Episode 163: May’s Grape Gab – Getting Geekio With Verdicchio
We are geeking out on the Verdicchio grape in May’s Grape Gab. Verdicchio is important to Italy’s Le Marche and makes diverse, interesting styles of wine. There were also some fun tidbits that emerged from this discussion. What else emerged? This month’s giveaway winner!
In Our Glasses (1:10)
Steph:
2016 Villa Bianchi Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC ($11)
2015 Belisario’s “le Salse” Verdicchio di Matelica DOC ($15)
Val:
2016 Azienda Santa Barbara, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC ($12)
Getting into the Verdicchio Grape Gab (5:53)
Verdicchio is a white grape. It’s significant because it’s responsible for about 60% of wine production in Le Marche, Italy.
“Little green one” is the rough translation for Verdicchio’s name.
Where it Grows (6:24)
Its origins are believed to be in the Veneto where it is known as Trebbiano di Soave or Turbiana. In the event a Soave DOC wine wants to bring other grapes to the minimum 70% Garganega party, up to 30% of those guest grapes can be Trebbiano di Soave, as well as Chardonnay.
Verdicchio made a name for itself in Le Marche in the 15th century after the plague wiped out much of the region. However, there is a legend that goes back to the 4th century and the king of the Visigoths, Alaric (370-410), who marched on Rome. Alaric was believed to have hooked up his troops with 40 mules to haul barrels of Verdicchio to maintain their strength (d’Agata, 2018).
We suspect the Verdicchio was to supplement the strength of the troops, not the mules. Maybe the mules were Verdicchio connoisseurs, who knows. We aren’t judging history here.
Regional Rap Bonus on Le Marche (8:53)
Le Marche one of Italy’s 21 wine regions, bordered on the west by Umbria, Tuscany, and parts of Emilia Romagna.
To the north is Emilia Romagna, San Marino, and the Adriatic Sea (also to the east).
South is Abruzzo, Lazio, and Umbria.
What’s interesting about this region is there are as much northern influence as southern because Le Marche is right between the two.
From the Marche Mountains to the Sea
Mountains comprise 31% of the region, so they get snow. The rest of the region is (69%) hills. Plains practically are nonexistent, although there is a long coastline along the Adriatic.
Summers are hot, winters are cool, and the autumns are moderate to allow for ripening, generally. The springs are warm and rainy.
From the mountains to the sea, there are two important growing areas showcasing Le Marche’s Verdicchio wines.
Castelli di Jesi
Castelli di Jesi is about 20 miles from sea with a much milder, Mediterranean climate. We should note it is also about ten times larger in terms of vine plantings than Matelica.
Wines from Castelli di Jesi are going to be more ripe with flavors of stone fruit and be somewhat softer and more approachable in youth. Yields have been cut back over the years to crank up the character volume.
Matelica
Matelica growing zones are mountainous and farther inland, closer to Umbria, so there’s more of a continental climate. Naturally the acidity of this grape shines, and flavors show more citrus, like lime. Tree fruit and herbs are also present.
As for the wine styles, both regions also make dry, age-worthy wines, as well as sparkling and sweet or passito styles.
Other Growing Areas (13:30)
Verdicchio is also used in other appellations around Le Marche, its surrounding neighbors in Abruzzo, Umbria, and Tuscany, and other regions to the north and south of Le Marche.
It can be found in the Veneto, and Northern Italy. This grape gets around and can be found in Brazil, Malta, and California.
Grape Name Calling (13:46)
Around Italy, Verdicchio goes by many other aliases. First, the more descriptive names: Verdicchio Bianco, or Verdicchio Giallo, Verdicchio Doratello, Verdicchio Verde, Verdicchio Stretto, and Verdicchio Peloso,
Entering the fray to get in on the confusion discussion are Trebbiano Verde and Trebbiano Valtenese. Don’t forget Trebbiano di Verona (yes, that Verona) and these characters:
- Trebbiano de Soave (yes, that Soave where they call it Trebbiano Nostrano – but not to be confused with Trebbiano Toscano).
- Lugana or Trebbiano di Lugana (yes, that Lugana, also called Turbiana here)
- Angelica, Verdone, Boschera, Pfeffertraube, Pievana and Peverella holla back as well. Peverella is used in Northern Italy and Brazil.
There are at least a dozen more names for this grape.
Verdicchio In the Glass (15:44)
- Appearance: Straw with green tinges when young
- Nose: Light, not overly pronounced in aromas, but will typically have fruit notes of citrus, tree fruit, stone fruit, floral, and herbs
- Palate: Dry, moderate to high acidity, medium body, flavors of green apples, lemon, mandarin, quince, lime, nuts. Note the bitter almond finish.
There are more golden, full-bodied and aged styles as well. The fresher apple and tree fruit notes shine more. Herbal hints are still there, as is the acidity and a toasted almond finish.
Resources & Learn More
D’Agata, I. (2018, February 14). New Releases from the Marche: Life Beyond Verdicchio? Vinous. Retrieved from http://www.vinous.com/articles/new-releases-from-the-marche-life-beyond-verdicchio-feb-2018
Robinson, J., & Harding, J. (2015). The Oxford companion to wine (4th ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Robinson, J., Harding, J., & Vouillamoz, J. (2012). Wine grapes: A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours. New York: Ecco.
Wino Radar (18:40)
From Steph: “Right next to the Verdicchio bottles at the liquor store was a bottle of Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, also from Le Marche, for $17. This will be a #W25Challenge for me since I’ve never tasted it and really know nothing about it. The red grape called Lacrima means “tears” and is a reference to the grape’s tendency to spill tears of juice when its skin is easily torn. Lacrima di Morro d’Alba wine is supposedly Beaujolais-like, meaning light and fruity. When I open it, I’ll post it on our FB Community page.”
From Val: An Italian lesson!
Our friend Jeremy from Do Bianchi has this great Italian Grape Name Pronunciation Project. We actually chatted about this in Episode 68: Do Bianchi, Per Favore!
Dall’uva also has a quick reference list of grapes and wine regions, as well as a guide to the Italian language and how various letters and sounds come together.
Shoutouts (22:05)
Thank you to the listeners that are requesting to join our private community FaceBook page and truly participating!
Steph was introduced to a listener in Fort Collins at a non-profit event. Her name is Morgan Vanek and she loved our Gewurztraminer episode! Wonderful to meet you, Morgan, and thanks for listening!
Patreon Love (24:24)
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Monthly Giveaway (25:50)
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Connect: (27:54)
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#W25BookClub Announcement!
Tangled Vines : Greed, Murder, Obsession, and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California, by Frances Dinkelspiel. This book was selected by our very first patron Meg in South Dakota, and she will be leading the book discussion in July. Stay tuned for that episode and go buy yourself (or borrow) the book. We all have plenty of time to indulge in the story and share some opinions.
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