Illuminati

Key Highlights

• Family-owned since 1890: founded by Nicola Illuminati and carried through five generations; today led by Stefano Illuminati, alongside his brother Lorenzo and the next generation (also Nicola).

• Controguerra, Teramo—mountains to sea: vineyards sit between the Gran Sasso and the Adriatic, and Dino Illuminati helped drive recognition for this zone, with Colline Teramane remaining Abruzzo's only DOCG.

• Montepulciano at the center, precision in the details: about 130 hectares / 320 acres overall, including the historic Zanna site, with disciplined viticulture (pergola training, green harvest) and classic élevage for top wines.

Ownership and Family Legacy

Illuminati is one of Abruzzo's reference-point estates, built on continuity and ambition across generations. The modern era is closely tied to Dino Illuminati, an influential voice for northern Abruzzo; today the estate is carried forward by Stefano, supported by Lorenzo and the family's next generation. The house style favors character and authenticity, with quality driving decisions from vineyard work to cellar investment.

Place and Vineyards: Controguerra and the Colline Teramane

The estate's home base is Controguerra in the Teramo hills, where the Adriatic moderates heat and the Gran Sasso helps shield the vineyards—an ideal setup for ripeness with freshness. A key holding is Zanna, the original area acquired by the family in Controguerra, and today the estate farms extensive plantings—especially Montepulciano, plus Passerina, Pecorino, and Trebbiano.

Farming Practices and Winemaking

Illuminati's best wines show what careful farming and measured cellar work can do with Abruzzo's flagship grape. For example, the estate's Zanna comes from a single, old-vine vineyard, pergola-trained with yield control via green harvest, then shaped by strong pruning and strict fruit selection. In the cellar, it's handled in a traditional, structured manner—16 days of skin contact, followed by extended aging in large Slavonian oak casks—a blueprint that favors depth, balance, and longevity.