Central Italy - Marche Flashcards
1
Q
overview of Marche
A
- borders e-w are Adriatic Sea and Apennines (Tuscany)
- n is Emilia Romagna, s is Abruzzo
- mainly red wines from Sangiovese and Montepulciano and white from Verdicchio. The reds are 3 x Verdicchio which used to be the region’s main grape
- mainly inexpensive/ mid priced (Riserva’s premium)
- broadly Mediterranean, inland more continental
- soils like Tuscany (limestone, clay, free-draining yet enough water retention for vines in summer
2
Q
the 4 grapes of Marche to remember
A
- Sangiovese (22% of plantings)
- Montepulciano (19% of plantings)
- Verdicchio (14% of plantings)
- Pecorino (not in top 6)
3
Q
Verdicchio in the vineyard
A
- needs space as first 4 buds sterile, so planted at low densities and trained long (Guyot or pergola)
- late ripening, retains high acidity, but needs long time to ripen fully for high quality, so risk of Autumn rains
- prone to mildew and bunch rot
4
Q
flavour profile of Verdicchio (in Marche)
A
- pale lemon
- medium(-) aromatic white flower, apple, lemon, fennel and almond notes with a slightly bitter finish
- high acidity, medium body
- range from acceptable to outstanding
- most avoid malo to preserve crisp acidity, but some riservas malo for creamy acidity; lees aging in old oak for texture (not oak flavours). These wines can age for decade + , developing dired fruits/ mushroom tertiaries
5
Q
compare the two main DOCs of Verdicchio in Marche
A
- Castelli di Jesi DOC (CdJ) low hills west of Ancona: clay/ limestone, Mediterranean, floral, fruity, wines
- Verdicchio di Matelica DOC (VdM) high Apennine foothills: sandstone/ fossils, less clay, faster draining continental, hot days, cold nights, long ripening, acidity
- Castelli di Jesi ten x bigger than Matelica
- CdJ yields 98hL/ha (v Matelica’s 91 hL/ha)
- CdJ Classico Superiore 77 hL/ha - more concentrated
- both CdJ Verdicchio Riserva DOCG and Matelica Riserva DOCG min 18mths ageing (not nec in oak)
- Mat Riserva min 12.5% abv, fuller body, higher acid, less overtly fruity
6
Q
pros and cons of Pecorino in the vineyard (in south of Marche and further south in Abruzzo)
A
-
Pros:
- __high disease resistance
- ripens early, so avoids autumn rain
- can be vinified before other local varieties making space in winery
-
Cons
- like Verdicchio sterile buds nr trunk, so trained long
- low productivity (but clonal selection is addressing this)
- high (14.5% alcohol), but balanced by high acidity
7
Q
flavour profile of Pecorino (becoming popular in last 20 years)
A
- herbal notes (sage, thyme, mint)
- crisp apple and pear fruit
- medium body
- high acidity
- high alcohol
- some released early to retain primary fruit, minority 12-18mths in old oak for additional texture
8
Q
most Pecorino is sold as Marche IGT, but what is the DOCG in Marche for the grape?
A
Offida Pecorino DOCG
9
Q
what are the issues with Montepucliano in the vineyard and the winery?
A
- powdery mildew
- needs long season to ripen fully to avoid bitterness
- ripens unevenly within bunches so careful sorting (cost) or lower quality
- reductive during winemaking so requires frequent aeration to avoid development of off odours
- care must be taken to avoid extracting too much tannin
- medium intensity fruity style 4-5 days
- pronounced, oaked style around 20 days
10
Q
what are the differences between Rosso Piceno DOC, Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC and Offida Rosso DOCG?
A
- Rosso Piceno DOC large area in middle Marche 35-85% Montepulciano, some Sangiovese
- Rosso Piceno Superiore DOC 13 townships in south of region, min higher alcohol, 1 yr ageing
- Offida DOCG 100km s of Ancona 85-100% Montepulciano, 24 mths ageing, at least 12 in aok
11
Q
wine business of Marche
A
- 2/3 domestic, 1/3 exported (US, Canada, China, Japan)
- Verdicchio now overtaken by Pinot Grigio from other regions
- IMT consortium represents most of region and promotes the wines, both domestically and exports
- Significant private companies incl Umani Ronch (70% exported) and co-ops Moncaro (exports 55%)
