The 6 hectares of the San Nicolò vineyard are located in the heart of the Verdicchio D.O.C, 200 meters above sea level. The varietal has been vinified in this area since the 15th century.
Having produced excellent Verdicchio for three generations, the Brunori family has achieved a perfect balance of tradition in the vineyard (no chemicals, hand-harvesting, respect of the sandy soils) and innovation in the cellar (soft-pressing and microfiltering). The result is a wine of structure and fleshiness, with beautiful aromatics and a lovely, nutty finish.
This is also a wine for aging – 5 to 8 years – taking on more complex layers of aromas and textures.
Regional History
The Marches were part of a territory that extended inland along the eastern bank of the Tiber River and up north all the way to the Po Valley. The Umbri and the Picentes occupied the area during early Paleolithic times.
Colonized and organized by the Romans in the 3rd century B.C., the area was invaded by the Goths after the fall of the Roman Empire. In the 6th century, the northern part of today’s Marches came under Byzantine rule. In the 8th century, the region was donated to the papacy in two steps, first by Pepin the Short, the first Carolingian king of the Franks, in 754 and then by his son Charlemagne in 774.
Today’s region reaches from the eastern slopes of the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea. Among the reds, the Rosso Conero and the Rosso Piceno are particularly appreciated. The limestone-rich soil of places like the Mount Conero, combined with the dry maritime climate, give the Montepulciano grape their characteristic flavor.
The Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi wines complement perfectly local dishes such as rich seafood stews.
Regional Foods
Two distinct cuisines have evolved in Le Marche, as they have in other regions along the Adriatic: a coastal one based on fish and vegetables, and an inland one based on lamb, pork and mushrooms.
The tremendous variety of fish, shellfish (including Lobster, which is unknown elsewhere in Italy), vegetables and herbs has produced hundreds of simple dishes whose intent is to highlight the immediacy and freshness of these ingredients, e.g.: Brodetto marchigiano (fish stew with white wine and saffron) and muscioli all marinara (steamed mussels dressed with olive oil, herbs and lemon).
Pig is king in the foothills of the Apennines and mushrooms are hunted from April to December. Porchetta (suckling pig), sausages, salami and local prosciutti abound.
© Moore Brothers Wine Company