Pronunciations – vair-dee-kee-yo
Verdicchio is the flagship white grape variety of the Marche Region in Central Italy, being the most planted white grape. It is also present but less known and cultivated in other central regions of Italy, such as Umbria and Lazio.
Verdicchio is believed to be indigenous to the Marche region, where it is used in the two most important white wine denominations of the region: DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) Verdicchio di Matelica and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva and Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva.
A minimum of 85% of Verdicchio has to be used to be classified within both the DOC and DOCG, but actually these denominations are almost always made by 100% Verdicchio.
Verdicchio then shares some characteristics in common with other Italian grape varieties such as Trebbiano di Soave or Trebbiano di Lugana; they are in fact supposed to be clones of it.
Verdicchio is gaining popularity as a fine wine with high acidity and long-life potential ageability. Thanks to this and its versatility (it can be vinified sparkling, dry or even sweet) the number of wineries that train and vinify Verdicchio have been growing in the last few years.
Verdicchio Tasting Notes
As stated above, Verdicchio is a very versatile grape variety capable of making almost all of the scale of sweetness and range of wines, from sparkling to sweet. In fact, its notable high acidity, together with the capability and the expertise of the winemakers of the region, make its grape variety a very attractive option for consumers and wine lovers.
In youngness, and when aged only in stainless steel tanks, Verdicchio has a very high acidity and attractive notes of white flowers like chamomile or blossom, green citrus fruits such as lemon, lemon grass or pear, together with a fascinating bitter end, reminiscent of almonds. The more structured examples are aged for several months in oak, and therefore rounded, bolder with flints of smokiness, cream pat and vanilla but at the same time keeping its acidity high. This is the characteristic all Verdicchio share, together with the typical bitterness at the end of each sip.
From medium (young) to full body (with some less contact or aged in oaks) with high acidity and typical ABV in % from 12 to 14.
Verdicchio Styles
Verdicchio is gaining higher and higher reputation within the category of the longest living white wines in Italy. It’s not uncommon to see bottles of both dry DOC or DOCG Verdicchio go beyond 15 or 20 years of bottle aging. This is due to the natural high acidity of the grape, the soil, the exposure of the vines to the sun and the high diurnal range (difference between day and night temperatures) of the land, especially in Matelica.
Wines from this restricted area (only 8 communes in the provinces of Ancona and Macerata) show distinctive aromas of citrus fruits and almonds, higher acidity and less alcohol in general than the wines from the other denomination, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.
More structured expressions of the wine come from less contact or oak aging. Some producers, especially for the DOCG, are used to aging their wines in large oak casks or small barrels, depending on the style they are looking for.
Fizzy Verdicchio made using the Tank or Traditional method are catching on with the consumer and producers. These styles can range from simple, easy drinking fruity wines, to more structured with less aging, often blended with international grapes like Chardonnay.
Sweet Verdicchio wines are also made in tiny productions, often obtained using late harvests methods, reflecting its versatility and capability to cover all the scale of sweetness, from dry to sweet.
Verdicchio Classifications
The main two are DOC and DOCG, both in the Marche region in Italy.
DOC: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi – Verdicchio di Matelica
DOCG: Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva – Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva
When To Drink Verdicchio
Verdicchio is lovely throughout the whole year. During summertime, when we are enjoying our Italian holidays near the sea having fried fish, a bottle of sparkling or young dry Verdicchio to forget the stress of the office work. During the winter, try a glass of sweet late harvest Verdicchio at a family dinner after a slice of your favorite cake to have the best sleep!
Service temperature depends on the style of wine you are drinking: for the tank or traditional methods sparkling Verdicchio is 6-8°C (42-46°F), dry young Verdicchio slightly more around 8-10° (46-50°F), more structured expressions with oak aging or late harvests 10-13° (50-55°F).
Best Years To Drink Verdicchio
As said before, Verdicchio Is one of the longest living Italian white wines. It can easily reach 10 or more years of aging in bottles, with the best expressions from the high rated producers in the best years, coming to more than 20 years.
With age, these wines become more complex, the sharp acidity will be softened and the primary fruits will be turned into tertiary, riper and dried fruit characteristics. By the way, it’s important to follow the basic rules on how to properly store a bottle of wine (no direct lights, constant humidity, no vibrations, cool temperatures)!
Verdicchio Average Prices
Verdicchio can range from wines you can find for $5 in supermarkets, to the best expressions, long lived thought, for around $50.
Fun Facts About Verdicchio
The name Verdicchio takes its origin from the color of the grape: “verde” which in fact, means “green” in Italian.
The name Verdicchio and the wine have been associated for decades with the typical Amphora shaped bottle.
A late harvest Verdicchio 2007 has been served within the menu of the 2016 Nobel Banquet!