Articles by Vincent SandfordI was accompanied by Claudio Modesti, a well known local doctor of medicine, sommelier, past president of the association of Italian sommelier AIS, and often interviewed by national and local TV for his opinion on matching wine with food, to a tasting of Verdicchio di Matelica wine in honour of it becoming a denomination of origin controlled and guaranteed – DOCG. The meeting was held at the Osteria Loggia degli Ottoni in Matelica Le Marche Italy. I asked Claudio Modesti what this higher classification means.
“”The classification of a DOCG wine focuses on the key word guaranteed. Government testers, analyse, examine and taste the wines prior to bottling before awarding DOCG status. The producers then bottle the qualifying wines, securing them with a numbered government seal - a coloured strip placed over the capsule or cork. The words “Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita” are then incorporated into the design of the label”. He further added that “lower yields are permitted thereby preserving the quality of the product”.
For the Matelica wine industry the month of June 2009 will be historic. It marks a decisive step in the evolution of Verdicchio di Matelica: its Reserve label has become a wine of Denomination of Origin Controlled and Guaranteed DOCQ. The wine was one of 400 Denominated Origin Controlled wines and from June 2009 its reserve label is one of 35 Italian Denominated of Origin Controlled and Guaranteed wines.
The vice president and regional assessor for agriculture in Le Marche Paolo Petrini was present to support the achievement of winemakers of Le Marche region. Of the 45 DOCG assigned to Italian wines, Le Marche has now four: Conero reserve, Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, and Verdicchio di Matelica reserves and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi classical reserve and reserve.are the last. He further added “Verdicchio is one of the most famous wines of the region, also known in USA, UK, Germany, and Scandinavia and even in China and Japan. “Now - said Petrini – we must reach a goal that not only represents the completion of a qualification process involving all Le Marche wine, but symbolizes the strong will of the territories to follow routes of alternative developments”.
After the speeches we got down to the serious part of the evening: tasting. I learned that the art of tasting is an art – the shape of glass to taste the wine in, the temperature of it and more importantly if taking snacks which one to serve, are all fundamental to your enjoyment – a far cry from my usual quaffing technique.
Vini Gagliardi producers of Reserve told me that the characteristics of Verdicchio are pretty distinct. The appearance is a bright light straw colour, with a delicate, fresh fragrance of fruity bouquets and a dry, soft harmonious pleasant bitter after taste,minimum alcoholic content must be at least 11.5 º. Verdicchio di Matelica can be designated RISERVA if you have an alcohol content of 12.5 º and an aging of at least 24 months, 4 months in bottles. It can also be designated PASSITO but must have an alcohol content of at least 15 º and one year of aging. The release for consumption occurs after one year from the production of grapes.
The evening came to a happy close. Good wine, good company and a friendly chat on the topic – what now!-