Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2024

The Tenute San Sisto - Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore cuvée comes from the heart of the classic Castelli di Jesi area, in the Marche, between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea. The vines, located on the estate's lowest plots, closest to sea level, are planted on sandy, silt-rich soils. The climate, tempered by sea breezes and sheltered by the inland hills, gives Verdicchio a steady ripening that preserves its freshness.

The vines, with an average age of ten to fifteen years and trained in Guyot, yield Verdicchio grapes harvested when ripe. Vinification takes place entirely in stainless-steel tanks, where the wine matures for around four months in order to preserve the brightness of the fruit and the natural tension of the grape variety. It then benefits from three months of bottle ageing before release, without any oak.

This wine reveals notes of apple, pear, lemon, white peach, broom flowers, anise, fennel and almond. The fresh, expressive nose combines white-fleshed fruit, yellow flowers and aniseed touches. The rich, sapid and mineral palate rests on lovely acidity and extends into a pleasant almond finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!