Cantina Indigeno Mosca Orange 2022

Cantina Indigeno was founded in 2016 by four friends—Alfredo Giugno, Nicola Reginaldi, Fabio Petrella, and Loreto Lamolinara—in Montorio al Vomano in the Teramo province of Abruzzo. What began as a garage project has become one of Italy's most exciting natural wine operations, with bottles sought after in wine bars from New York to Tokyo.

The founders' path to winemaking passed through craft beer. Alfredo, an accountant by day, brewed beer on the side; Loreto had experience distributing craft beers. Together they opened La Casa di Cura microbrewery in Crognaleto in 2013. Their background in experimental fermentation proved invaluable when friends from the prominent Lammidia winery encouraged them to try their hand at wine.

Today Cantina Indigeno manages 9 hectares of organically certified vineyards in and around Teramo. Their philosophy centers on reviving neglected vineyard sites and embracing lesser-known local grape varieties to produce fresh, vibrant wines that capture terroir authentically. Most vines are around 30 years old, thriving on stony limestone soils at approximately 300 meters elevation.

In the cellar, intervention stays minimal. Grapes are hand-harvested and typically undergo short whole-bunch maceration. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in fiberglass and stainless steel tanks—occasionally amphorae for specific cuvées. True to their natural wine ethos, they employ no temperature control, fining, filtration, or added sulfites at any stage.

The Mosca showcases their ability with aromatic varieties, transforming Moscato Giallo into something unexpected: a dry, textured orange wine that retains the grape's perfumed character while gaining complexity from skin contact.

Discover more from Cantina Indigeno: Boccia Rosso, Sub Trebbiano Orange, Bianco Folk, and Rosso Calanchi. Browse our best-selling natural wines for more Italian producers crafting authentic, terroir-driven bottles.

Abruzzo stretches along central Italy's Adriatic coast, a mountainous region framed by the Gran Sasso massif to the west and the sea to the east. Despite producing over 3.1 million hectoliters annually—making it Italy's fifth-largest wine region—Abruzzo remains undervalued internationally, offering remarkable quality at accessible prices.

The geography creates distinctive growing conditions. Vineyards around Teramo sit at elevations around 300 meters, positioned between mountain and sea. The Adriatic provides Mediterranean warmth while the Apennines introduce continental cooling and dramatic day-night temperature swings. This combination extends the growing season, preserving acidity while allowing full aromatic development—particularly important for expressive varieties like Moscato.

Soils consist primarily of stony limestone with clay components, contributing minerality and structure. Many vineyards occupy slopes that were neglected for decades before being revitalized by a new generation of natural winemakers drawn to the region's potential and affordable land prices.

Abruzzo's viticultural identity centers on indigenous varieties. Montepulciano dominates red production (57% of plantings), while Trebbiano leads white wines. But the region also harbors lesser-known grapes—Pecorino, Passerina, Montonico—that are experiencing revival as producers seek distinctive expressions of local terroir.

The natural wine movement has found fertile ground here. Legendary producers like Emidio Pepe and Edoardo Valentini established uncompromising approaches decades ago; newer operations like Cantina Indigeno and Lammidia carry that spirit forward with youthful energy and experimental fermentation techniques rooted in the region's indigenous yeasts and grape varieties.

Explore our Abruzzo wine collection and discover more natural orange wines from this dynamic region.