We would like to tell you the story of an original, unique journey, one that only a certain kind of Italy, so-called “minor” Italy, is capable of giving.
The Tratturo del Re, or Tratturo Magno, is the longest shepherd’s path in all of Italy. It unwinds from L’Aquila to Foggia and crosses through the Chieti province in its central section, and the hills where we cultivate our vineyards. Its origins are thousands of years old, perhaps even prehistoric.
This important path for travelers, once 111 meters wide, or sixty Neapolitan steps, with a grassy or rocky surface, no longer exists today. It was abandoned by shepherds, who decided to use more convenient means to transfer their herds, and was progressively dismembered by surrounding land owners or replaced by paved roads.
But its long imprint still remains underfoot, often visible in the spaces between vineyards, for anyone who wants to walk the path today. The stops along the way still remain on the shepherd’s path, in the villages and rural churches where they would rest.
In the spring of 2018, we decided to follow along the steps of the Tratturo del Re, or what remains of it, crossing through the land that produces our wines on foot, along the hills that separate the cities of Chieti and Vasto. And this is the experience we will recount to you in the following posts.
Enjoy the journey!