“Travel diary, discoveries and curiosities among Leopardi’s Rolling Hills of infinity “
I only drink champagne in two occasions when I am in love and when I am not ..
Coco Chanel
Cupramontana is really the city of sparkling wines, or better to say the capital of sparkling wines from Verdichio. Here we can discover the other wine cellar which produce wines and sparkling wines in the fourth generation, the cellar of family Bonci. It was Domenico Bonci who established the production of wines at the beginning of the last century.
At the wine pass of Cupramontana where Bonci cultivates their 26 hectares of vineyards, there are born and became famous theirs Cru vineyards. The “ San Michele” obtained from one vineyard situated at quarter San Michele, the most old and most valuable part for production of Verdichio. “Torre” which comes from quarter with the same name, and Pietrone is situated more at the northern part.
I arrived at Bonci cellar at the late afternoon and incoming I promptly understood that Valentina Bonci is really special woman, not only because of her passion for wines ( which we have in common), but she is very enthusiastic person, really the spring of ideas and hyperactive, seems to be a volcano full of energy, very solar person, full of enthusiasm which catches you and make you feel good and the person to whom you would like to speak for hours to immediately catch any special aspects coming from her expierience .kind other wine . Speaking with people falling in love with their job is always so enriching , not only to obtain the most recent information but also to share their enthusiasm.
While degustatating all types of bubbles, including later also the famous Verdichio San Michele, the wine obtained from the vinification of grapes from the vineyard situated at quarter “San Michele “, we have got long and friendly discussion. The vineyard San Michele, displayed at south and 400 m above the see level, is one Grand Cru of Cupramontana. We have spoken about potential of the grape Verdichio for aging, for the potential of this fantastic grape, possibly still today undervalued also in Italy, and nearly unknown outside of Italy. Later Valentina have decided to give me a possibility to try , as one sort of vertical degustation for me, some older vintages from the wine San Michele, exactly say two of them – 7 and 10 years old. Despite of the the time been passed , Verdichio San Michele has kept its freshness , floreal aroma , with the ageing are created also delicious scents of apple appeared and keeping its topical minerality and almond-flowered aftertaste .
It was a fantastic experience and I am so thankful to Valentina to give me such a possibility to taste all of them.
“San Michele”, Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, the vineyard situated at quarter “San Michele “, 2019, shows brilliant pale yellow colour , acacias aroma, broom, peach, citrus scents, soft taste with almond aftertaste, aromas of wine are evaluated more to apple, to the bee wax at the vintage 2007. Also at mouth we could sense taste of honey, with the light scent of almond. Structural wine with full body and with a big potential for ageing and longevity.
“Pietrone “, Castelli di Jesi Verdichio Riserva DOCG Classico, is the wine made from slightly overriped grapes from the vineyard situated at quarter Pietrone. Clones used for production were selected in more than ten years, the yield is low, less than 40 quintals. Wine is aged at the cement tanks during 12 months and after that at the bottles for the next 12 months. Taste includes fruits with yellow flesh, peach, apricot . Typical bitter aftertaste. Full body wine with structure, with a big potential for aging and longevity..
There are produced four types of spumante at the cellar, there of them made by Method Traditional three of them , all of them produced from the pure Verdichio grape.
Giuseppe Bonci, Spumante Metodo Classico Millesimato Brut Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, grapes from the vineyard situated at quarter Pietrone. Golden brilliant colour. Bouquet is very delicious, dry wine , elegant and harmonious, finish is slightly bitter. Harvested at 2012, disgorged at 2020. Aging in yeast as minimum 60 months, all operations hand made,remuage and also disgorgement.
Michelangelo, Spumante Metodo Classico Millesimato Brut Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC , an accurate selection of the best grapes from quarter Pietrone . 60 months in yeast, all operations made by hand. One spumante really particular. I have tasted Michelangelo, Spumante Metodo Classico Millesimato Brut Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, Cantina Valerossa Bonci, Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, harvest 2012, disgorgement 2019. Quarter Pietrone of Cupramontana, one of Cru, clayey and rocky soil. Pale yellow colour with the golden reflections, floral aroma, the green apple, the cider scents, but very delicious, the scents of citrus. In mouth explosion of freshness, always the green apple, slightly bitter aftertaste.
Caterina, Spumante Metodo Classico Millesimato Dosagio Zero Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, quarter Pietrone, offer floral scents, of hawthorn, of citrus, of green apple. Golden brilliant colour. Bubbles very creamy and fine. At mouth the wine is slightly bitter, sapid and persistent. Aging in yeast 60 months as minimum, manual remuage, manual disgorgement. Harvested at 2012, disgorged at 2019.
Bonci 1962,Spumante Brut ,Verdichio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC, quarter Pietrone, Metod Charmat, 6 months of rifermentation in autoclave.
Now we should leave Cantina Valerossa Bonci with georgous sparkling wines and let’s move to the next place of marvellous Marche Region
