November 6, 2008
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC: 40 Years Revisited

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC last week the city of Jesi organized a 3-day convention to celebrate and ponder on the history and future of this beloved varietal.

In its 40th years of history this varietal has seen some contradictions, receiving many awards over the years, but not much appreciation in the market place. Although recent years have brought an increase in quality of the wine and well-deserved recognition by wine guides such as Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri and Le Marche as the first region to be awarded by AIS, the Italian National Sommelier Association, outside of its native region Verdicchio is still much absent from the wine lists of reputable restaurants and the minds of collectors and wine enthusiasts alike.

With a total production of more than 15 million bottles and sales of more than $56 millions, most would consider these good results. But for a wine that has been referred to as a “red dressed in white” for its exceptional longevity, Verdicchio today is at a crossroads: an increase in quality production and recognition by industry insiders that is not matched by an equally positive response from the market. This is in part due to the lack of an identifiable image of the wine, but also of its region, whose rich cultural and natural heritage is unknown to most.

The 3-day conference is the first attempt by local authorities and producers to draw attention to their territory, hoping that further investments in marketing and promotion will bring more recognition to Verdicchio. The next step will be to push for DOCG status the Riserva bottlings.