Family
Over a century of the De Cerchio family
From Naples to Villamagna
In 1910, great-grandpa Vincenzo set off for Naples in his dogcart, on his way to finalize negotiations for the purchase of a plot of about twenty hectares of land, set around a lookout tower. The land was in Abruzzo and he was buying it from the Zambra family, who had given their name to the tower, which was called ‘Torre Zambra’. Great-grandpa Vincenzo planted the first Montepulciano and Trebbiano vines in the region and tended them for almost thirty years, until the Second World War swept through the area and destroyed them, leaving the family penniless.
During the war, Vincenzo’s son-in-law Laurentino De Cerchio was a soldier in the Italian army and was captured by the Nazi forces, taken prisoner first in Germany and then moved to Poland. He was only able to come home to Abruzzo in 1947 and when he did, he threw himself body and soul into rebuilding the family estate. He started his tireless commitment to winemaking, replanting the vineyards that had been razed and starting construction of the first cellar. In 1961, the first “Torre Zambra” vintage was bottled, and the winery went on to become one of the most venerable in Abruzzo.
Over the years, Laurentino's dream became reality
In the years that followed, Laurentino continued to be not only a vigneron but also a producer, buying plots of land and growing vines in various areas of southern Italy. His vision was to enhance the great Italian native varieties to make unique wines. Over the years, his dream became reality, and cultivars that were once unknown are now appreciated by wine buffs all over the world.
fourth generation
Today the winery is in the hands of Federico De Cerchio, now the fourth generation of this winemaking family. Pursuing the winegrowing and producing business with dedication, he has expanded the areas under vine in the family estates and is starting up vineyards in new regions. Federico continues and reinforces his grandfather’s mission, driven by renewed passion and the desire to share with wine lovers the world over the unforgettable sensations that only the great native vines can bring.
