A territory characterized by excellent food and wine, a fascinating landscape with enormous potential that plays on the unusual sea-mountain proximity, a magnificent baronial building in the hills in the hamlet of Semivicoli, in the province of Chieti, surrounded by lush vineyards and offering at the same time Adriatic sea view – with the "overflows" on the coast – and view of Maiella.
A wonderful location, the Castle of Semivicoli, which was also the home of the famous French actor in the cinematic fiction Gerard Depardieu when he filmed between his rooms and courtyards the film "Nothing can stop us" by Luigi Cecinelli. Gourmet declared that of wine if it intends, the French Depardieu cannot not have loved this land strongly tied to its roots, to the family, to the traditions and the pleasures of the shared table.
A place of magic
Built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries on the highest point of the village of Semivicoli in the municipality of Casacanditella, the Castello di Semivicoli has been restored according to the dictates of both conservative restoration and bio-architecture; this Relais de Charme has kept the porch, the oil mill of 1868, the granary, the ancient cellar of 1808, the neviera. Rooms and rooms furnished with antique furniture that recall past times, the rooms of the old kitchen, with the large fireplace, the oven, the copper cookware and the crockery on the walls, host the guests' breakfast in a charming atmosphere from the contemporary comfort. The palace is surrounded by its own vineyards, gardens full of roses that bloom in rotation, the secret garden with the small chapel and the secluded pool area.
Reference point for Abruzzo wine tourism
The ancient noble residence is also a respectable wine center, a reference point for the discovery of local wines and of the whole territory: Gianni Masciarelli, a legendary figure in the wine world of Abruzzo and a man who knew how to look far with his wife Marina Cvetic , bought it in 2004 to make it an agriturismo.
After his untimely death in 2008, his wife Marina embraced her husband's vision with courage and determination and is now at the helm of Masciarelli Tenute Agricole, flanked by her first child Miriam Lee, who works as a Brand Manager around the world. The 350 hectares of the wine-making company extend over various plots of land in the four provinces of Abruzzo – Chieti, Teramo, Pescara, L'Aquila.
The headquarters is on the estate of San Martino sulla Marrucina: in the barrels of the Sala dei Tini rests the Villa Gemma Rosso; in the Bottaia dei Rossi there are numerous French oak barrels cradled by classical music; there are those in the Bottaia dei Bianchi and finally those in the Sala dei Tonneaux, dedicated to the parents of Gianni, Amedeo and Liberata. In San Martino sulla Marrucina, Cabernet Sauvignon is cultivated, in that of Ofena Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Trebbiano in other estates. Wine production includes 5 product lines: Classic Line, Villa Gemma flagship, Marina Cvetic, Castello di Semivicoli and the latest addition, Gianni Masciarelli.
Green recognition
Masciarelli Tenute Agricole has a strong push for research and innovation but always respecting the canons of sustainability.
The Castello di Semivicoli was in fact the first tourist facility in Abruzzo (the eighth in all of Italy) to obtain the EMAS certification (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme), a community eco-management and audit system to which companies and organizations willing to engage in assessing and improving their environmental efficiency voluntarily adhere.
"EMAS is a dynamic tool that allows us to constantly improve, in an effort to progressively reduce the consumption of raw materials and waste – not only of the production process but of the company as a whole" explains Marina Cvetic, considered by most the " lady of the Abruzzo wine ”.
"Abruzzo is a green area, rich in biodiversity – and therefore extraordinarily suited to wine production – our wines are well suited to the geographical conditions of the territory, they respect its wild nature and fully express its indigenous identity".
by Francesca Tagliabue
November 2019
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