Il Feuduccio Winery

[IL FUH-doo-CHI-oh]

Location: Orsogna, Province of Chieti, Abruzzi, Italy.

Il Feuduccio Winery was founded by Gaetano Lamaletto in 1995 in the province of Chieti in the region of Abruzzi. Today Il Feuduccio is proudly run by the founders’ son, Camillo Lamaletto, and his son Gaetano. The total surface under vine is 133 acres.

Points of Differentiation

• A focus on native varietals, no international varietals
• Superb hillside soil at the foot of Mount Maiella
• Extreme attention to detail including clonal selection done from detailed soil analysis
• Unique underground winery over 16,000 square feet
• Low yielding vines, producing less than 4 pounds of fruit per vine

The History

Two hours east of Rome is the estate of Gaetano Lamaletto. Born in a tiny village just two and a half miles away, Lamaletto left his native land over forty years ago with his wife, staking everything he had on a South American ceramics venture that proved to be highly profitable.

In 1995, Gaetano decided to craft a range of all-Abruzzi wines in celebration of his homeland. He sought the best vineyards on the market, securing superb hillside soil at the foot of Mount Maiella and a team of professionals to match. An unrelenting perfectionist, he actively coordinated every detail of the new operation and was not satisfied until all aspects of Il Feuduccio have undergone his personal scrutiny.

Il Feuduccio was founded in 1996 by Gaetano and Maria Lamaletto. They purchased a vast tract of superb hillside vineyards in the region’s premier appellation, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Over time a winery was built on the property and that is still used today.

The winery itself is spectacular; built entirely underground, it consists of five floors dug into the rock. Each level covers 16,146 square feet, and the heart of operations (vinification, barrel and barrique cellars and an area reserved for bottle aging) is 46 feet beneath the vineyards.

Today Il Feuduccio is proudly run by the founders’ son, Camillo Lamaletto, and his son Gaetano. After earning a degree in Economics at Boston University, Gaetano has decided to come back to his Abruzzo roots and is ready to learn about all expertise and traditions connected with the winery.

The Terroir

The property is southerly exposed at 1,480 feet above sea level and sits at the foot of Mount Maiella. The surface area under vine totals 133 acres on sandy/clayey/silty terrain.

The microclimate is ideal, with very cool nights and warm days, and the vineyards have excellent drainage. Density is 1,800-2,050 vines per acre, yielding maximum 3.9 lbs per vine and an average total of 100,000 bottles yearly.

Clones were selected after careful soil analysis, done plot by plot.