The area around Controguerra and Nereto, situated on the North of the Abruzzo region, between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, is endowed with a fortunate, natural position for its climate and renowned from ancient times for its typical wine vineyards.

It was here that Nico Illuminati, an impassioned master in the art of winemaking, lived during the latter half of the last century. Around the year 1890 he initiated the activity of wine production and set up the then known Estate of Nico - "Fattoria di Nico."

Today the Estate has become much larger under the guidance of Dino Illuminati, grandson of Nico. He has brought the family-owned winery to new heights with advanced wine technology, applying the same skilled craftsmanship of his illustrious grandfather, in an ideal fusion of the traditional and the modern.

The Estate vineyards extend over 150 acres of the finest terrain of the whole region. The nature of the terrain is a perfectly balanced mix of clay and sand with marked presence of siliceous substances (potash, magnesium, lime, and components of silicate). The terrain is loose, deep, and fertile on considerably high, hilly grounds, twelve hundred to fifteen hundred feet above sea level.

All of the vineyards have south/southwestern exposure. At present there are 150 acres of vineyards in production which makes the Estate the largest privately owned winery in the region. Of the 150 acres of vine-yards, 75 acres are of Montepulciano grape varietals for the production of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo red wine. Sixty acres are of Trebbiano grape varietals for the production of the Trebbiano d'Abruzzo white wine and 15 acres are of selected, experimental varietals. This is a commitment by Dino Illuminati to the upgrading of all of his varietals and the development of newly selected production of the proprietor's Reserve wines.

Dino Illuminati has won many awards, including the “Gran Canal” award at the Veneto Wine Festival; it is given to the “winemaker of the year” for outstanding work in experimentation and evolution of traditional and new varietal wines. He has also won the prestigious “Oscar” for national recognition as one of Italy’s finest wine makers, as well as the “Diploma di Medaglia d’Oro” for outstanding winemaker, at the Vinitaly Wine Expo in Verona.

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