting through this portfolio has always provided a breath of fresh air. The story of husband-and-wife team Stefano Papetti Ceroni and Eloisa de Fermo isn’t your typical Italian winemaking fairy tale; instead it’s one of working three jobs, while chasing a dream and raising a young family. The De Fermo vineyards are located in Loreto Aprutino, between the mountains and the sea at 300-330 meters above sea level. This land had been in the family for well over a hundred years, yet the fruit was sold off to the larger houses of the region. That is, until 2007, when Stefano Papetti Ceroni and Eloisa de Fermo, while raising two young kids and both holding down careers as lawyers in Bologna, decided to begin spending weekends slowly learning about viticulture on the family farm in Abruzzo. The progression was slow, but over the course of six years, the couple had successfully brought sixteen hectares back to thriving life, while also restoring an underground and abandoned cantina located on the farm. Biodynamic principles are followed throughout all of the estate's vineyards, and yields are drastically low compared to the bulk of the region. What’s more, the winemaking style is one of low impact, with a focus on delivering a pure expression of Montepulciano fruit. The winery uses both concrete and wood (tonneaux and large 20hl barrels) for refining the wines, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any oak influence here. Fermentations are spontaneous through indigenous yeasts without temperature control, and sulfur is used at a minimum. In the case of the Prologo, the estate’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, fermentation is carried out over the course of two months in a combination of open top, wood tini' and concrete, and it’s then matured in large oak botti for up to a year and half. When asked about future projects, Stefano Papetti Ceroni spoke about bringing a new vineyard online soon, one which had been abandoned over 150 years ago, increased biodiversity, and working to convince neighboring wineries to begin working through biodynamic or organic principles. Simply stated, De Fermo ranks among the top wineries in Abruzzo to watch.

From Abruzzo and Molise: More Than Meets the Eye (Apr 2021) by Eric Guido

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2019 Pecorino Don Carlino

Release Price: $37

Color: White

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