The Wine & Food of Le Marche
Le Marche, or Marche—as it is referred
to in Italy—comes across as a rather straightforward
character in the context of Italy’s regions.
Overall, it enjoys a fairly temperate Mediterranean
climate throughout its expanse. Situated on the
Adriatic coast, Marche derives particular benefit
from moderating breezes issuing from the sea. As
it is not as yet frequented by the tourist set,
it retains an authentic persona, palpably conveyed
through its ancient towns and weathered castles.
That said, it does quietly entice with pleasures
of both the mountain and the sea via a number of
attractive beaches and ski resorts.
Le Marche also keeps things fairly simple with respect
to its vinous offerings, effectually limiting its
white and red production to one principal grape apiece.
Verdicchio is the representative of the former, constituting
more than half of Le Marche’s output through
its production in the zone of Verdicchio dei Castelli
di Jesi. Some believe Verdicchio originated in Le
Marche, though it is also associated with a few possible
relatives in the white varietal family.
Primarily denoted by a marked degree of acidity and
mild flavors of pine, resin, and herb, Verdicchio’s
varietal character was rather depreciated in the mass
production phase of the seventies. Modern versions,
however, both attest to and enhance the grape’s
innate identity, realizing a significant stylistic
breadth. Those issuing from the Verdicchio dei Castelli
di Jesi tend to be rather open-knit, while those deriving
from the Verdicchio di Matelica DOC evidence greater
structure. Many successful producers realize that
Verdicchio is a late-ripening, productive grape, and
approach it accordingly, enabling it to experience
a long-ripening season and controlled yields. Outside
of Verdicchio, however, Le Marche’s white scene
pales, showing the most vitality in its work with
Chardonnay, and to a lesser extent in the Falerio
dei Colli Ascolani DOC, which is based on the ubiquitous
Trebbiano grape.
To a certain degree, Le Marche’s red production
serves as the fraternal twin of its white, devoting
itself to the expression of one grape—Montepulciano.
While more readily associated with its zone of origin,
Abruzzo, Le Marche has arguably surpassed its “rival,”
even though its two designated DOCs—Rosso Cònero
and Rosso Piceno—present different levels of
commitment to Le Marche’s chosen red. While
Rosso Cònero is predominantly Montepulciano
(minimum: 85%, with Sangiovese contributing a maximum
of 15%), Rosso Piceno is not quite as dedicated, as
Sangiovese is a required constituent—one that,
until fairly recently, often exerted dominance in
the wine’s profile. At present, Montepulciano
may enjoy a more substantive role—a maximum
of 70%—although this change has not served to
standardize what’s in a glass of RP. Rosso Cònero,
in contrast, is Montepulciano’s wine; indeed,
it may actually constitute a pure-varietal Montepulciano.
Montepulciano also enjoys celebrated expression in
the IGT realm, where it figures in “Super-Marchigiano” bottlings
in the company of international standards such
as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Many
of these New World–styled blends have acquired
something of a cult following in recent years,
particularly those fashioned by Antonio Terni of
Le Terrazze. Though one of the region’s foremost
producers of Rosso Cònero, Terni’s
blends are among Le Marche’s
greatest hits at present—particularly Visions
of J., Planet Waves, and Chaos. Visions
of J.—named for Bob Dylan’s song “Visions
of Johanna”—represents Terni’s
homage to singer Bob Dylan. Visions captured
the palate of Dylan, leading into the follow-up
release, Planet Waves—a collaboration between
Terni and Dylan.
La cucina Marchigiana is considered to constitute
the point of convergence for Northern and Southern
Italian cuisines. Le
Marche’s fare also reflects rather equitable
contributions by the land and sea, with the coastal
influence offering its own balanced division between crudo (raw
fish) and cooked fish. In the latter category,
brodetto di mare enjoys
the closest affilation with the region, which
every town personalizes with its own mix of crostacei (shellfish), frutti
di mare (seafood),
and other local varieties of fresh fish. Two variations
of this popular recipe are of particular note: the
version produced by Ancona—which is cooked
in a light tomato sauce of onions, olive oil, vinegar,
and fresh parsley—and
Porto Recanati's recipe, which stipulates that
the fish be sautéed prior to being cooked
in a saffron-based sauce.
Porchetta (stuffed
suckling pig) leads the denizens of the land, accompanied
by several representatives from the salumi category,
including ciaùsculu or ciauscolo (a
patélike sausage)
and prosciutto (specifically from Carpegna). Also
typical of the heartland are the traditional vincisgrassi—a
lasagna layered with chicken liver sauce and besciamella—as
well as abundant offerings of
pasta dishes prepared with mushrooms and truffles.
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Regional Information
Capital City: Ancona
Provinces: 4
Surface: 3,742 sq miles
Population: 1,528,809
Density: 61/sq mile
Grapes
White Grapes:
Verdicchio
Trebbiano
Malvasia
Biancame
Maceratino
Red Grapes:
Lacrima
Sangiovese
Montepulciano
Food
Cheese
Casciotta d'Urbino
Salumi
Ciaùsculu
Prosciutto di Carpegna
Vitellone Bianco
dell'Appennino
Centrale
Other Regional Specialties
Brodetto di Mare
Olive Ascolane
Porchetta
Stocco all'Anconetana
Tartufo Bianco
Vincisgrassi
Recipes
Branzino
Arrosto |
