Caprera

Between the three mountain ranges of Gran Sasso, Majella, and Sirente, Luca Virgilio founded his winery Caprera a few years ago. There, working with Montepulciano, Trebbiano Abruzzese, and Pecorino—the region’s hallmark grape varieties—he produces four wines deeply rooted in their place of origin.

That said, the term winery—as is often the case in Abruzzo—doesn’t quite capture the full picture. Of the total 22 hectares, only four are planted with vines. The rest includes around 500 olive trees, several hectares of ancient grain fields (from which he makes his own pasta), and large areas of forest.

At the heart of Luca's vision is the surrounding ecosystem, which he seeks to preserve in its diversity and understand in all its complexity. His goal is to create a balance between cultivated crops and the wild flora and fauna—naturally, the entire estate is farmed organically. Between the vine rows, he has planted hedges and herbs, and he keeps soil intervention to a minimum. To strengthen the soil and vines, he uses both homemade and biodynamic preparations.

His vineyards are planted with the region’s classic varieties. Montepulciano thrives in the deep, clay-rich soils; Trebbiano Abruzzese and Pecorino are grown in equally clayey but slightly more compact soils.

He bottles four wines in total: two whites, one rosé, and one red. All are made according to natural wine principles. In short: spontaneous fermentation without additives, no fining or filtration, and only minimal sulfite use. Thanks to the sunny days and often cool nights, the wines show both structure and substance. They are crystal-clear, direct, and vibrantly alive.