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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

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This low-alcohol, youthful bianco has a subtle, chalky texture you might find in much pricier French Chablis.

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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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Vintage Chart Mentality

Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch