Marche

Huddled immediately south of the industrial sprawl of Emilia-Romagna, the Marche forms a natural boundary between the heady reds of the deep south and the elegant whites of the north.  The high Apennines tumble gently down to the Adriatic and between the two lie some of Italy’s least-known and best-value wines.

The north of the region is concerned with just a single variety, Verdicchio. To the south the overlapping DOCs of Rosso Piceno and Falerio exploit the ubiquitous duo of Sangiovese and Trebbiano with Pecorino now increasingly fashionable.  Both La Monacesca and Saladini Pilastri produce reasonably priced, appealing examples of this region’s potential.