Chiara De Iulis Pepe is responsible for viticulture and winemaking at her family estate, Emidio Pepe, in Abruzzo, Italy.
An economics graduate, she later pursued studies in viticulture and agronomy in Burgundy before returning to the estate. She initially worked on international positioning, communication and wine education of her family wines, before progressively transitioning to vineyard and cellar responsibilities, for which she is fully in charge since 2020.
Her work is based on biodynamic agriculture, soil health and long-term vineyard stewardship, with particular attention to regenerative farming practices that support biodiversity and old vine resilience.
She developed the concept of Pepe Pergola, a viticultural and agroforestry training system based on the concept of cultivating agricultural volumes rather than surfaces. The project explores multilayered vertical canopy systems, in order to create more shade and enhance soil–roots interactions, proposing a model for future viticulture in increasingly warm climatic conditions.
