I visited Ascoli Piceno, the southern province of the Marche region of Italy, back in 2010 and fell in love with the wines and place. This September I had the chance to return to Marche in conjunction with other wine travel.
That first trip concentrated on the wines of Ascoli Piceno based mainly on Passerina and Pecorino for the whites, and Montepulciano and Sangiovese for the reds, with appellations such as Offida and Rosso Piceno. This time we were more centrally located on the coast of Marche, right beside Monte Conero which gives its name to the Rosso Conero appellation (a couple of such wine are available locally). Besides enjoying the wines on our doorstep we were able to make day-trips south to Ascoli, west to Umbria, and north to San Marino.
We arrived just in time for supper and started our trip off well with a Rosso Conero. These wines are based on the Montepulciano grape usually blended with some Sangiovese to add a little extra structure to this smooth and juicy variety.
Not far from this appellation are the vineyards of Jesi where the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi appellation makes a white wine, of which an example is available here. The refreshing acidity of such wines makes them a good aperitif on a warm evening, or with the plentiful seafood along the Adriatic coast.
There is nothing quite like enjoying wines right next to where they are made, in company with the other products of the local fields.
Our outing south to Ascoli Piceno brought us through the countryside to the village of Offida, and later to Ascoli. We enjoyed the views of the rolling hills and fields, nibbled a sleeve of freshly made Ascolana olives, and dropped into the tasting room of Ciu Ciu, one of the wineries I had visited on my first trip. A truly delicious lunch at an outdoor establishment in a small alleyway in Offida was perhaps the highlight of the day.
Rosso Piceno is similar to Conero in that it is blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese (with up to 15% of other reds) but Sangiovese usually plays a more significant role here. Offida DOCG wines are a blend of 85% Montepulciano and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The combination makes for a long-lasting, rich wine – perhaps think of it as the Marche version of a super-Tuscan.
White wines in Ascoli are generally made from Pecorino or Passerina, or a blend of the two generally labelled under the DOC Falerio dei Colli Ascolani appelation. Pecorino wines in particular can be quite long-lasting, supported by good acidity and body. Unfortunately none of these Ascoli red or white wines are available here.
Our other wine adventure entailed a hike west to Montefalco in Umbria to sample wines from the unique Sagrantino grape variety. Sagrantino is the most tannic grape variety in the world, and makes huge, dark wines with aromas of plums and cinnamon. These wines, Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, usually prefer a lot of aging!
Montefalco Rosso DOC is a blend of mainly Sangiovese with some Sagrantino (and possible other reds) which produces a wine which is a little more approachable.
Our first stop was a simple tasting at Agricola Romanelli at Colle San Clemente (next to Montefalco) where I found the wines to be outstanding. One of them has found its way back home here!
The other stop was at Azienda Agricola Montioni for a combination tour, lunch, and tasting. The tour gave us great views of the Umbrian countryside from one of their olive groves with its 300 year old olive trees. Later we visited their olive mill for a comprehensive explanation of the olive oil pressing process.
Another highlight for me was a visit to a vineyard where we were able to see and taste Merlot, Sangiovese, and Sagrantino grapes right from the vine. We finished off the visit with a fabulous multi-course lunch highlighting local products and served in step with Montioni’s various wines. As expected the Sagrantino’s were massive, but lovely!
Not long after returning home to St. John’s from Europe we were treated to another taste of Italy and fine food at WaterWest where we sampled wines from Giorgio Pelissero in Piedmont. Giorgio was there to describe his wines made from Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo including a special Barbaresco. The dinner was remarkable featuring charcuterie, aged beef, and mushroom risotto. The wines were the perfect match, and showed very well. Some of these wine are available at the NLC.
Future Postings: Croatia, the Wine Show, and some local tasting events.
** Watch for an upcoming announcement on a wine and food tour! **
Steve Delaney
November 8, 2019
Italy
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