(2023) The 2020 vintage of this wine from the Adriatic coast was a Wine of the Week, and the 2021 a Wine of the Month. So what of this new 2022 vintage? The recipe is the same: from a vineyard in the Apennine mountains that's now almost 60 years old, fermented with wild yeast and minimal sulphur, and spending enriching time on the lees. The 2022 is another crystalline white wine with beautifully honeyed overtones. Stefano Zoli crafts these wines with impeccable attention to detail. A tinge of bronze to the colour, but shimmering with green apple acidity that is married to a peachy mid-palate and a wreathing, mineral smokiness. Another beautiful iteration of this wine.
(2022) I loved the 2020 vintage of this wine and made it my Wine of the Week, but this 2021 ramps up the zing and intensity to a remarkable new level. From the Adriatic coast and vineyards in the foothills of the Apennine mountains, cool conditions and a 55-year-old vineyard combine to make a wine of tremendous natural concentration. The theoretical cross of a peach, lime and mandarin orange, it bursts across the palate with such verve, with a pink grapefruit tang of zesty acidity flowing through the finish. Fabulous stuff.
(2022) A blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano from vineyards in the Marche region of eastern Italy, this has typically brisk Italianate acidity that gives it a savoury and fresh profile. Fruit is cherryish with a light earthiness, tannins are modest and the overal balance is on the lean side, but that would make t an excellent pasta or pizza-basher. Watch the video for more information.
(2022) Matelica is a DOC in the Marche region of Italy, specifically for the Verdicchio grape variety. On the Adriatic coast east of Tuscany, vineyards are set among the Apennine mountains, ensuring cool conditions and significant diurnal temperature shift. Here, Stefano Zoli hand-crafts this wine from a 55-year-old vineyard, five months on the lees adding a yeasty, lightly bready and salty aspect to the aroma which is otherwise pristine with lemon and yellow apple fruit. There's a surprising intensity and fruit sweetness on the palate, quite a rich texture too from that lees ageing. Orange and pink grapefruit dominate the flavours, with delicate but insistent acidity. A delightful wine of considerable length. Available by the six-bottle case priced £86 in-bond. Approximate per bottle price quoted.
(2017) The grape here is Bianchello (stockist The Daily Drinker never ceases to surprise me with new varieties). Though some authorities say it is a local Marche synonym for Trebbiano, others disagree confident that it is a variety all of its own. It has quite a deep greeny-gold colour, and quite a waxy, attractive nose suggesting waxy lime skins and apple peel, and a tiny floral note. On the palate it is full-textured and full flavoured, a really nice bitter almond bite to the finish, and a white wine with a bit of substance.
(2015) Tesco's recent press tasting majored on wines that had been rounded down in price to nice even .00 and .50 prices. They also showed a lot of wines in the sub-six pound category, of which this was one of my favourites: snappy and fresh with an apple core dryness though relatively neutral, softly herbaceous and vegetal notes begin to add some complexity and then the sweetness of the fruit emerges on the palate, with a tangy finish that is very appealing as a general purpose house white.
(2006) Lightly herbal with a touch of nettle and some oatmeal notes. The palate has lots of vivacious, racy lemon fruit that has zesty acidity and finishes very fresh. Needs some seafood.
(2003) The mineral rich soils are said to make the Verdicchis of Matelica quite different from those in the better-known Castelli de Jesi. This has an appealing pale gold colour, and a nose that suggests oatmeal, straw and nuts and a little honey, along with fine apple fruit and, yes, a touch of minerality. On the palate it is quite rich-textured, with a crisp, clean fruit quality of apple and underripe melon, and plenty of racy acidity. This has a lovely sense of elegance and class, with whistle clean fruit and that herb and nut character pushing through into a long finish.
(2002) Quite elegant nose of velvety fruit, some blackcurrant and a touch of bittersweet dark chocolate. Quite dense and chunky, this has plenty of stuffing and character, and though only moderately long, has balance and great appeal.
The 2020 vintage of this wine from the Adriatic coast was a Wine of the Week, and the 2021 a Wine of the Month. So what of this new 2022 vintage? The recipe is the same: from a vineyard in the Apennine mountains that's now almost 60 years old, fermented with wild yeast and minimal sulphur, and spending enriching time on the lees. The 2022 is another crystalline white wine with beautifully honeyed overtones. Stefano Zoli crafts these wines with impeccable attention to detail. A tinge of bronze to the colour, but shimmering with green apple acidity that is married to a peachy mid-palate and a wreathing, mineral smokiness. Another beautiful iteration of this wine. 