Cantina Indigeno
Teramo, Abruzzo

Cantina Indigeno is nestled in the picturesque Abruzzese city of Teramo, perched at an elevation of 300 meters between the stunning Gran Sasso mountains and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Founded in 2016 by a group of friends—Nicola, Alfredo, Fabio, and Loreto—who had previously worked together in the beer industry, the idea to transition into winemaking was sparked by the influence of friends like Lammidia. With a solid background in experimental fermentation, the team found its calling in natural winemaking, crafting a diverse array of wines.

Today, they manage 9 hectares of organically certified vineyards in and around Teramo. Their philosophy centers on reviving neglected vineyards and embracing lesser-known local grape varieties to produce fresh, vibrant wines that capture the essence of the terroir. Most of their vines, around 30 years old, thrive on stony limestone soils. All harvesting is done by hand, with grapes mostly undergoing a short, whole-bunch maceration process. Fermentation and ageing primarily occur in fiberglass and stainless steel, although they occasionally experiment with amphorae. True to their natural wine ethos, they employ no temperature control, fining, filtration, or added sulfites at any stage of production.

Their 2022 vintage was plentiful and successful, but the following year, 2023, proved challenging, as disease and hail devastated the crop, leading to no harvest. However, the outlook for the 2024 vintage is extremely promising, and there's much anticipation for its arrival in the UK next year.