ITALY: Central Whites, including Verdicchio

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Winner Details

2015: Gold 4 Silver 5 Bronze 1 Commended 7
2014: Gold 2 Silver 6 Bronze 4 Commended 7

We’ve got used to seeing a good performance from Verdicchio here over the past few years, so it was a surprise (in a good way) to see the Marche classic being backed up by some high-quality entries from elsewhere. This isn’t a big section of the Sommelier Wine Awards, but it’s becoming something of a value-for-money, food-friendly gem.

FOOTNOTE: Includes wines from Emilia-Romagna, Umbria, Marche, Lazio, Molise, Tuscany & Abruzzo.

From the Tasting Teams

‘The whites were quite fresh and mineral – a nice alternative to NZ Sauvignon Blanc, and a lot more food-friendly.’ Debbie Smith, 21212

‘There were no bad wines in the Verdicchio flight – just some that were more interesting than others. Price can be an issue for these, though. Anything over £30 on the list we can struggle to sell.’ Giuseppe Longobardi, The Cross at Kenilworth

‘Food-wise, you have a lot to play with when it comes to Verdicchio. The simpler ones are good for langoustines, the richer ones for seafood linguini.’ Charles Van Wyk, FJB Hotels

‘With Verdecchio you are looking to get a good wine at a reasonable price. [The Moncaro Le Vele] was a bit more than just being cheap and fresh.’ Gareth Ferreira, Launceston Place

‘There was some seriously good value for money, wines that could be a second house wine, offering a point of difference and great value – fresh, citrusy and very well made.’ Caroline Brangé, 28º-50º Mayfair

Award winners

Found 17 wines

Italy: Central

Santa Francesca, Orvieto Classico 2014, Umbria, Italy

Supreme versatility from this Orvieto, with its six-strong grape blend, citrus and floral notes, and frankly incredible value, scored this wine Gold.

'A bargain,' agreed Caroline Brangé of 28°-50° Mayfair, with Guillaume Kaczmar of L'Ortolan saying: 'Light, crisp and confit lemon flavours, very aromatic and floral.'

£6.00

Rosarubra, Triluna 2012, Abruzzo, Italy

This Chardonnay/Sauv Blanc blend with a touch of Malvasia excited and entranced in equal measure.

'Weird and wonderful. Exotic and perfumed, with a really nice palate, with complex, almost vermouth notes,' said team leader Tom Forrest. L'Ortolan's Guillaume Kaczmar described it as having 'real concentration, honey, citrus peel, peach, apricots. Balanced stone fruit and mineral', concluding: 'A wine of gastronomy with good length.'
Forrest suggested oysters, prawn risotto, or cooked seafood with chilli.

£15.97 Rosarubra

Moncaro, Le Vele, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2014, Marche, Italy

'This wine has everything,' said Enikö Heidenwolf of Bread Street Kitchen: 'Fruits like pomelo, a touch of honey and a good texture.'
Giuseppe Longobardi of The Cross at Kenilworth liked this wine's 'salty minerals', which he said were complemented by 'juice of lime and grapefruit, pineapple and a nice finishing touch of almond'. While this waltzed through the Food Match round to pick up the Pizza trophy, other tips include ceviche, creamy soups, lightly spiced curries and chicken. So versatile, too.

£7.19 Eurowines

Marchesi de' Frescobaldi, Castello di Pomino, Pomino Bianco 2013, Tuscany, Italy

What a charmer! No wonder this Chardonnay/Pinot Bianco blend scored Gold. Guillaume Kaczmar of L'Ortolan liked its 'chalky, mineral, toasted' character, while Stuart Skea of Champany Inn & Wine Cellars said: 'Aromatic grapefruit pith notes with subtle hints of the exotic. A full palate-filling wine – weighty but with delicious freshness. Honey and almond notes, with a hint of good, aged Comte cheese, and a pleasant bitterness on the finish. Pair with crayfish salad with blood orange and mandarin.'

£11.48 Hallgarten & Novum Wines

Santa Barbara, Tardivo ma non Tardo, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2011, Marche, Italy

This was all about the citrus for team leader Tom Forrest: 'Pale lemon colour, lemon skin aromas, slight oiliness, with a lemon and almond finish.'
Gareth Ferreira of Launceston Place noted 'honey, fresh white florals, a mineral touch'.

'Sensational!' enthused FJB Hotels' Charles Van Wyk.

£22.50 Vinum

Claudio Cipressi, Voira, Falanghina 2013, Molise, Italy

Debbie Smith of 21212 enjoyed this wine's 'rounded and full floral structure, with vibrant acidity and ripe stone fruits'. Team leader Laura Rhys MS found it 'crisp, clean, dry and herbal, with nice texture'.

'Calls for seafood and the seaside,' said Caroline Brangé of 28°-50° Mayfair.

£13.25 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Pieralisi, Monte Schiavo, Pallio di San Floriano, Verdicchio di Castelli di Jesi 2013, Marche, Italy

With 'smoky minerality, bright citrus and good acidity', this showed 'some complexity', according to team leader Laura Rhys MS, while Gareth Ferrerira of Launceston Place applauded the 'slight sparkle, intensity on the nose, and the long finish'.

£7.00 Boutinot

Antinori, Castello della Sala, San Giovanni, Orvieto Classico Superiore 2013, Umbria, Italy

Guillaume Kaczmar of L'Ortolan found: 'A good wine with energy, expression and length. Acidity well integrated with a lovely citrusy, mineral core and a touch of stone fruit.'
'Zesty and rich with a slight spritz,' added Debbie Smith of 21212.

£10.33 Berkmann Wine Cellars

Borgo Paglianetto, Vertis, Verdicchio di Matelica 2011, Marche, Italy

'An aromatic rich feast,' said a happy Enikö Heidenwolf of Bread Street Kitchen of this wine, with its ripe fruit, mineral palate and long finish, while Alessandro Marchesan of Zuma wrote: 'Perfumed, intense and crisp. Rich, with oak.'

£11.91 The Flying Corkscrew

Moncaro, Vigna Novali, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Riserva 2012, Marche, Italy

Highlighting its 'pale gold' colour, team leader Tom Forrest enjoyed this wine's aromas of 'almond blossom with some lemon and lavender', adding: 'Very soft palate with some lemon notes and a fresh, honeyed almond finish.'

£12.10 Eurowines

Winner Details