Saturday 29 December 2012

Passerina white wine of Le Marche

Le Marche is a region of Italy that makes some really lovely wines that are relatively unknown in other parts of Italy, let alone the wider world. One of the lesser known wines which is typical of Le Marche is the white passerina which is produced in the south of the region, predomiminantly in the Ascoli Piceno province.
The passerina grape variety has been grown in Le Marche from ancient times but is now also grown in small amounts in the Italian regions of Abruzzo, Emilia Romagna and Lazio.
Passerina is one of the four typical white wines of Le Marche region along with the more common verdicchio and also the falerio and pecorino white wines, there is also a lovely slightly sparkling passerina whch is only produced in very small quantities.

La Marche è una regione dell'Italia che produce alcuni dei migliori vini del paese, nonchè ancora relativamente sconosciuti all'estero, ed alcuni perfino al di fuori del territorio regionale. Uno dei vini meno conosciuti ma tipico della regione è il Passerina che viene prodotto nel sud della regione, principalmente dell'area dell' Ascolano.
Questa varietà di vitigno viene coltivata nella regione Marce da migliaio di anni ma è anche presente, seppur in quantità ridotte, in altre zone della penisola come l'Abruzzo , Emilia Romagna ed il Lazio.
La Passerina è uno dei quattro vini bianchi tipici delle Marche insieme con il molto più conosciuto Verdicchio e anche il Falerio ed il Pecorino nonchè una varietà di Passerina leggermente frizzante che però è prodotta in quantità davvero ridotte.





Passerina grapes are relatively small but produce wines with high levels of acidity and sugars which give a very clear, balanced wine, perfect for serving with fish dishes and poultry.
The wine is characteristically dry with aromas of flowers, wild herbs, almonds, also with hints of honey and peach, this is why this lovely wine is becoming increasingly popular with wine lovers both in Italy and the UK where it is starting to be imported in larger quantities.
There are now many small producers of passerina wine in Le Marche and one of our favourites is Vini Centanni from near Montefiore, this family run winery produces a large range of organic wines all of which are typical of the Le Marche region.
The falerio and passerina white wines produced by Vini Centanni have consistently proved popular in wine tastings arranged by Vinitours and Sagraitalia in London and Norwich in the UK. Visits to the Vini Centanni vineyards and winery is one of the specialised tours that Vinitours can offer clients in 2013, as well as tours, tastings and workshops at many of the best wine producers in the Marche region.

Il grappolo della Passerina presenta acini di piccole dimensioni ma che sono in grado di produrre un vino dall'alto livello di acidità e zuccheri, dal colore chiaro, ben bilanciato e perfetto per abbinamenti con portate di pesce e carni bianche.
Il vino è tipicamente secco con aroma di fiori, erbe selvatiche, mandorla ed una nota di miele e pesca. Un mix che sta rendendo questo vino sempre più popolare tra gli amanti ed intenditori tanto italiani che stranieri, in particolare negli UK dove l'importazione sta ora iniziando ad espandersi su larga scala.
Oggi ci sono molti produttori di passerina sul territorio marchigiano, in prevalenza medio-piccoli, ed uno dei nostri preferiti è sicuramente Vini Centanni vicino Montefiore, azienda a conduzione famigliare che produce una serie di vini fortemente legati al territorio per storia e tradizione.
In particolare i vini bianchi Falerio e Passerina prodotti da Vini Centanni sono risultati fortemente apprezzati dal pubblico inglese durante degustazioni organizzate da Vinitours e Sagraitalia a Londra e Norwich.
La possibilità di visitare le vigne e l'azienda Centanni è una delle molte offerte e possibilità facente parte dei tour organizzati da Vinitours per il 2013, così come tour, degustazioni e workshop in alcune delle migliori aziende del territorio marchigiano.


Saturday 24 November 2012

Rosso Conero wines of Le Marche

The most famous red wine of the Le Marche region of Italy must be the full bodied Rosso Conero which is a fabulous wine grown in the area surrounding the regions capital city of Ancona. Rosso Piceno is the other famous red wine from Le Marche and these two red wines make up the majority of the red wine produced in this region of Eastern Italy.
The Conero is the name of the small mountain on the Adriatic coast just south of the city of Ancona and is the most well known landmark in this beautiful region of Italy extending out into the sea and you first see this iconic mountain with the surrounding port and docks as you fly in to the regions main airport at Falconara.
The land on the slopes of Monte Conero and also the surrounding area in that part of the Le Marche region are perfect for the cultivation of the Montepulciano grape and also the area has a near perfect micro climate for growing this variety of grape.

Il vino rosso più famoso della regione Marche è probabilmente il Rosso Conero che è prodotto nell'area che circonda la provincia di Ancona a ridosso appunto del Monte Conero. Il Rosso Piceno è l'altro vino rosso di punta della regione ed insieme questi due rossi corrispondono alla maggior parte della produzione di rosso delle Marche.
Il Rosso Conero prende il suo nome dal Monte che si affaccia direttamente sul mare a ridosso del capoluogo Ancona ed è anche uno dei siti naturali e balneari più famosi della regione e della costa Adriatica. Il terreno nei pendii attorno al Conero così come l'area circostante in questa parte della regione, costituiscono l'ambiente dove i vitigni che costituiscono il Rosso Conero vengono coltivati,e tra le varietà si annovera in particolare il Montepulciano.




Rosso Conero is a wine appellation of this part of central Le Marche region and the wine is made up of a minimum of 85% Montepulciano grapes, the remainder normally comprising the Sangiovese grape variety.
There is a tale that the Rosso Conero wine dates all the way back to when Hannibal was crossing Italy and marching on Rome that he provided his war weary army and even the horses Rosso Conero wine!
The DOC classication was awarded in 1967 and the vines are grown on the mineral rich chalky and clay soils on the slopes of Monte Conero and also the immediate area in the present day Ancona province of Le Marche.

Il Rosso Conero di denominazione controllata proviene esclusivamente da questa zona d'Italia ed è costituito da un minimo di 85% di Montepulciano ed il restante 15% generalmente di Sangiovese.
La tradizione storica di questo vino si rintraccia fino ad Annibale e la sua discesa nella penisola alla volta di Roma e si racconta che il Rosso Conero fosse il vino che sia i soldati che gli stessi cavalli bevessero durante la campagna militare!
La denominazione DOC è stata conferita nel 1967 per i vitigni che crescono sul terreno ricco di minerali quali il gesso e l'argilla di cui gli altopiani del Conero sono costituiti. Inoltre la presenza così ravvicinata del mare contribuisce in modo significativo alla particolarità ed unicità di questo vino della provincia di Ancona.




The wines are powerful, full bodied ruby reds with intense aromas and colours with flavours of black cherries,blackberries and herbs.
At present just over 200 hectares of land is given over to the vineyards in seven municipalities including Ancona, Numana, Sirolo and Offagna and the wines are increasingly being exported to other parts of Europe  mainly to Germany and Holland.
Rosso Conero is particulary suited to strong meat dishes, such as beef stews, steaks and game dishes, but also is perfect with strong salami and a wonderful local Le Marche cheese Pecorino di Fossa which is found throughout the region.
With food the wonderful white Verdicchio from the same area of Marche pairs perfectly with the robust red Rosso Conero and we at Vinitours are hoping to promote this fabulous red wine in London and other parts of the UK and Holland in 2013.

Il vino si presenta di un intenso e pieno colore rosso rubino, con un aroma intenso che richiama note floreali ma anche di ciliegia, mora ed erba.
Al momento poco più di 200 ettari di terreno è impiegato per la coltivazione di questo vino, in un territorio che si snoda tra sette diversi comuni della zona che includono tra gli altri Ancona, Numana, Sirolo e Offagna con un aumento costate dell'esportazione in Europa, prevalentemente Olanda e Germania.
Il Rosso Conero è particolarmente adatto per piatti importanti di carne rossa come arrosti, stufati e bistecche ma è anche indicato con salami e con formaggi a lunga maturazione come il Pecorino di Fossa tipico della regione.
Con i piatti tipici regionali il Verdicchio, vino bianco della stessa area, si accompagna perfettamente a questo rosso all'interno anche dello spesso parto durante le differenti portate, e noi di Vinitours stiamo lavorando per la promozione di questo vino negli UK durante questo inverno e anche in Olanda a partire dalla prossima primavera.



Saturday 27 October 2012

La Marca di San Michele Wines

In the Le Marche region of eastern Italy there are many producers of the Verdicchio white wines which are so typical of this part of Italy. Increasingly many of the Verdichhio wines in this region are being made by using organic methods of production and now a very few of the smaller more dynamic producers are starting to make wines using only biodynamic methods of viniculture.
One such producer now making a range of  biodynamic Verdicchio white wines is the small artisan wine maker La Marca di San Michele who are based near the pretty town of Cupramontana in central Le Marche.

Nella regione Marche, nella parte est dell'Italia, possiamo molti produttori di Verdicchio, essendo questo vino bianco tipico della regione. Sempre più produttori della zona stanno concentrandosi sull'utilizzo di tecniche di coltivazione e produzione organici ed una ristretta fascia di produttori su tecniche biodinamiche.
Uno di questi produttori, che si sta ora concentrando su una linea di Verdicchio biodinamico, è La Marca di San Michele situata nella cittadina di Cupramontana nella provincia di Ancona.




The gentle rolling hills and mild micro climate of this area of Le Marche is perfect for the production of Verdicchio wines and it is believed that wine making dates back to the Carmolite monks who first established themselves in this area in the 12th Century.
The Bonci family first owned a vineyard in this area at the beginning of the 20th Century when land was purchased by Domenico Bonci and since then the family Bonci has increased the size of the vineyards substantially.
In 2006 Alessandro and Beatrice Bonci created a new company focused on producing wine only by organic methods from six hectares of land seperate from the other Bonci vineyards. Alessandro and Beatrice now aim to be a producing fine Verdicchio wines from a fully biodynamic vineyard by early next summer 2012.

Le colline di questa zona e le particolari condizioni micro-climatiche rendono l'area perfetta per la produzione  del Verdicchio che in questa zona risale ad 12esimo secolo ad opera di una congregazione di monaci Carmelitani che qui avevano il loro monastero.
La famiglia Bonci ha acquistato la prima vigna in quest'area all'inizio del '900 ad opera di Domenico Bonci e da allora la famiglia ha portato avanti la produzione di Verdicchio incrementandone notevolmente la varietà e l'estensione.
Nel 2006 Alessandro e Beatrice Bonci hanno creato una nuova azienda incentrata sulla produzione esclusiva di vino con modalità biologiche rilevando sei acri delle vigne di famiglia. Alessandro e Beatrice ora portano avanti un progetto di produzione di Verdicchio secondo modalità interamente biodinamiche.


This excellent small artisan wine producer makes only two fine Verdicchio wines, Il Pigro and Capo Volto, with a total production of only 2,500 bottles for Il Pigro and around 6,500 for Capo Volto. 
Il Pigro is aged in barrels for nine months and then released twenty months after the original harvest, CapoVolto is aged on the lees in stainless steel for eight months and then for a minimum of six months in the bottle.
Both wines are dry with a delicate citrus bouquet and a slightly acidic finish, offering the consumer two wonderful examples of the Verdicchio white wines from Le Marche.

Questa eccellente piccola azienda produce al momento due tipologie di Verdicchio, Il Pigro ed il Capovolto per una produzione totale di sole 2.500 bottiglie per Il pigro, ed all'incirca 6.500 per il Capovolto.
Il Pigro è invecchiato in botti di legno per nove mesi e poi passato in bottiglie per un totale di 20 mesi di invecchiamento. Il Capovolto è invecchiato otto mesi in botti di acciaio e poi passato il bottiglia per un minimo di 6 mesi prima dell'immissione sul mercato.
Entrambi i vini risultano freschi e delicati con note di cedro e leggermente acidi sul finire ed entrambi offrono al consumatore due magnifici esempi di produzione di Verdicchio dalle Marche.

Monday 8 October 2012

Biodynamic wine

The interest in Biodynamic wines from Italy and other parts of Europe has been growing in the past couple of years as consumers search for wines which have a greater depth and structure which are a characteristic of wines grown by biodynamic methods of agriculture. Olive oils also produced in this way are also increasingly being sought out by consumers who wish to eat and consume oils grown by passionate producers in Italy and elsewhere.
Importers in the UK such as Selezione Zanotto of London already sell wines mostly produced by organic methods and also a selection of excellent natural wines, but they also now import and sell a biodynamic red wine from Tuscany which is proving popular with customers in London.

L'interesse per il vino Biodinamico  proveniente dall'Italia e altri parti d'Europa è cresciuto notevolmente nell'ultimo paio di anni in quanto il consumatore ricerca maggiormente vini che possiedono grande profondità e struttura che sono le principali caratteristiche dei vini coltivati usando il metodo Biodinamico. Anche gli oli d'oliva prodotti con questa metodologia stanno diventando sempre più ricercati da consumatori che desiderano gustare olio cresciuto e prodotto da produttori appassionati in Italia e nel resto d'Europa.
Importatori nel Regno Unito come Selezione Zanotto a Londra, già vendono vini principalmente prodotti secondo metodo organico nonché una selezione di eccellenti vini completamente naturali, ma stanno ora iniziando anche ad importare e vendere vino rosso interamente biodinamico proveniente dalla Toscana che sta avendo un buonissimo successo di pubblico e, in collaborazione con noi, ci aspettiamo presto anche dalle Marche.





Vinitours together with Olivaverde are very active in promoting both biodynamic wines and olive oils from Italy and from regions such as Le Marche, Umbria, Toscana and Puglia. We are working closely with the Biodynamic producers and associations both in Italy and the UK to arrange tasting and social events in the winter of 2012 and all through 2013 and beyond, further details and news will be coming along very soon!!

Vinitour insieme con Olivaverde sono molto attivi nella promozione di vino ed olio extra vergine d'oliva biodinamici dall'Italia ed in particolare da regioni come le Marche, l'Umbria, la Toscana e la Puglia. Stiamo attualmente lavorando a stretto contatto con produttori ed associazioni biodinamici sia in Italia che nel Regno Unito al fine di organizzare una serie di degustazioni ed eventi durante la stagione invernale 2012, durante tutto il 2013 e speriamo anche nel corso dei prossimi anni. Informazioni e dettagli saranno presto disponibili!!

Monday 1 October 2012

Falerio wine from Le Marche

The most well known white wine of the Le Marche region is the Verdicchio which is produced throughout the region and also in parts of Abruzzo, but another fabulous but lesser well known wine is the Falerio variety which is from the south of the region.
The Falerio wines are produced in small quantities in a designated area south of the central Ancona Province and two other varieties of white wine are also produced in this southern area, the Passerina and the Pecorino. The Falerio dei Ascolani designation is a special wine appellation of the southern area of the Le Marche region which dates from 1975 but updated by law in 2003.
The Falerio wines must by law must contain only grapes from the Pecorino, Passerina and Trebbiano varieties and the area of production must be in the coastal belt of the region bordering the Adriatic and include the towns of Ripatransone and Offida, together with the many small villages in the area such as Carassai, Montefiore, Ortezzano, Montalto and Monterubbiano.

Il vino probabilmente più conosciuto delle Marche è il Verdicchio che viene prodotto in svariate zone della regione ed anche in alcune parti dell'Abruzzo, ma un altro fantastico benchè meno conosciuto vino bianco è il Falerio prodotto principalmente nel sud della regione.
Questo vino è prodotto in piccole quantità in una particolare area a sud della provincia di Ancona ma la produzione principale è nelle provincie di Ascoli e Macerata. Il Falerio dei Colli Ascolani viene introdotto a tutela da norma di legge nel 1975 con ultima modifica nel 2003.
Il Falerio per regolamentazione deve essere prodotto solo da uve delle varietà Trebbiano, Pecorino e Passerina, che danno a loro volta il nome ad altri tre vini della zona. L'area di coltivazione deve essere a ridosso della costa, in particolare nella zona tra Ripatranzone ed Offida passando per piccole aree come Carassai, Montefiore, Ortezzano, Montalto e Monterubbiano.




It is believed that the name Falerio originates from the Roman village of that name and shows a link back to the Picenum region of Italy, today we believe that this is the site of the very beautiful Le Marche vilage of Falerone just inland from the city of Fermo.
The wine is light and fresh on the nose and palate and is believed to have been grown and produced to accompany the many fish dishes that are common in this area of Le Marche, but it also goes well with chicken dishes, lamb and pork.
Vinitours along with Livinginlemarche now help promote and market this superb white wine in the UK and northern Europe and one of the producers that we work with is the small Azienda  Vini Centanni  which is located near the vilage of Montefiore del Aso. We believe that this organic producer makes some of the best examples of Falerio and other southern Le Marche wines and are working closely to promote tours and tastings in 2012 and beyond.

Sembra che il nome di questo vino provenga da un villaggio dell'epoca Romana ma le cui origini posso a loro volta essere rintracciate nel precedente periodo di dominazione nella zona del popolo dei Piceni. Un'altra versione accreditata è una derivazione del nome del vino dal villaggio di Falerone, nella zona interna vicina alla città di Fermo.
Il vino all'olfatto ed al gusto risulta leggero e fresco e viene comunemente associato a piatti di pesce della tradizione locale ma può anche essere accostato a carni bianche quali pollo e maiale e persino all'agnello.
Vinitours in collaborazione con Livinginlemarche stà ora iniziando la promozione di questo rimarchevole vino bianco in Inghilterra e nord d'Europa promuovendo in particolare una medio-piccola azienda, Vini Centanni,  nei pressi di Montefiore dell'Aso. Siamo convinti che quest'azienda produca uno degli esempi più raffinati di Falerio insieme con le altre tipologie prodotte, e collaboreremo insieme a loro nel prossimo futuro nella promozione del vino tramite degustazioni nonchè alla creazione di appositi tour enogastronomici nell'arco del prossimo anno ed oltre.




Tuesday 25 September 2012

Lacrima di Morro D'Alba wine from Le Marche

This lovely red wine from the Ancona province of the Le Marche region is hardly known outside of the region and is produced from the Lacrima grape variety. DOC regualtions allow for up to 20% of the wine to be made from Montepulciano or Verdicchio grapes but in fact most producers make 100% varietal wines.
In the wine making process dried grapes are added after the first racking which is only rarely used in the production of red wines, the other time it is normally used in wine production is in the making of Valpolicella.
The area from which the wine comes is just inland from the Adriatic resort of Senigallia in the central part of the Le Marche region.


Questo particolare vino originario della provincia di Ancona nella regione Marche è molto consumato nella sua zona di produzione ma, allo stesso tempo, poco conosciuto all'infuori della stessa. Essendo un vino protetto dal marchio DOC, per regolamento solo il 20% delle uve può venire dalle varietà montepulciano o verdicchio ma di fatto la maggior parte dei produttori produce una tipologia 100% autoctona.
L'aria geografica da cui viene il vino è la campagna a ridosso della costa anconetana, nella zona a ridossa tra Ancona e Senigallia.







It is thought that the Lacrima grape acquired its name because the shape of the bunches of grapes resemble tears of which lacrima is a derivation. But it could also be that this variety of grape has a skin that splits easily and so weeps juice onto the grape bunches which again look like tears, but a definitive answer will never be found!
Lacrima di Moro D'Alba is a full bodied wine with a slightly thick texture and has sof rounded tannins, the overwhelming feature when tasting the wine is the smell of flowers, particularly roses. 
The wine is the perfect for meat dishes, particularly lamb and pork, maybe not so well paired with beef cuts line steaks, but it is even nice to have it with game and full flavoured poultry dishes. The ideal temperature to serve it is between 15 and 18 C.

Il nome di questo vino deriva secondo tradizione, da una particolare caratteristica dell'acino stesso, per la quale al momento della sua completa maturazione, l'acino produce una piccola fuoriuscita di succo dall'attaccatura come appunto una piccola lacrima.
Questo vino è molto corposo e strutturato, con un gusto pieno ed un colore rosso rubino intenso. All'assaggio risulta subito chiara la nota floreale, in particolare di rosa.
Il vino  è un perfetto abbinamento per i piatti di carne, in particolare agnello e maiale, ma anche con piatti strutturati di carne bianca e la cacciagione locale. Va servito ad una temperatura ambiente tra i 15 ed i 18 gradi


Saturday 25 August 2012

Vernaccia di Serrapetrona

Le Marche has many lovely white and red wines such as the Rosso Conero and Verdicchio but it also has a less well known sparkling wine, Vernaccia di Serrapetrona which was the first DOCG wine in the region.
Vernaccia is a white wine grape that is found in many Italian wines and it is thought that the vine has many clonal varieties such as the grapes used in the Tuscan wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
The Marche wine is only produced in very small quantities and is among the most limited wine productions in Italy. It comes from a very small district in the Le Marche region from which the wine takes its name and it is normally a produced as a Spumante, obtained by natural fermentation and unfiltered.




The Vernaccia vineyards are located in the district of Serrapetrona, in the province of Macerata and also close the the city of Macerata itself.
At present there are less than fifty growers and they cultivate less than fifty hectares and only four of these producers bottle this wine in the sparkling version. the wine is made using three fermantations and normally 50% is made from air dried or Passito grapes which are air dried up to ninety days, then crushed and fermented for another thirty days. The two wines are then blended together and a third fermentation begins which lasts for a period of seven months, this is done in stainless steel tanks using the Charmat method.
the DOCG guidelines require that a minimum of 85% Vernaccia di Serrapetrona grapes are used from which a minimum should be 35% of the Passito grape.




The wine is ruby red in colour with a fine sparkle, with a sweet and delicate fragrance and a slight bitter background taste. It is normally 11.5% by alcohol and is used as a dessert wine in Marche but also makes a refreshing drink on hot summer days!!
As there is very little of this wine produced it is noramally very hard to source outside of the Marche region but Vinitours  hopes to work closely with the association of Verncaccia producers to bring clients in the UK and the rest of Europe access to this undiscovered gem.





Saturday 28 July 2012

Rosso Piceno wines of Le Marche

The Le Marche regions white and red wines are still relatively unknown in the UK,other parts of the world and also in many parts of Italy, this is a great pity as the region produces some excellent wines and the red Rosso Piceno is one such wine.
The red wines which are mainly produced in the region are the Rosso Conero, Rosso Piceno and Lacrima di Moro d'alba plus a small amount of the lovely red sparking Vernaccia di Serrapetrona which is produced in the centre of the region.
Rosso Piceno is a DOC wine and was the first DOC in the Marche region. The wines are usually produced in the south of the region, in the areas around the towns of Offida and Riptransone, but the grapes are also grown and some excellent wines produced in the central area of Marche closer to the regional capital of Ancona.
Rosso Piceno Superiore is produced in much smaller quantities and is only allowed to be produced in only 13 small areas or municipalities. The wines differ from the normal Rosso Piceno in that they are aged in wood to give them more character and more pronounced flavours and aromas.





Sangiovese and Montepulciano are the two main grape varietes which are blended to produce Rosso Piceno along with smaller quantities of  Trebbiano and Passerina, but these will only normally will only be present in a maximum quantity of  up to 15%.
Rosso Piceno and Rosso Piceno Superiore are wonderful wines for drinking on their own as they are not too  complex on the palate, but fruity and easy to drink. This is not always the case with the Rosso Conero or the Lacrima wines as they tend to be more complex and much more suited to accompany food.
But as with most wines, Rosso Piceno and Rosso Piceno Superiore are normally at their best when they accompany a meal, and very suited to red meats such as lamb and pork and also game, but also go well with chicken and some fish dishes.





Vinitours works closely with small producers of both Rosso Piceno and Rosso Piceno Superiore wines, where possible we try to make sure that most of the wines are produced organically. We then promote the wines and the also the Le Marche region in London, Oxford, Cambridge and also Norwich.
The events that we organise are often accompanied with tutored tastings of the Rosso Piceno and also the Rosso Piceno Superiore wines, where we also offer tours with accommodation in Le Marche to interested individuals and also larger groups.







Saturday 9 June 2012

The Pecorino white wine of Le Marche

Pecorino white wine is found mainly in the Le Marche region of eastern Italy though a small amount is also found in Abruzzo, Umbria and Lazio and the grape was nearly extinct by the late 1970s when a few forgotten vines were discovered by a Signor Griffoni. The grape variety is now cultivated in small amounts in the southern area of Le Marche and in some parts of Abruzzo, but is till considered a typical Marche white wine along with Passerina, Falerio and the very well known Verdicchio.
The main area of cultivation is in the area around the town of Offida in southern Le Marche and in the plains close to the Adriatic coast.
The small artisan organic wine producer Vini Centanni  near Montefiore in Le Marche works closely with Vinitours to promote their organic white wines in the UK and their organic Pecorino wine has proved very popular at wine tastings and events in London and Norwich in 2012


Pecorino grapes are thin skinned and so quite difficult to cultivate and this was thought to be one of the main reasons that this variety fell out of favour with growers and producers. The grapes are now grown by dedicated artisan producers and in a lot of cases they are only grown by organic methods, this is leading to a revival in their popularity with wine drinkers both in Italy and now in the UK.
The wines are medium bodied with medium to high acidity, spicy on the nose and has hints of melon, pear and also a slight nutty flavour, it goes well with fish but is even better suited to accompany chicken, pork and veal. Vinitours offers visits to the vineyards and areas where this lovely wine in now produced and tutored tastings and educational tours are available at our partners in southern Le Marche.









Saturday 19 May 2012

The Verdicchio white wine of Le Marche

Verdicchio is the most famous and well known white wine of the Marche region, its presence first recorded in the 14th Century. The while the grape is grown throughout the region it is most widely encountered in the DOC wines of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica.

The grapes are primarily grown in the two central provinces of Le Marche, Ancona and Macerata while the area of Castelli di Jesi, located around the commune of Jesi in the Ancona province is the larger of the two areas and tends to produce a higher volume, while the wines of Verdicchio di Matelica are located in the nearby province of Macerata.






The Verdicchio grape is most probably indigenous to the Marche region but some believe that it may be genetically related to the Trebbiano grape variety, the clones of trebbiano grown in Lombarday and Soave are very similar. All the white grape varieties in Italy are probably originally genetically derived from the Greco grape type which is why most show some similarities even though barely noticeable in most cases.
The wine has a slightly green or yellow hew and can also be very slightly frizzante or sparkling and is excellent to have with pasta, fish and chicken.  

Saturday 28 April 2012

Vini Centanni Wines


Vinitours is pleased to be involved with the promotion of Vini Centanni which is a small family owned wine producer situated near the beautiful village of Montefiore dell' Aso close to the Adriatic coast in the south of the Le Marche region in Italy. The artisan wine maker Vini Centanni produces wines that are typical of the southern Le Marche region and these are now proving very popular with wine enthusiasts in the UK since the first introduction of limited supplies in the winter of 2012.
The father and daughter team who run the business are totally focused on producing wines that are only made using organic methods of production, and the quality of the wines is a true reflection of the skill and passion involved in their production..




Vini Centanni produces six wines, three whites, two reds and a rosato, these include a red Rosso Piceno, a white Passerina and a white Pecorino, all wines which are typical of this area of the Le Marche region.
The producer also has introduced a new type of stopper, this is made of glass and has two primary uese, firstly glass does not allow even small amounts of oxygen to reach the wine so reduces dramatically the effects of oxidation. Secondly it can allow the wine bottles to be sealed for re use and also the possible re use of the bottles so performing a valuable role in recycling and sustainability.




From the beginning of 2012, Vinitours are now able to offer tours, visits and workshops to this wonderful small wine producer in Le Marche. Vinitours has an in depth knowledge of the region and its small artisan producers, whether for wine or for other produce such as organic olive oils and pasta.
We also hold wine tastings in London and the east of England of many of the Le Marche wines we encounter through our work throughout the region. Our Italian associates who live in different areas of the region are also instrumental in finding small artisan producers such as Vini Centanni and Vini Venturi.

Saturday 14 April 2012

Truffles in Le Marche


In Italy the towns of Alba in Piedmont and Acqualanga in Le Marche are both world famous for their truffles, both for the white and the black varieties.
Acqualanga is a beautiful small town located in the Italian Apennine mountains in the Pesaro and Urbino province of the eastern Italian region of Le Marche, and its national festival that is held each Autumn is considered to be one of the most important Truffle festivals in the world. The area of countryside around the town has a particular climate that is particularly suited to the growth of truffles and this also allows truffles to be harvested all year round.
Acqualagna as a major fine food centre is also closely associated with the Slow Food movement in Italy and is part of the international Cittaslow network. Vinitours has been working in partnership with Slow Food Norwich in the UK for several years which as part of the Slow food movement is now also closely associated with Slow Food in Italy and groups in the Le Marche region.
This part of Le Marche is one of the most beautiful areas of this beautiful and unspoilt region of Italy, with stunning mountains and large remote forests which make up the Furlo Reserve which includes 3,600 hectares of wood, grasslands and mountain peaks. 
Vinitours together with our partners and associates in Italy are pleased to be able to offer from the autumn of 2011, a range of visits, tours and truffle hunts in this beautiful and fascinating area of  the Le Marche region.






From January to March the common black truffle is predominant, from April to June it is the summer black truffle, July to September the white Marzuolo truffle and then from October to January it is the most highly prized truffle of all, the white truffle, tuber Magnatum Pico.
There are three truffle fairs held each year in Acqualanga, the regional fair in February, the regional summer fair in August and the most important and prestigious, the national truffle fair held in the last two weeks of October.
Vinitours is very pleased to work closely with our friend and associate Andrea Tomassetti from Le marche to offer personalised truffle hunts in the countryside near the Adriatic resort of Senigallia, these tours cater for smaller groups who also may wish to visit the mill where Andrea produces his wonderful Montedoro range of olive oils and also the local organic wine producers.
We are also pleased to now be involved with one of the premier producers of truffles in Le Marche and based in the area of Acqualagna,and we can offer larger group tours and visits to this area. The tours in Acqualagna include taking part in tutored tastings and hunts with their truffle experts with accommodation being provided should this be required.







Thursday 12 April 2012

Le Marche wine producers


Vinitours has been very proud to promote wine producers from the Le Marche region of Italy because we have been involved with this beautiful region of Italy for nearly twelve years.
We have an in depth knowledge of the region and have associates, friends and contacts both in central and southern Le Marche in the areas near Ancona and Senigallia and in the south near Fermo and Grottamare.
Le Marche produces some wonderful wines which are nearly totally unknown in the UK and hardly known outside the region, even in other parts of Italy and we are working hard on changing this so that a wider public in the UK can be introduced to the lovely white and red wines of Le Marche.




The typical red wines of the Le Marche region include the Rosso Conero and Lacrima di Moro d'Alba,  from the area around Ancona and the fine Rosso Piceno which is mainly produced in the south of the region.
White wines include the famous Verdicchio di Castelli di Jesi and also the much less well known Falerio, Passerina and Pecorino wines.
Other wines produced in Le Marche include the sparkling Vernaccia di Serrapetrona and the dessert wine Vini di Visciole which is produced from cherries.




The wine producer who is a particular favourite of ours is the Azienda Agricola Mognon which is located just inland from the beautiful Adriatic resort of Senigallia in central Le Marche. The Azienda is owned and run by Floriano Mognon who is passionate about the production of organic wines and also other organic produce from his small estate.
The wines are typical of this area of the Le Marche region, but he also makes a truely memorable Rosato which is very popular with his clients and he exports a small amount of his wines to the UK but quite a lot of his production to both Germany and Japan. His wines do have names that are slightly unusual in that they are named after the various members of Sig Mognons family, including Riccardo, Irene and Floriano,and aslo includes the names of his daughter and wife.
Sig Mognon works closely with Vinitours and Frantoio Montedoro to offer tastings and tours of both the olive oil mill and groves together with wine tastings and workshops at the Azienda Mognon.




Sunday 8 April 2012

Azienda Vinicola Venturi

Vinicola Venturi is a small artisan wine producer which is based in the village of Castellone di Suasa in the central Le Marche region of eastern Italy. The extensive vineyards which make up this small estate are situated in this beautiful part of the Le Marche region, being only a few kilometres from the Adriatic coast and the coastal resort of Senigallia.
The idea for a commercial vineyard came after many years of wine making on a small scale by the father of the current owner. The vineyard was established in the late 1990s with the sole idea of producing superb wines which are all typical of the Le Marche region.
Working where possible using both the old established methods and the more modern techniques of production they believe that they make wines which show the true qualities and potential of the white and red wines from Le Marche.





The current producer, Roberto Venturi has recently completed an extensive upgrade and has enlarged the capacity of his vineyard in order to increase both the quantity and also improve the overall quality of his superb range of wines.
These wines include two white Verdicchio wines, a Marche bianco, Marche rosato, a Marche Sangiovese and a Rosso Piceno. He also produces two Grappa, a Grappa di Vinacce di Verdicchio and a Grappa di Vinacce di Aleatico which are much prized and quite rare.
Vinitours together with its UK based food and market company Sagraitalia can now offer tours and tastings at the Azienda, either as a stand alone visit or as part of a longer tour which can also include other wine makers in the area or even in other parts of the Le Marche region.
We can also incorporate visits and tastings to these wine makers with tours to olive oil producers, pasta and salami makers and other specialist food producers as well, each tour is completely bespoke and designed to fit the needs and requirements of the group or individuals  wishing to take part.