Marche (or Le Marche; pronounced Mar-kay) is a region on the eastern side of central Italy. It is most readily associated with white wines from the Trebbiano and Verdicchio grape varieties. Calcareous, clay and limestone-rich soils contribute to the distinctive terroir, and vary according to the region's distinctive topography. The vineyards cover around 25,000 hectares (60,000 acres), and produce almost two million hectoliters of wine annually.
Marche is best known as a white wine region, although it is also home to some reds of very high quality. In terms of volume, the leading white varieties here are the ubiquitous Trebbiano (in various forms) and Verdicchio. Marche has been the home territory of the latter for more than 600 years. The finest expressions of Verdicchio are found in the DOCGs Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica. These green-hued, refreshingly crisp, green-tinged white wines are characterized by lively acidity and subtle herbaceous undertones, and are an excellent food match for Brodetto di Pesce, a rich seafood stew made locally. Other widely planted white grape varieties include Pinot Bianco, Malvasia Toscana, Bianchello and Pecorino. DOC Offida is a trade mark for Pecorino.
Among the red wines of Marche, the finest are generally made from the Montepulciano grape and/or Sangiovese. They are backed up by Ciliegiolo, Pinot Nero, Lacrima di Morro and notably Vernaccia Nera. The latter is used in the sparkling DOCG wine Vernaccia di Serrapetrona. Supporting these fine reds are DOCs Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno. These firm, tannic wines add a degree of diversity in the sea of Marche's white and lighter reds. Another pair of promising DOCs are Terreni di Sanseverino and Lacrima di Morro d'Alba. The latter is an aromatic red wine based on Lacrima (di Morro), a variety peculiar to the commune of Morro d'Alba. It is usually dry but sweet passito versions are also bottled.(© Wine-Searcher).
