LE MARCHE

Small is beautiful

A little light info to get us all started on Le Marche:

Regional Vineyard:

Total Vineyard Size:

16,917 hectares – total regional vineyard including Quality wines, Table wines & Table grapes

Dedicated to Quality

10,376 hectares | dedicated to producing grapes for Quality wines.

Notable Cru/Zones:

Castelli di Jesi

Colli Maceratesi

Conero

Esino

Falerio

Lacrima di Morro

Matelica

Offida

Pergola

Piceno

San Ginesio

Serrapetrona

Wine Style/Quality:

% Red

50.8%

% White

49.2%

% DOP / IGP

From recent 2013 figures an estimated 33% of wines from Le Marche are produced according to EU DOP/PDO Quality standards. The region produces 20 DOP wines including 5 DOCG and 15 DOC wines. They also produce 1 IGP wine accounting for 19.5% of production. Table wines account for 47% of output.

LE MARCHE – NATIVE GRAPES

As always, a number of the regions native grape varieties are used only for blending purposes. That said we’ve listed those grapes which we understand might be available as mono-varietals or which are important blenders. Naturally as we make our own discovery we’ll update these lists.

NATIVE REDS

GAGLIOPPO DELLE MARCHE

LACRIMA DI MORRO D’ALBA

VERNACCIA NERA*

NATIVE WHITES

ALBANELLA

BIANCAME

BIANCHELLO del Metauro*

MACERATINO

PASSERINA

PECORINO

VERDICCHIO BIANCO

The grape so-called ‘Bianchello’ turns out to be none other than the Biancame. It’s just that the wine from Metauro is called Bianchello. And so by default, locally the grape also took on the name Bianchello. Nice.

Interestingly you’ll find Verdicchio popping up in Veneto as Trebbiano di Soave.

Confirmed as being identical to Spain’s super native Garnacha. Yet locals in Le Marche, and particularly those of Serrapetrona, feel there’s something particular to their variety. Hmmm. Interesting taste tests coming up.

OUR STATSOURCES

  • ISTAT – Italy’s Istituto Nazionale delle Statistiche (Census 2010 / Vineyard Production Figures 2013)
  • AIS – The Association of Italian Sommeliers
  • Istituto Marchigiano di Tutela Vini
  • ‘I Numeri del Vino’ – Marco Baccaglio’s top Italian blog – lots of numbers :)
  • Wine Grapes – Robinson, Harding & Vouillamoz – lots of great grape stuff – BUY IT !
  • Native Wine Grapes of Italy – Ian D’Agata – extensive info – Highly recommend the purchase !
  • Lavinium – Italian wine, food & culture. Brilliant. Only in Italian. Great reason to learn italian. www.lavinium.com

VINTAGE INFORMATION

All data is intended to be for indicative purposes only due to the variability from vintage to vintage. But we do try to keep ourselves reasonably updated :)

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