Good Things From Italy - Le Cose Buone d'Italia

Si tratta di una vecchia varietà a bacca bianca, originaria del sud delle Marche come indicato nel bollettino ampelografico del 1875. Appartiene al gruppo dei “vitigni italici”, caratterizzato da un grappolo più o meno serrato, di medio piccole dimensioni, con un acino piccolo e uniforme dalla buccia sottile. Il Pecorino germoglia presto, la maturazione procede …

Maybe it is just a coincidence, but here I am writing for the first time about Marche wines other than Verdicchio and my bulldog, whose name is Verdicchio, is a little nervous. But he has no reason to be jealous because my love for that wine is eternal. The fact is a proper journalist cannot ignore white wines that are rapidly gaining popularity among wine lovers, those made from Passerina, Pecorino and Trebbiano grapes, both single-grape wines and blended ones. Wines that owe much of their success to the recent, very strong interest in indigenous grapes, for which Italy is undoubtedly the world leader. Unfortunately, many here apparently have not understood this and seem to be doing everything possible not to invest in them as much as they should. In order to understand this reality I needed Virgil who could guide me though the sweet hills of Piceno in search of those small producers who over the past decade have dedicated themselves to making wine from these grapes. [...]

Anyway, you did read the headline correctly, in this case I’m not talking about Pecorino the Cheese. I’m talking about the grape that’s native to Marches in Italy. It’s also listed as 0ffida-DOC - 0ffida is a municipality in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Marches Region. Pecorino is a rare find because it’s an extremely difficult grape to grow. It’s low yielding and ripens early. It also needs the nose bleed seats to ripen. Because it’s so damn difficult to cultivate, it lost popularity with growers and dropped out of favor about 50+ years ago.
Well, I’m glad someone is holding on to its roots. Because throughout this strange lineup, this very unknown grape was a great discovery and was the one that stood out of the pack. Which is interesting because on the label they have an illustration of a lamb. Who’d of thunk the lamb would turn out to be the lion of the pack!
The notes: This lamb is a Saladini Pilastri Pecorino 2010. No... there’s no cheese flavor in this wine. This is a full bodied white with a very clear pale straw color. Amazingly intense nose of tropical fruits and a hint of nuttiness. In the mouth some bright citrus acidity to start, then yielding a nice soft silky mid-palate with hints of almonds and hazelnuts. Finally, wrapping up this ride with some white pepper spice and a slight hint of ginger on the finish. Lots of minerality throughout which leaves you with a fresh and clean mouth feel after every sip. A wonderfully complex white wine and may prove to be my favorite this season to cool me down during what might be another hot summer. They say this one is best consumed young... it’s so tasty, there’s no problem with storage because you’ll be running out of your stash before you know it.
And if this matters to you and I know it might to some... this is a Certified Organic Wine.
I found this on sale the day of the tasting at Stew Leonard’s Wines for just under $10. Yeah, I know... what a great find! So stock up on this lamb if you find yourself bored with the standard whites this coming summer...

While Italy is one of the largest producers of wine in the world, its whites are often regarded as simple. Four regions in central Italy are making an effort to add more character and flavour to their white wines: Umbria, Italy's land-locked region famous for its Orvieto; Emilia-Romagna, home of Parma ham, Parmesan cheese and Bolognese sauce; Marche (pronounced mar-kay) and Abruzzo, two mountainous regions hugging the coastline.
Pecora, the Italian for sheep, gives it name to both the Pecorino grape and Italian cheeses made from sheep's milk. While an ancient grape variety, its tiny yields made it non-commercial and almost extinct until saved in the 1980s. Grown mostly in Marche and Abruzzo, its high acidity matches well with oily and creamy dishes.

Trebbiano is often added to a blend of more flavoursome grape varieties to perk up the acidity and add freshness. It is popular with olive oil-dressed salads with chicken, white fish or cheeses.

Verdicchio is derived from verde for the tint of a green hue the almost colourless wines can have. [...]

It’s appropriate that the country producing both the greatest quantity and greatest variety of wine in the world should also host the globe’s largest wine show.

Over 4,200 wineries and 140,000 wine lovers gathered last week in the literary home of Romeo and Juliet, which seems fitting as the event is frequently billed as “another love story in Verona.”

What follow are some Italian grape varietals that you may not have heard of, but your palate is sure to be rewarded by making the effort to seek out these wines.

Lacrima di Morro d'Alba

The name means teardrop and the grape is found in the central east coast region of Le Marche. Typical aromas of roses with wild strawberries and a beautiful juicy vinous character. Used to produce still red wines, sweet wines and unique and delicious sparkling.

Pecorino

Mostly found in Le Marche and Abruzzo regions resulting in white wines with fresh and delicate aromas, full on the palate with mineral notes, some fresh herbs and citrus.