Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right. Mark Twain
Le Marche, Italy's best kept secret, lies east of Tuscany and Umbria along the Adriatic coast. Sometimes referred to as Italy in one region or the new Tuscany, Le Marche is replete with hill towns, olive groves, beautiful beaches, and of course, many vineyards. The region produces a variety of fine wines from a number of lesser known grape varieties. We have lived in Le Marche for nearly 5 years now in the heart of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC appellation. Verdicchio, as I have discussed in earlier blogs, is one of the best known wines of Le Marche and makes an exceptional sparkling wine. As Verdicchio is so prominent in my area, and so relatively inexpensive, it is sometimes hard to remember that there are a number of other locally grown grapes varieties that make very distinctive wines and sparkling wines. A recent visit to Moncaro, a winery whose still wine, Verde Ca' Ruptae, was served at our son's wedding in California a few years ago, reminded me that not all local sparkling wines are made from the Verdicchio grape.
The Moncaro winery is located in the neighboring town of Montecarrotto, a town that my husband drives through with continuing trepidation because this is where a few years ago he spent several hours in the police station as they cited him for driving without a license. (Well, who knew that our American drivers licenses were no longer valid in Italy, leaving us in the unenviable position of not being able to drive our car until we secured Italian drivers licenses - a monumental, multi-month task if you are an American especially if you do not speak the language fluently. But, that is another very long story.)
The Moncaro winery is located in the neighboring town of Montecarrotto, a town that my husband drives through with continuing trepidation because this is where a few years ago he spent several hours in the police station as they cited him for driving without a license. (Well, who knew that our American drivers licenses were no longer valid in Italy, leaving us in the unenviable position of not being able to drive our car until we secured Italian drivers licenses - a monumental, multi-month task if you are an American especially if you do not speak the language fluently. But, that is another very long story.)
The Moncaro winery, Montecarrotto, Le Marche, Italy
Moncaro, is one of the area's larger wineries having been established 50 years ago by a cooperative of grape growers. Today, Moncaro produces a wide selection of quality still wines from various grape varieties grown throughout the Marche region, and several unique sparkling wines. If you ever visit Le Marche, I would definitely recommend a stop at Moncaro to taste their wines. Here you can get a good introduction to the numerous grape varieties grown throughout the region.
We stopped by the Moncaro cantina earlier in the week to buy some of their sfuso. The term sfuso is generally translated as "loose" which in the case of wine means it is pumped directly from the tanks into your 5 liter bottle. In Italy, this is the very affordable wine the locals drink daily. While Jim and I were waiting in the cellar, the sound of merry voices floated down from the tasting room above, and that was enough to convince me that we should head upstairs and join the party. There were several Moncaro sparkling wines I wanted to taste, so I was on a mission - taste them all.
We stopped by the Moncaro cantina earlier in the week to buy some of their sfuso. The term sfuso is generally translated as "loose" which in the case of wine means it is pumped directly from the tanks into your 5 liter bottle. In Italy, this is the very affordable wine the locals drink daily. While Jim and I were waiting in the cellar, the sound of merry voices floated down from the tasting room above, and that was enough to convince me that we should head upstairs and join the party. There were several Moncaro sparkling wines I wanted to taste, so I was on a mission - taste them all.
The tasting room at the Moncaro winery, Montecarrotto
Our tasting line up for the day was as follows:
1. Fiori di Seta, a frizzante (Frizzante is not a term generally used for sparkling wines in the U.S, but it is one of two classifications of Italian sparkling wine the other being spumante. The difference is in the level of pressure in the fermentation process. The frizzante, made under less pressure, produces fewer bubbles. In general, frizzante is of lesser quality and costs less than a spumante which can be made in either the charmat method or the classic champagne method. )
2. Opale, a methodo martinotti (charmat)
3. Madreperla, a methodo classico (the classic champagne method)
4. Ametista, a sparkling dessert wine
1. Fiori di Seta, a frizzante (Frizzante is not a term generally used for sparkling wines in the U.S, but it is one of two classifications of Italian sparkling wine the other being spumante. The difference is in the level of pressure in the fermentation process. The frizzante, made under less pressure, produces fewer bubbles. In general, frizzante is of lesser quality and costs less than a spumante which can be made in either the charmat method or the classic champagne method. )
2. Opale, a methodo martinotti (charmat)
3. Madreperla, a methodo classico (the classic champagne method)
4. Ametista, a sparkling dessert wine
I was anxious to try the Fiori di Seta which is made from 100% Passerina grapes. I seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Passerina grape. Sometimes I try a wine made from Passerina and it is exceptional, but on other occasions, I pour the wine out. Passerina is an ancient grape variety generally grown in the southern Marche in the province of Ascoli Piceno. If you have not heard of this grape, you are definitely in the majority. The name Passerina means little sparrow, apparently because sparrows like to devour these grapes.
As the Fiori di Seta was poured into the glass, I was expectant. I watched the very pale yellow liquid filling the glass and the sparse bubbles rising with a yawn like a sleepy child. As is typical of the Passerina grape, the bouquet was aromatic with subtle notes of flowers and herbs and a balance of sweetness and acidity. On the palate, the wine was very approachable, crisp and clean with a hint of citrus and herbs. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Moncaro Passerina frizzante. We brought a few bottles home and drank them with everything from antipasti to chicken and pasta, and now it is time to return for more.
As the Fiori di Seta was poured into the glass, I was expectant. I watched the very pale yellow liquid filling the glass and the sparse bubbles rising with a yawn like a sleepy child. As is typical of the Passerina grape, the bouquet was aromatic with subtle notes of flowers and herbs and a balance of sweetness and acidity. On the palate, the wine was very approachable, crisp and clean with a hint of citrus and herbs. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Moncaro Passerina frizzante. We brought a few bottles home and drank them with everything from antipasti to chicken and pasta, and now it is time to return for more.
The second sparkling wine in our tasting line up, the Opale, is probably Moncaro's most popular sparkling wine. Opale is made from 100% verdicchio grapes by the charmat method with both the first and second aging in stainless steel tanks. Opale is a pale yellow, and in the glass the perlage danced the tarantella. The nose emits citrus, flowers, and a hint of honey. On the palate it maintains some of the mineralness of the Verdicchio with hints of fruit. It is fresh and easy to drink. I will serve this as an apertif or with fish.
Next we moved up to the Moncaro methodo classico, Madreperla, aged 36 months in the bottle. This is a unique sparkling wine as it is a combination of Verdicchio and Montepulciano, the most popular of the Marche red wine grapes. Montepulciano is the second most prolific indigenous red wine grape variety in Italy after Sangiovese. In Le Marche it is used in the DOC wines of Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno, but it is also an ingredient in approximately 50 other DOC wines. In general, Montepulciano (not to be confused with the wines from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which are made from a different grape variety) is used in still red wines, and I was surprised to see it blended with a white wine to create a sparkling. In the glass, the perlage was refined like a Viennese waltz. The color was straw yellow with only a faint hint of copper which surprised me considering 20% of the mix was a red wine grape. The Montepulciano gives the Madreperla a distinctive bouquet mixing wild berries with almonds and bread crusts. And the taste is very much of almond. The secret to this wine is in the liqueur d'expedition which is added to the bottle after the disgorgement. While the recipe for the dosage is proprietary, it includes Verdicchio spirits aged in old barriques for a minimum of three years. This is definitely a fish wine, but I can also see it paired with other white meats, fettuccini alfredo, or a risotto.
Finally, it was time to try the dessert wine, Ametista. Ametista is a very particular wine, made from 100% Lacrima di Morro d'Alba grapes. Lacrima is a grape that is only grown in this small hill top town in the province of Ancona in Le Marche. It's name means tears, and it is said that when ripe the grapes weep. The wine from Lacrima is distinctive with a deep purple color and an intense bouquet of roses and violets. In this sparkling version of the wine, these features are dominant, however, the pallet is sweet with the taste of fresh berries. This was an interesting surprise. I am sure it will be wonderful paired with chocolate. I am already planning to serve it with a torta caprese. But it would also pair well with other desserts such as fruit tarts. (You can find a recipe for torta caprese here www.channelingnonna.com.)
After the tasting, the Ametista stayed with me. As we drove the 20 minutes back to our home, I was feeling a great contentment. Watching the vineyard covered hills of the Le Marche pass by, a sense of satisfaction overwhelmed me. And I knew I would return often to Moncaro for various of their sparkling wines.
For more information about the Moncaro winery, visit their website at www.moncaro.com.
For more information about the Moncaro winery, visit their website at www.moncaro.com.
