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Looking at LE MARCHE - Sommeliers Choice

Our wines this month are from the little explored region of Le Marche on the Adriatic Coast. The region east of Tuscany and Umbria between the Apennines Mountains and the Adriatic Sea is un-spoilt by mass tourism and produces 13 DOC wines. The food of the region features mushrooms, truffles, game, nuts and field herbs from the mountainous regions and superb fish from the coast.  

2005 ‘Plenio’ Verdicchio dei Castello di Jesi, Classico Riserva, Umani Ronchi, Marche
This particular style of wine has been one of my most desirable as it generally only arrives in the country in very small quantities. Verdicchio grape has been grown around the hills of Jesi since the 8th Century in Marche on the East coast of Italy. It was only since the 1950s due to an effort by the local wine industry to improve yield that the grape has had resurgence. As a table wine the grape shows a delightful rounded texture. The Riserva Plenio comes from a select parcel of fruit, with one third being fermented in new barriques, the rest in stainless tank. This contributes to the wonderful, waxy, lanolin like mouth feel & texture. Medium bodied, the fruit spectrum ranges from light stone fruit, figs, paw paw & guava with the oak component providing a back bone of nutty toasty characters, complimented by a fine mineral finish. All these characters contribute to this wine gracefully complimenting our Pumpkin & Ricotta Gnocchi as well as Chef’s latest decadent creation, Guinea Fowl & Leek Ravioli.
2005 ‘San Lorenzo’ Rosso Conero DOC, Umani Ronchi, Marche
Although Montepulciano (no relation to town) is more recognised as the primary red grape of Abruzzo, it still maintains a strong presence in Marche, as well as central Italy all the way down the coast to Puglia. The generous fruit component of this grape produces elegant medium bodied wines renowned for its soft tannins. The 2005 San Lorenzo fulfills the mould set by previous vintages. Its delightful perfume of fragrant crushed violets, forest berries, Morella cherry, leads from the nose to the palate with a touch of tobacco, following through with soft earthy tannins. The generosity of fruit also makes this style of wine particularly approachable at a young age and for my taste, some of best value red wines from Italy. The palate weight makes this the perfect accompaniment for Chef’s dish of slow cooked pressed Lamb, the scotch fillet of Beef, as well as the Stracci with Lamb tomato & porcini.
Writing this selection takes me back to my trip last year, reminiscing about the simplest fare, antipasto (Hand cut Salumi & Pecorino by Nana) washed down with a carafe of local table wine in a small farm house cottage on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.
To simplicity & local knowledge!  (Excuse my indulgence.)
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