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The Verdicchio Grape


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About Verdicchio

(Synonyms: Angelica, Boschera, Boschera Bianca, Lugana, Pevarise, Peverella, Peverenda, Pfefferer, Pfeffertraube, Pievana, Trebbiano di Lonigo, Trebbiano di Lugana, Trebbiano di Soave, Trebiano di Verona, Trebbiano Nostrano, Trebbiano Valtenesi, Trebbiano Verde, Turbiana, Turbiano, Turviana, Verdetto, Verdicchio Giallo, Verdicchio Marchigiano, Verdicchio Peloso, Verdicchio Verde, Verdone.)

Background

Map showing the Marches region of Italy.

The formal name of this variety is Veredicchio Bianco, though it is commonly just called Verdicchio. Verdicchio is a white-wine grape probably originating in Italy’s Veneto region (around Venice), but possibly the Marches region (but modern opinion holds that it migrated from the Veneto to the Marches); it is a very old variety and its long history makes definite assignment difficult. Moreover, it has at many times and in many places, been called “Trebbiano Something-or-other”, though it is not a member of the Trebbiano group of wine grapes. As the list of synonyms above shows, it has indeed been known under many names (and the identity of grapes thus called with Verdicchio Bianco has only been proved definitively by relatively recent DNA analysis).

(Pronunciation: ver-DEE-kee-o.)

Today, Verdicchio is mainly grown in its “new” (since the 15th century or so) home in the Marches, notably in the DOCs of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica. The wines made in those two DOCs are nominally from the same grape variety, but adaption over the centuries has led to some differentiation, and there are biotype differences between wines from the two DOCs.

(More recently, a variety long classed as a biotype of Verdicchio Bianco has been recognized by DNA analysis as a true, distinct variety. The vines of this grape are grown almost wholly around Lake Garda, and the winemakers there have adopted the name Turbiana—long used as a local synonym of Verdicchio—for the grape, and are aggressively marketing its wines as such. We cover that grape on its own, though the classification is so recent that many sources do not discuss it separately from Verdicchio.)
“Fish” bottle

Broadly speaking, a Verdicchio will have crisp acidity and a lemon overtone to the nose and flavor, and many leave a sort of bitter-almond after-taste (a quality prized by Italians). They display terroir well, and are considered age-worthy. Noted Italian-wine expert Ian D’Agata, in his excellent book Native Wine Grapes of Italy, states that “Verdicchio is arguably Italy’s greatest white grape variety” (the other two competitors being Garganega, whence Soave wines, and Fiano). As he further remarks, that may surprise many people, owing to the sad history of rather dire Verdicchio wines long being made, and sold, on the cheap, often in cutesy “fish” bottles (example shown at the right). But treated at all decently, it makes remarkably good wines.

Factoid: Re winemaking district “Castelli di Jesi”: the Jesi were an ancient tribe and their fourteen castelli were hilltop towns—not castles— to which they would retreat when threatened.

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Some Descriptions of Verdicchio Wines

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Some Verdicchios to Try

(About this list.)

We have not here segregated out di Matelica, dei Castelli di Jesi, and other regional differences, save that we omit any “Verdicchio Lugana” wines because we now all know that those are actually a different grape, Turbiana.


Sanrocchetto Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
(Ignore its “fish” bottle shape.)

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.



Andrea Felici Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
(This is their basic bottling, not their “Il Cantico della Figure”.)

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.



Sartarelli “Tralivio” Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.



ColleStefano Verdicchio di Matelica
(Don’t confuse this with any of their sparkling—Spumante—Verdicchio renditions.)

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.



Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore
(They bottle both a “Riserva Classico” and a plain “Azienda Agricola Bucci” this is the former, so don’t confuse them.)

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker review pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.

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For a Splurge

Our nomination is the Andrea Felici “Il Cantico della Figura” Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva Classico.

• This wine’s Wine Searcher “Reviews” page.
• This wine’s CellarTracker pages.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by Wine Searcher.
• Retail offers of this wine listed by 1000 Corks.

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This page was last modified on Saturday, 30 October 2021, at 11:26 pm Pacific Time.