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Verdicchio – Is it Italy’s greatest white grape variety?

The first thoughts about Italian wine are almost always of reds: the “big B’s” (Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco) Chianti, Valpolicella and it’s bigger brother Amarone, and more recently, some of the lush and decadent reds from the deep south. But when the conversation turns to Italian whites, for the casual wine drinker there’s only the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio (a variety which isn’t even native to Italy), the occasional Orvieto and Frascati blend, and but for the recent push from Campania with their native Fiano, Falanghina, and Greco wines, very little else.

But there is Verdicchio, despite the fact that the grape still labors under some baggage from the past, and a somewhat indistinct identity in the here and now. Many folks over the age of forty will probably remember a certain double-named producer that was trying to cut a path for Verdicchio in the 1970s with their tall and curvaceous “Lollabrigida” bottles, and frankly these folks did a great job on the marketing side of the business, but unfortunately, the wine in those bottles did not live up to the strength of the ad campaigns, and the reputation of the grape suffered unduly (though let’s be clear that this company still exists, and has taken a much more serious approach to their wines in recent years).

Just a little background…there are two major Verdicchio appellations, both located in the Marche region of central Italy: Verdicchio Castello di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica. The former (and far larger) zone is fairly close to the sea, sits at a relatively low altitude, and has a richer, denser soil. These factors conspire to make a more viscous, denser, and “sweeter” Verdicchios. The latter zone is further inland, on higher ground, and has lighter, poorer soils which yield steelier, more structured wines. But regardless of the zone of origin, Verdicchio is not a variety that takes very well to aging in new wood barrels, so fermentation and aging most often occurs in stainless steel tanks which pleases so many white wine drinkers that have tired of the buttery and oaky whites of the 80s and 90s.

So why nominate Verdicchio for this distinction? Well, there are a few good arguments to be made. First, Verdicchio is, as a rule, an exciting drink – wonderfully fresh acidity, but with good counterbalancing weight, and a crowd-pleasing flavor/aroma profile of dried white flowers, citrus zest, white-fleshed fruits, and almonds. These characteristics make Verdicchio useful as both an accompaniment to a wide variety of foods, as well as a satisfying stand-alone aperitif or patio sipper. And Verdicchio, unlike many other Italian white wines, ages very gracefully, making even a ten year stint in the cellar for the more ambitious labels a not unheard of occurrence. But Verdicchio is also quite sensitive to the soil and the climate in which it is grown, just like another great white grape variety, Chardonnay. This kind of sensitivity allows the variety to sing with many different voices according to the place of origin, so there are just as many light and gossamer versions as age-worthy ones. Further, Verdicchio is not a particularly difficult variety to manage in the vineyard, and also yields fairly abundantly, so even the most “serious” examples do not exceed $30 per bottle, and many excellent bottles sell for less than half that price.

So for those of you haven’t tasted Verdicchio since the ‘70s, pick up a bottle or two, and taste the dramatic changes that have occurred over the last thirty-some years. And for those of you who have never tried a Verdicchio, you may be about to discover the greatest white grape wine Italy has to offer.

As I mentioned above, Verdicchio is a superb partner with food. Try it with flavorful fish dishes and aged sheeps’ milk cheeses in particular…

Tom Ciocco

Conte Baldeschi Verdicchio Donna Ginevra 2004

Pale and clear straw color. Intense but still very pretty minerally white peach and pear aromas. The palate is elegant and super-cohesive with flavors of white flowers and juniper berries. Classic bitter almond finish. A very classy and charming wine!

Moncaro Verdi Di Ca Ruptae Verdicchio Castello Di Jesi 2004

Slightly coppery "champagne" gold color. Expressive nose of bosc pear, a touch of pineapple, hay, and green herbs. In the mouth the wine is quite full and rich with punchy bitter almond and citrus juice flavors, and a wonderful broad acidity. Finishes with good, clean length.

Villa Bucci Verdicchio Castello di Jesi 2003

This wine is often cited among the greatest Verdicchios made. The 2001 vintage of this wine won Gambero Rosso’s Guide to Italian Wines “Wine of the Year”. Aged for 6 months in old, large Slavonian oak barrels, and then a full year in the bottle, this is a wine of great depth with both power and elegance. At a recent tasting Ampelio Bucci was showing vintages as old as 1988! This wine in fact is drinking well now, but will really show it’s talents in another year or two. A paradigm for the variety.