Showing posts with label marche. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marche. Show all posts

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  • Date publishedWednesday, July 3, 2024

Tenute Pieralisi Villaia Classico Superiore Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2021 (Marche) - Wine Review

white wine review is a lovely organic and vegan Verdicchio white wine from Marche. It is brand-new to the LCBO, arriving on shelves across Ontario and online, and featured as a Refreshing White in the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Tenute Pieralisi, an estate winery that was established along with Monte Schiavo winery in 1976 by one of the most famous families of entrepreneurs and winemakers in the Marche region. The estate is situated at Scorcelletti within the commune of Maiolati Spontini, in the province of Ancona, which is the heart of the classic production area of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.

With innovation in their DNA, the Pieralisi family's attachment to the land and region has guided the family's path since 1888, when Adeodato Pieralisi founded the first workshop for the maintenance of agricultural machinery. Today, Tenute Pieralisi boasts wine production excellence thanks to land that is particularly suited for viticulture and cutting-edge processes, while under the guidance of first-class oenologists and master winemakers who aim to guarantee taste and high-quality.

At Tenute Pieralisi, the key to quality products is genuineness. As such, they are forever guided by their deep respect for the land and its natural processes, with authenticity at the origin the key to quality products. Tenute Pieralisi is certified as Organic Farming, while also fully complying with the rules for the production of Vegan wines. All the wines come from the large, 20 hectare Colle del Sole vineyard which surrounds the winery. The short distance between the vineyard and the winery significantly reduces the time from harvest to pressing, thus allowing only the best of nature in the winemaking process and preventing the alteration of natural aromas and flavours. The alluvial soil in the vineyard is rich in fine gravel, with a high content of clay and limestone, and a fair amount of organic matter. The microclimate is a product of the influence of the sea to the east, the sun, the breezes, the rainfall, and the protection of the Apennine mountains.

Named "Villaia", this white wine's name has its origins from the rural tradition of the Marche region, where the threshing-floor outside rural houses was not just where the grain was threshed, but also the centre of the family's social activity. As Verdicchio wine was always present in the convivial moments of country life in Marche, Tenute Pieralisi would like to re-evoke these traditional country rites with Villaia's natural typicality.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Verdicchio that was grown in the Colle del Sole vineyard, which is located in the municipality of Maiolati Spontini in central Marche. The vines were cultivated on the eastern part of the hill on 4 hectares of soft, hilly terrain, at an average altitude of 120 metres
above sea level. The vines were trained using the Guyot system on soil that is rich in clay and silt. After hand-harvesting and selecting the grapes at the end of September, it underwent a spontaneous alcoholic fermentation for approximately 50 days in a stainless steel vat, at relatively cool temperatures. The wine was then aged on its fine lees for about 6 months prior to bottling.

The 2021 growing season in Marche began with a spring that was characterized by very little rainfall and low temperatures, with a few frosts. The summer was warm and dry, with continuous high temperatures. Rain arrived at the end of August, which also brought significant diurnal temperature shifts. Overall, the vintage delivered great quality, albeit with slightly reduced yields. Let's see how this 2021 Verdicchio from Marche is tasting tonight...

Tenute Pieralisi Villaia Classico Superiore Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2021 (90+ pts)

Tasting Note:

TENUTE PIERALISI VILLAIA CLASSICO SUPERIORE VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI 2021 - Vegan, DOC, Marche, Italy (#36551) (XD) - $24.95
This organic and vegan white wine has elegant, medium-high to high intensity aromatics of ripe orchard fruit (apple, pear), grapefruit citrus, wild herb, and lemon aromas with underlying leesy minerals wafting out of the glass with impressive depth. On the dry, medium+ bodied palate it has lovely ripe orchard fruit, grapefruit, wild herb, and citrusy replays, plus pithy, honeysuckle, and saline flavours adding complexity. It has crisp, lively acidity, along with some spice touches and a very finely textured mouthfeel on the mid-palate. Savoury, leesy, and saline mineral notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines by Tenute Pieralisi can be ordered through their Agent - Rare Earth Wines.


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  • Date publishedSaturday, January 20, 2024

Fazi Battaglia Passerina 2022 (Marche) - Wine Review

white wine review is a lovely wine crafted with the ancient and indigenous Passerina grape varietal. It is brand new to the LCBO and arrived on shelves across Ontario today as part of the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Fazi Battaglia, a winery that was formed in 1949 by the union of two families - Fazi and Battaglia. It was founded in a small cellar in the town of Cupramontana, in the Province of Ancona, within the region of Marche, but grew into an historical wine brand only a few years later after the Angelini family got involved. In particular, it was the efforts of Francesco Angelini, founder of a pharmaceutical company and mayor of Ancona.

Angelini and Fazi Battaglia are known for their Verdicchio wines that are bottled in an amphora-shaped bottle which was inspired by ancient Etruscan containers. In the 1950s, this uniquely shaped bottle would make the little-known Verdicchio immediately recognizable, as well as be an image that would be linked not only to the winery, but also to a grape variety and the whole territory. Investments in improving the vineyard quality and a strong belief in Verdicchio also played an important role in the success of the grape, the winery, and the wine-producing region of Marche.

Today, Fazi Battaglia is back in the hands of the Angelini family as they pursue the road towards quality and innovation that they started in the 1950s. They are also taking on the role of great interpreter of the authentic identity of Italian winemaking. The philosophy at Fazi Battaglia is focused on respect for territorial suitability and promoting the identity of native varieties with transparency and precise production. The winery facility has been completely renovated, while retaining the original external architecture. In the cellar, the new smaller tanks will allow Fazi Battaglia to separate batches to enhance differences in soil, clonal selection, and vineyard exposure. With integrity and transparency, research and innovation, and exploring new production methods, Fazi Battaglia always remains anchored in tradition. While Fazi Battaglia is committed to promoting the Marche territory and synonymous with Verdicchio, they also produce wines using other Italian varieties.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Passerina, an ancient and indigenous grape variety grown traditionally and primarily in the central Italian wine region of Marche. The small grapes grow in medium-to-large clusters and are considered a high-yielding variety. For this wine, the Passerina grapes were grown on sunny hillside vineyards in Marche and picked by hand. After undergoing cold maceration in the press, the grapes were softly pressed and then fermented in steel tanks. It was aged on its fine lees for 4 months and then bottled. Let's see how this Passerina from Marche is tasting tonight...

Fazi Battaglia Passerina 2022 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

FAZI BATTAGLIA PASSERINA 2022 - IGT Marche, Italy (#36275) (XD) - $16.95
100% Passerina. The lovely, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose is quite complex and evolving in the glass with delicate mineral, lemon citrus, peach, apricot, and stone fruit aromas, plus spice and herbal notes. It has good weight on the dry, medium+ bodied and fleshy palate with ripe, lightly honeyed flavours of lemon citrus, peach, stone fruit, and melon flecked with leesy minerality. It has a finely textured mouthfeel, along with juicy well-balanced acidity. Leesy mineral notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

The Verdicchio by Fazi Battaglia is available at the LCBO, while other fine wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedThursday, February 9, 2023

Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2020 (Marche) - Wine Review

white wine review is an organic and consistently delicious white wine from Marche. It arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Umani Ronchi, a family-run winery that was established in 1957 when Gino Umani Ronchi set up a small farm at Cupramontana, the heart of Verdicchio Classico country in Marche. In 1968, Roberto Bianchi and his son-in-law Massimo Bernetti acquired the property and brought new energy to the estate's production and improved the quality of the wines. Massimo soon expanded the estate's area under vine to 210 hectares, most of which was nestled between the hills and sea, along the Adriatic coast on the eastern side of central Italy in Marche and Abruzzo. Massimo was joined by his son, Michele, in the 1990s and together with input from university research centres, they began exploring advanced vine cultivation and winemaking techniques, while also identifying the best grape-growing sites.

Today, Michele and his technical team continue to fine-tune all of their wines, resulting in a range of new products, while paying great attention to existing wines. He has partnered with Giacomo Tachis, a skilled winemaker known for celebrated wines like the Solaia and Sassicaia. Umani Ronchi continues its innovative spirit with all of the vineyards are farmed organically, by technical choice, because organic means quality. Umani Ronchi is driven by strong ethics and respects the environment, with sustainability at top of mind in every aspect of the business.

This white wine is crafted with 100% Verdicchio that was grown on the hills of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. The vineyards are between 8 to 30 years old and situated between 200 and 350 metres above sea level, on opposite sides of the Esino Valley, while the soils go back to pleiocene-pleistocene formations and characterized by being very deep, medium-calcareous clay loams. The grapes were hand-harvested with particular attention paid to determine the right moment to harvest, when there was the best balance between sugar content, phenolic ripening, and acidity. It was vinified by lightly pressing the grapes and undergoing fermentation in temperature-controlled steel tanks. After ageing the wine on its own lees for about 5 months, it was then aged in bottle for a few months prior to release.

Looking through my notes, I had actually tasted this particular vintage a couple of times in the second half of last year, and both times it was delicious, with consistent notes. The 2019 Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore which I tasted a couple of years ago was also lovely! Let's see how this 2020 Verdicchio from Marche is tasting in early 2023...

Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2020 (89 pts)

Tasting Note:

CASAL DI SERRA VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2020 - DOCG, Marche, Italy (#268169) (XD) - $19.95
Switched from screw cap to Nomacorc for this vintage. The medium-high intensity nose is faintly perfumed with attractive ripe lemon-lime citrus, melon, and peach aromas with whiffs of florality. There good weight and concentration on the dry, crunchy, medium-full bodied palate with deliciously ripe lemon-lime, apple, melon, white floral, and leesy flavours in a lightly honeyed profile. Acids are juicy, vibrant, and well-balanced. Nicely textured on the mid-palate, while leesy mineral notes linger on the long, succulent finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Umani Ronchi are available at the LCBO and through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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  • Date publishedSaturday, July 31, 2021

Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2019 (Marche) - Wine Review

wine review is a lovely organic white wine from Marche, Italy, that arrived on shelves at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.

This white wine is crafted by Umani Ronchi, a family-run producer whose story began with Gino Umani Ronchi setting up a small farm in 1957 at Cupramontana, in the heart of Verdicchio Classico country in Marche. A few years later, the Bianchi-Bernetti family acquired the property and brought new energy to the estate's production. Over the next several years, Massimo Bernetti expanded the estate's area under vine to 210 hectares, which are nestled between the hills and sea along the Adriatic coast on the eastern side of central Italy in Marche and Abruzzo, while also improving the quality of the wines. By the 1990s, Massimo was joined by his son, Michele, and with input from university research centres, they began exploring advanced vineyard and cellar management techniques, while also identifying the best grape-growing sites. Today, all of the vineyards are farmed organically, by technical choice, because at Umani Ronchi, organic means quality. Umani Ronchi is driven by strong ethics and respects the environment, with sustainability at top of mind in every aspect of the business.

This Casal di Serra white wine was first produced in 1983 and was one of the first truly "selected" Verdicchio from the area. It was initially crafted from the best grapes in the Montecarotto vineyard, and was later enriched with grapes from three other plots situated in the most suitable areas for cultivating Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. The DOC Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi translates to "Verdicchio of the Castles of Jesi" and refers to the numerous hilltop villages that dominate the region in the province of Ancona.

For the 2019 vintage, this 100% Verdicchio was grown on a hillsides between 200 and 350 meters above sea level, on opposite sides of the Esino Valley. The vines are between eight and thirty years old and grown on soils that go back to Pleiocene-Pleistocene formations, and characterised by very deep, medium-calcareous clay loams. The grapes were hand-harvested, fermented in steel tanks, and rested on its own yeasts for 5 months prior to bottling. Let's see how this 2019 is tasting tonight...

Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2019 (90 pts)

Tasting Note:

CASAL DI SERRA VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO SUPERIORE 2019 - DOC, Marche, Italy (#268169) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. This 100% organic Verdicchio has a lovely, fragrant, and open nose of lemon citrus, yellow and stone fruit with touches of yellow floral and earthy, saline mineral aromas. The palate is full with excellent fruit concentration and lovely lemon citrus, white stone fruit, herbal, and yellow fruit flavours with touches of leesy mineral and almond adding further interest and complexity. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, Very good length with leesy, saline minerals lingering on the finish. Highly recommended buy. Score: 90 pts

Other delicious wines from Umani Ronchi can be found at the LCBO, or through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.


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