Il Conte Villa Prandone, nestled in the southern part of Marche, Italy, stands as a testament to resilience during tough times. This family-owned winery, now run by the third generation of the De Angelis family, has always been committed to sustainability. However, their dedication to quality and elegance reached new heights during the pandemic when they introduced revamped bottle designs for their wines. Last year, I had the pleasure of exploring Villa Prandone’s premium selection. I delved into the rich history of Marche, its wines, vineyards, and the winery itself. The story of this winery is deeply intertwined with the De Angelis family, who have been perfecting their craft since the 1950s.
The Heritage
The journey of Il Conte Villa Prandone began with Amilcare De Angelis, who laid the groundwork for the winery near the village of Monteprandone in the province of Ascoli Piceno. What started as a means of sustenance for the family evolved into a thriving estate under the guidance of Amilcare’s son, Marino. In 1988, Marino officially established the winery as Il Conte Villa Prandone. It is to pay homage to his father with the title “Lu Kont,” meaning “the count” in the local Marche dialect. Today, Marino’s three sons—Walter, Samuel, and Emmanuel—work alongside him, continuing the family’s tradition. Together, they oversee every aspect of the winemaking process, from vineyard management to cellar operations, ensuring that each bottle reflects the terroir and spirit of Marche.
Terroir and Vineyards
Situated in the heart of the Piceno region, Il Conte Villa Prandone benefits from a unique microclimate. Shaped by the convergence of sea breezes from the Adriatic—only 7 kilometers away—the sirocco winds from the southeast, and the cooling influences of the nearby Sibillini Mountains, which are only 30 kilometers from the vineyards. This distinctive terroir, characterized by medium-textured clay-limestone soils, imparts richness, structure, and complexity to the wines. The estate spans 50 hectares of vineyards, with the oldest vines dating back fifty years. The vineyards, situated between 150 and 200 meters above sea level and fully exposed to the southwest. They use low-impact viticultural practices. Indigenous grape varieties such as Pecorino, Passerina, Montepulciano, and Sangiovese thrive in this environment, yielding grapes of exceptional quality and character.
Sustainability
At Il Conte Villa Prandone, sustainability is not just a buzzword—it’s a way of life. Inspired by the principles of sharecropping, the winery is committed to environmental responsibility and biodiversity conservation. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are eschewed in favor of natural, eco-friendly vineyard management techniques. Additionally, the winery harnesses renewable energy sources and implements innovative solutions to minimize its carbon footprint. From solar panels to energy-efficient practices in the cellar, every effort is made to ensure that the winery operates in harmony with nature, preserving the land for future generations.
Winemaking Philosophy
Il Conte Villa Prandone strikes a balance between tradition and innovation in its winemaking approach. Each wine reflects the estate’s terroir, crafted to express the nuances of the grape varieties and the unique characteristics of the vintage. In the cellar, ancient winemaking techniques are combined with modern innovations to produce wines of exceptional quality and complexity. Long macerations, gentle pressing, and aging in various vessels, including oak barrels and concrete tanks, allow the wines to develop depth, structure, and aging potential.
Montepulciano: The Heart of the Winery
Montepulciano plays a central role in Il Conte Villa Prandone‘s winemaking philosophy. It contributes depth, color, and structure to many of their red wines. While its origins may be shrouded in mystery, its importance in central and southern Italy’s viticultural landscape is undeniable. Renowned for its late ripening and generous yields, Montepulciano thrives in the Mediterranean climate of Marche. Here, it can produce wines of remarkable character and age-worthiness. Whether as a varietal wine or blended with Sangiovese, it lends complexity and finesse to Il Conte Villa Prandone’s portfolio. Montepulciano embodies the essence of the region’s winemaking heritage.
Exploring the Wines
Il Conte Villa Prandone offers a diverse portfolio of wines. Each of them representing a distinct expression of the Marche region’s terroir and heritage. Let me share with you the characteristics of four standout wines from their lineup I have tasted.
Navicchio 2022
The name comes from the hills where the vines are planted. 95% Pecorino, a grape native to the region, it was replanted after the phylloxera disaster. The 2022 vintage has some minor other indigenous varieties in the blend such as Passerina and Malvasia, which were planted long ago by Amilcare De Angelis. 2022 was a powerful vintage with lots of sun and medium rain resulting in a superb wine.
- Vinification: The grapes undergo gentle pressing, followed by cold maceration on the skins to extract optimal flavor and aroma compounds. The juice is then fermented in temperature-controlled concrete tanks to preserve the varietal’s delicate aromatics and vibrant acidity.
- Maturation: After fermentation, the wine is aged on its lees in concrete tanks and clay amphorae, allowing for natural clarification and the development of textural complexity. This minimalist approach to maturation ensures that the purity of the Pecorino fruit shines through in the finished wine.
- Tasting notes: It has a lovely light golden color, with an aromatic nose filled with nectarine, honey, lemon, and mango. More exotic fruit comes forward on the palate alongside mango; there are oranges and pineapples, with honeysuckle. The wine has a refreshingly high acidity, medium alcohol sensation (13%), and a very long finish. A wine made for longer cellar aging, up to even 10-15 years.
Marinus 2020
A Rosso Piceno Superiore D.O.P. from selected red grape varieties of 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese. This red wine epitomizes the essence of Marche’s winemaking tradition; it was made to honor Marino, their father. A wine for everyday drinking.
- Vinification: The Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes are harvested at optimal ripeness and undergo separate fermentation processes to highlight their individual characteristics. The Montepulciano undergoes traditional maceration and fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Sangiovese is fermented in open-top fermenters to promote gentle extraction of color and tannins.
- Maturation: After fermentation, the wines are aged separately in a combination of oak barrels and large oak casks to enhance complexity and structure. Following a period of aging, the Montepulciano and Sangiovese components are carefully blended to achieve harmony and balance before bottling.
- Tasting notes: The wine has a medium-deep ruby color with some purple hue and high viscosity. The nose already suggests a juicy and fruity wine with ripe red cherries, plum, black currants, coffee, tobacco, pepper, vanilla, milk chocolate, and a hint of red blossom flowers. The palate confirms this juiciness, led by cherry notes, strawberry pie, and chocolate, hints of smoke and vanilla. Tannins are very ripe and well-integrated just like the alcohol with good acidity. A long spicy finish, where every sip shows something more. It is capable of aging for 3-5 years further.
Lu Kont 2019
The flagship wine of Il Conte Villa Prandone, a Marche Rosso I.G.P. produced only in 3,000 examples. It is a full-bodied 100% Montepulciano that exemplifies the estate’s dedication to excellence. Grapes are coming from 50-year-old vines, ensuring depth and complexity. Lu Kont means “the count” or “Il Conte” in the local Marche dialect, as I have mentioned before.
- Vinification and Maturation: Manual harvest following the ripening curves, followed by soft pressing of the grapes. Maceration in steel vats with manual punching down and fermentation at controlled temperature. At the end of fermentation, it is aged in oak barrels for about 15 months, and then spends 12 months in cement tanks. It rests at least another 6 months in the bottle.
- Tasting notes: It has a very deep color of ruby red with some purple. The nose is sweet filled with cherries, blueberry, cranberry, graphite, mint, pepper, and vanilla. The palate is aromatic with lower tannin structure but super refreshing acidity and a very long red fruity finish. An excellent quality wine that is very age-worthy, can be still kept in the cellar for another 8-10 years easily.
IX Prandone
Crafted from a selection of 100% Merlot grapes, as a limited-production wine that epitomizes luxury and refinement. Prandone was named after the founder of the town where the winery is situated. Produced only in the best years from a north-facing vineyard where clay and steel complement the stony soil. The first vintage was the 2013 and this wine is specifically made for long maturation in the bottle, which can last up to 50 years, reaching its qualitative peak at 20-25 years after the harvest.
I was very excited to taste this wine; unfortunately, my sample was corked hence I cannot share my tasting notes with you. However, I am looking forward to meeting with this bottle in the future again and taste an excellent example!
Conclusion
I am grateful to have tasted these remarkable wines from Marche; Il Conte Villa Prandone represents a harmonious blend of tradition, innovation, and meticulous craftsmanship, paying attention to the environment with sustainability. From the delicate purity of the Pecorino to the bold elegance of Lu Kont, each wine reflects the unique terroir of Marche and the dedication of the De Angelis family to producing wines of exceptional quality, elegance, and distinction. I think these wines deserve a place in every true wine enthusiast’s cellar.
