Provinces: Ancona, Ascoli Piceno, Macerata, Pesaro
This peaceful Adriatic region is known for Verdicchio,
which has grown beyond its once popular role as a fish
wine in a green glass amphora to become one of Italy’s
most dignified whites.
Verdicchio comes from two zones:
Castelli di Jesi in the hills west of the port and capital
city of Ancona, and Matelica, an enclave in the Apennines
near the border of Umbria. Quality has risen more rapidly
than prices, so today Verdicchio represents outstanding
value. The same could be said for the region’s
premium reds: Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno.
The first
comes primarily from Montepulciano grapes grown on the
lower slopes of the Conero massif along the coast south
of Ancona. The second, based on Sangiovese, comes from
a large zone extending from the Classico zone in the
southern part of the region north through the hills.
Of more than local interest are Bianchello del Metauro,
a zesty white from the northern Marches, and Colli Pesaresi
Sangiovese, a hearty red from the adjacent hills.
The
D.O.C. wines number a manageable 11 and, to keep things
simple, the lone IGT is the regionwide Marche.
Useful contacts:
Regione Marche - Assessorato Agricoltura - Via delle
Alpi, 21 -60131 Ancona - Tel.: 0039 071 8081 Fax: 0039
071 808 308 http://www.regione.marche.it
Movimento del Turismo del Vino - C/o Umani Ronchi - S.S.
106 Km 16+400 - Osimo Scalo (AN) - Tel.: 0039 071 710
9019 - http://www.wineday.org |
