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2021 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Riserva “Passolento”
La Marca di San Michele
On my most recent visit to Le Marche, winemaker Alessandro Bonci shared a 2013 Verdicchio whose youthful vigor belied its age. Raised in large casks and bottled unfiltered, his Passolento bottling is built to last, and the wiry balance of this current release makes me think it will evolve just as beautifully as the 2013. Rife with notes of pine nut, toasted almond, and gunflint, this chiseled and full-flavored white from the Adriatic coast is a dazzling companion to fish, pastas, and other Italian appetizers whether you uncork it young or old.
—Anthony Lynch
| Wine Type: | white |
| Vintage: | 2021 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Verdicchio |
| Appellation: | Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi |
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Le Marche |
| Producer: | La Marca di San Michele |
| Vineyard: | Planted in 2001, 25 ha |
| Soil: | Limestone, Clay |
| Aging: | Ages in 10 hl Slavonian oak botti for 8 months |
| Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
| Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
Le Marche: Italy’s Best-Kept Secret
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Le Marche has everything one could ask for: gorgeous beaches, an irresistible cuisine, and, of course, delicious wines galore.
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Lucky for us, vignerons in the 1980s salvaged this gem of a variety; one sip feels like stepping into technicolor.
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About The Producer
La Marca di San Michele
About The Region
Le Marche
Le Marche’s reputation as a producer of fine wine is relatively recent, as the region is very much off the beaten path for tourists and tasters alike. And yet, early Etrsucan and Roman civilizations grew grapes here, a tradition that persists and continues to gain momentum in this undulating land where the Apennines descend to the Adriatic.
In between the warm coastline and the cool, rugged mountainous border with Umbria lies a landscape of calcareous rolling hills that provide ideal conditions for viticulture. The zingy, green-tinged, citrus- and pine-scented Verdicchio is king here, producing delightfully crisp whites that perfectly complement the fresh fish and seafood stews of the Adriatic, in addition to the pork-based dishes that are staples inland. Around the towns of Jesi and Matelica, the grape takes on an additional dimension and is even capable of significant aging under the right conditions.
While our involvement in the region is recent, the two producers we represent demonstrate that Le Marche is capable of producing whites of serious interest, which often come at great value.
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Sampler Includes:
2024 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi • Colleleva $16
One of our greatest white wine values. Scented of zesty lime, almond, and fennel, it finishes on a snappy note that cuts right through fried appetizers and perfectly complements seafood and salads.
2024 Rosso Piceno • Colleleva $17
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2024 Lacrima di Morro d’Alba • Colleleva $25
The Lacrima grape is a rare specialty of Le Marche: a fragrant red reminiscent of wild roses and juicy berries. Savor it chilled with pizza, Indian curries, or a BLT.
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This citrusy sparkler has playful hallmarks of both a pet-nat and metodo classico. It is unmistakably fresh, fun, and chalky here, harkening to the vineyards in which it’s grown, on millions-of-years-old limestone slopes that used to be under the sea.
2024 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore “Capovolto” • La Marca di San Michele $29
This example, from sustainably grown Verdicchio high in the hills, showcases a hint of the variety’s herbaceous side, then reveals a sensuous creamy texture underscored by an energizing flinty note. Verdicchio’s greatest quality is perhaps how well it works at table, enhancing anything from linguine with clams to sliced prosciutto to grilled fish and spring greens.
2021 Marche Rosso “Bastian Contrario” • La Marca di San Michele $27
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Normally $157.00
SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $125.00
(a 20% discount)
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2024 Lacrima di Morro d’Alba
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2024 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore “Capovolto”
La Marca di San Michele Italy | Le Marche
2019 Eloro Nero d’Avola “Sciavè”
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Le Marche: Italy’s Best-Kept Secret
Le Marche has everything one could ask for: gorgeous beaches, an irresistible cuisine, and, of course, delicious wines galore.
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236