This is not the remains of a simple church, as the name might suggest. Sant’Angelo Extra Muros was designed and used by the Benedictine monks of the Convent of San Benedetto in Perillis as a gravity-fed wine cellar - a masterpiece of medieval engineering applied to winemaking. The three-level system cleverly utilized gravity: the grapes were unloaded from the mountain path into the upper level for pressing, the must collected on the intermediate level, and the racking took place on the lower level, where majestic stone arches created ideal spaces for wine storage. A 20-meter gallery, carved directly into the rock, served as a natural cellar, ensuring constant temperatures perfect for aging the wine.
The restoration works, which began at the end of 2025, have confirmed the exceptional state of preservation of the building’s structure. With its double-layered masonry and perfectly preserved majestic arches, the structure bears witness to centuries of history and architectural mastery.
The Future Begins with the Past
Sant'Angelo Extra Muros is ready to write a new chapter in its long history. A living heritage and a symbol of Valle Reale’s story, it once again stands as an active witness to the winemaking tradition that has shaped these unspoiled lands for over eight centuries. The restoration has brought this historic structure back to light, reviving a symbol that bridges past and present, telling a story of continuity where wine is not just a product, but an art, a tradition, and an identity that belongs to the entire Abruzzo region and the Italian winemaking culture.
