The Unrealized Potential of Marche
BY ERIC GUIDO |
Marche is best described as a cascading series of foothills and river valleys that begin along the spine of the Apennines and steadily descend toward the coast of the Adriatic Sea. However, Marche is also so much more than that. Mountains or coastlines are visible from nearly any vantage point. In all those locations, hills are drastically steeper than expected. To the south, we reach Abruzzo and the higher elevations of Colline Teramane, where we find the likes of Emidio Pepe and his world-class wines across the border. To the west, the mountains connect Marche to Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany, while providing cooling air currents that balance the warm Mediterranean days. Finally, to the north, Romagna is celebrating a Sangiovese renaissance. That begs the question: What is holding Marche back from making world-class wines?
Looking east from Le Terrazze with the Adriatic coast in sight.
To this day, with the exception of a small number of red wine producers, Marche’s renown is sustained by the continued success of Verdicchio from both the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico and Verdicchio di Matelica DOCs. Considering the mirror image of mountains to coastlines that the region shares with its neighbor in Tuscany, the success of Montepulciano to the south and Sangiovese to the north, it’s easy to assume that Marche should excel with reds. In the Rosso Conero DOC and Conero Riserva DOCG located on the coast, east of Jesi, we find what many consider to be the region's best hope of producing high-profile wines. The clay-limestone-rich soils, higher-elevation vineyards around Monte Conero and the Mediterranean climate make this a perfect location for the Montepulciano grape, which can be blended up to 15% with Sangiovese. This is also the northernmost location in Italy that can produce Montepulciano. (It is here that Antonio and Georgina Terni of Le Terrazze have mastered the production of international varieties such as Merlot, Syrah and even Chardonnay.) Besides a short list of standouts, such as Le Terrazze, Umani Ronchi, Garofoli, Malacari and Moroder, there are very few Rosso Conero wines that warrant readers’ attention. In other words, the potential is there; producers just need to take advantage of it.
The same can be said about much of the larger Rosso Piceno DOC. The growing area for Rosso Piceno extends from the southern tip of Marche up past Jesi, allowing for 35–70% Montepulciano and 30–50% Sangiovese (along with 15% other red varieties). While Rosso Piceno can often be depended on for slurpable, value-oriented wines, it’s also within this region that we encounter Oasi degli Angeli and their Kurni, one of the region's top cult reds year after year. Then there is the Offida DOCG which was separated from the Rosso Piceno DOC in the south of the region just twenty years ago and has been trying to prove its worth with Montepulciano-based reds, along with some very interesting Pecorino. Producers CIU' CIU' and Poderi San Lazzaro are worth checking out. Finally, the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba DOC is located on the Adriatic coast north of Jesi. While most consumers associate Lacrima with easy-drinking, violet-tinged and fruit-forward reds, I see considerable potential in the variety. Check out the old-vine Mariasole from Lucchetti. I long for the day that a tasting of Marche reds leaves me feeling impressed instead of just looking to a few producers that really shine amidst a sea of averageness.
Even though Marche’s red wines have not risen to the occasion as a whole, it would be a shame not to check out the producers who surpass expectations. The wineries mentioned in the previous paragraphs have been hard at work to prove the potential of the region. In many cases, their wines also represent tremendous value for consumers.
Looking out across the hills of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.
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Overall quality in Marche has never been higher. However, my feeling is that many producers have yet to fully realize the potential of this diverse region. I often left my tastings this year wondering what red and white varieties might be able to achieve here.
