2023 Cantine Belisario, `Vigneti B` Verdicchio di Matelica

Cantine Belisario is a 300-hectare cooperative winery in the Matelica DOC, Marche, founded in 1971, where the only permitted grape is Verdicchio. The co-op owns 24 hectares of organically farmed vineyards, inland from the Castelli di Jesi DOC, where the climate is more continental. Here, the combination of warm days and cool nights extend the growing season, allowing the grape's aromatics to develop. As a result, harvest occurs as late as the second half of October. These vines are the source of Cantine Belisario’s organic ‘Vigneti B’ Verdicchio.

Grapes for their ‘Terre di Valbona’ are sourced from vineyards planted between 350 and 450 metres above sea level. The single vineyard ‘Vigneti del Cerro’ Verdicchio shows an extra level of richness and depth on the palate. Their Riserva, ‘Cambrugiano’, is fragrant with lovely depth and texture, highlighting Verdicchio’s potential to create complex white wines. The Rosso Conero DOC, made solely from Montepulciano, is full and ripe, while the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba has a lovely floral character.

The Verdicchio grapes are sourced from a 20 hectares vineyard, in the Lancioni Calle town located on a south-facing hillside, at an altitude between 420 and 620 metres above sea level. Soil here is made mainly of clay and the vines, planted between 2005 and 2006, are Guyot trained and organically grown.

The 2023 vintage was characterised by a significant drop in production, primarily due to adverse weather conditions, with excessive rainfall in May and June, which favoured the spread of downy mildew. Fortunately, the quality of the small amount of grapes harvested was very good. Cooler temperatures and the wide day-night temperature ranges allowed the grapes to develop a good aromatic profile.

Grapes were both hand and machine picked and selected in the vineyards. Once picked, the grapes were fermented for 20 days at 14-16 C°, in stainless steel tanks. The must then underwent hyper oxygenation to avoid the use of sulphites. Post fermentation, the wine was aged for five months in 100HL stainless steel vats.

A complex example of Verdicchio di Matelica, straw yellow in colour with golden highlights. On the nose, it shows interesting aromas of golden apple, pink grapefruit and wax. On the palate, it is soft and round, with a persistent finish.