taste le marche
catering and gastronomy
Italy +39 338 4754549 UK +44 (0)7909 684931 info@tastelemarche.com

wine
characteristic excellence and unquestionable reputation

Wine alone could provide an excellent motive for touring in the Marche and winemaking in the area has been having its own little renaissance, with a move away from quantity towards quality. From producing rough plonk for the masses, the region now boasts some outstanding vini da meditazione, wines so good they should be drunk with religious respect. Joy is not only to be found in the restrained sipping of august bottled vintages, but also in the enthusiastic quaffing of young, local wines.

whites

The Marche's pride is Verdicchio, made from the local grape with the same name. This green-tinged wine with a distinctive bitter finish goes well with the region's Adriatic fish. Like Soave, it is among Italy's best-known dry whites, and it has come a long way since the commercially successful but mediocre Verdicchio of twenty years ago. The two DOC (the official Italian equivalent of the French Appellation Contrτllιe) versions are - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica. The other Marche DOC whites are Bianchello del Metauro and Colli Pesaresi Bianco from the north, Esino Bianco and Colli Maceratesi Bianco from central Marche, and Falerio from the south.

back to top

reds

While the Marche is known world-wide for its white wine, the region also makes some outstanding reds. Around the Conero peninsula, Rosso Conero, made from the Montepulciano grape, is a rich, perfumed wine that often reaches greatness and boasts the coveted DOCG description on its label. Rosso Piceno, and the even better Rosso Piceno Superiore from the south, blend Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes. A red sparkling oddity is Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, normally a sweet dessert wine but also available in a drier secco version; this is Le Marche's other DOCG wine. Other Marche DOC reds are Sangiovese dei Colli Pesaresi around Pesaro, Esino Rosso and the delicious intensely-scented Lacrima di Morro d'Alba, both from central Marche, and Colli Maceratesi Rosso from around Macerata.

back to top

distilled liqueurs and wines

Marche’s traditional distilled liqueurs Mistra and Anisetta derive from the practice of aromatising alcohol distilled from grapes with aniseed essence. Mistra is high in alcohol, rich in aroma and has medicinal qualities. Anisetta is sweeter and, in Ascoli Piceno, is a classic liqueur served at the famous Caffe Meletti in the city’s Piazza del Popolo. Vino Cotto and Vin Santo are the products of the inland rural tradition and are conserved using special natural processes. Vin Cotto is made by boiling grape juice to produce a substance that is more stable, sweeter and stronger. It is to be found in every farmer’s cellar but brought out only on very special occasions. Vin Santo, found further north, is sugary, fragrant and has the consistency of a liqueur. It is produced using uva passita (grapes left to dry in the wine cellar), a slow fermentation process and an extremely long ageing period. It is excellent with specially made dry biscuits and with cheese. Vino di visciola is made from wild cherries fermented together with local red wine to give an aromatic liqueur.

back to top

email info@tastelemarche.com or call +39 338 4754549 or +44 (0)7909 684931 to speak to us