Castorani is in Alanno, in Abruzzo, and has been making wine since 1793. The estate came as a dowry to Raffaele Castorani, a surgeon and professor at the Sorbonne, and the villa took his name. Under a later owner, Antonio Casulli, the farm grew to over two hundred hectares. It was divided after his death in the late 1970s.
A group of friends revived it in 1999. The Trulli and Cavuto families manage the company now, and Angelo is the winemaker.
The vineyards sit on hills about 350 metres above sea level, between the Majella National Park and the Adriatic coast. The vines average over 30 years old and are farmed organically, with no pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Montepulciano is the main red grape, and the whites are Trebbiano and Pecorino. The cellar is completely underground, so it holds a constant natural temperature.
Not tasted yet
I haven't reviewed a wine from Castorani yet. They're on my Top 100 list, which is built from awards.