Podere Castorani": a young wine, which digs its roots in an old farming tradition, made of laboriousness and genuine products.
In a bottle of "Podere Castorani " there isn't just a splendid quality of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. There is also and above all a long history, which seemed finished but instead it has resumed with intense vigor. Under the sign of a strong will, and an authentic attachment to a generous land. Everything rotates around a marvellous firm located in the hills of Alanno, in the province of Pescara: a luxuriant and uncontaminated farm, not far from the Adriatic coast.
The firm is based on 30 hectares of land planted with grapevines predominantly with montepulciano d'abruzzo, trebbiano d'abruzzo, malvasia and a small area reserved for experimental varieties. The average age of vineyards is over twenty-five years therefore they are very interesting from the oenologic point of view. All the land is cultivated by biological agricultural methods, without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. We use biological and organic fertilizers. The firm's production of wine is usually conferred to a co-operative, but since the year 2000 vintage, the oldest and best exposed vineyards have been selected to vinificate small batches of high quality wine.
The first notions about the farm go back to the year 1793. At the end of 1800, the old cadastral maps, kept in Teramo (since it was the city which had jurisdiction over most of the actual province of Pescara), called it "Casino Castorani", from its owner's name, the famous oculist surgeon Raffaele Castorani ( inventor of the first surgical procedure for the cataract , for years professor at the Sorbona in Paris ). It probably was an original "casino di caccia" (hunter's shelter) which our eminent surgeon inherited from his wife Adelina Ruggeri (her mother's family, Capobianchi, had owned it for more than a century).
After World War I, the property went to another famous professor, Antonio Casulli, of Sardinian origins, professor of international law at the university of Napoli and later at the Tokio university (he was appreciated as adviser of emperor Hirohito). This was the best period for the agricultural firm which developed around the villa. Not only because there had been an expansion till 200 hectares of cultivated land, but also because it was the place that hosted famous people of that time. Among them Benito Mussolini, to whom the professor was adviser. After Casulli's death, in the 60's, the property was devided and this started its decline. The villa was abandoned and it seemed that the old wine production traditions were lost. This was true untill a few years ago, when the roots of history were put back together by the strong will of a group of friends: the partners of the firm " Podere Castorani ".These four people joined their passion for the good wine giving life to a commercial company devoted to a prod
uction of quality, with full respect to the ancient values of the abruzzesi farmers. Each partner takes care personally of the different stages: from the growing of grapes to its vintage, from the wine production to its marketing.
The firm, today, consists of thirty hectares: the cultivated vines are mostly "Montepulciano d'Abruzzo". There is also "Trebbiano d'Abruzzo", "Malvasia" and a small area reserved to experimental varieties. The average age of vineyards is over twenty-five years therefore they are very interesting from the oenologic point of view. All the land is cultivated by biological agricultural methods, without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. We use biological and organic fertilizers.
Let's see now the organization of the firm. Bruno Cavuto, one of the four partners, takes care personally of the cultivation: he chooses the older and better exposed vineyards to grow small batches of high quality wines. In the past the firm's production was sold entirely to a co-operative.
The wine-making control is taken care of by another partner, the oenologist Luca Petricelli, who is a very experienced international wine maker. He is actually the technical director of the wine cellars "Bodegas del Conde de Navasques", in Spain.
The third partner, Lucio Cavuto, takes care of the marketing. For many years he carries out managerial operations in the world of Formula 1: therefore he has gained a great international experience in managing the image and the various entrepreneurial aspects.
Finally the "Podere Castorani" can brag about a particular partner: Enzo Trulli, father of the formula 1 pilot Jarno Trulli. This last one indirectly provides a remarkable international notoriety to the firm. Furthermore Jarno is the "testimonial" for the Abruzzo region. In fact, he was designated to represent the abruzzese wine in the world at the last "Vinitaly" in Verona. Enzo Trulli, who is proud of a long business experience, takes care of the sales sector of the wine firm.