Winemaker Notes
Tenuta Grimaldi's Verdicchio is bright pale yellow with greenish reflections. It shows aromas and flavor of Granny Smith apple, orange peel, cut grass and almonds; mouthwatering acidity, very long finish.
Drink this as an aperitif but also with roast chicken, fish tacos, Vietnamese spring rolls, grilled salmon, or pasta with shrimp.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An intense and smoky nose with white-pepper minerality, a hint of kerosene, broom bush and a funky touch. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity and vibrancy, a solid spine and a tight finish coated with fruit.
Tenuta Grimaldi produces only Verdicchio, from four different clones. They grow grapes organically, at relatively low yields; the fruit is picked by hand into small boxes; the whole bunches are pressed, and the juice is settled out and fermented in stainless steel tanks and large wooden barrels. The Matelica appellation is in the west of the Marche, in the foothills of the Apennines, not far from the border with Umbria. The elevation of the vineyards is important to the character of these wines; higher elevation makes for a cooler climate, and better retention of acidity. The soils at Tenuta Grimaldi are rockier than other parts of the region, and the vineyards face east and north-east for prime exposure.
One of central Italy’s classic white grapes, Verdicchio thrives in two distinct zones of the Marche. The best vineyards of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi adorn hillsides a mere 20 miles from the Adriatic Sea. The vineyards of the smaller, more inland Verdicchio di Matelica, are at higher elevation. Somm Secret—Recent genetic discoveries have proven that the Verdicchio grape is identical to Trebbiano di Soave, Trebbiano di Lugana and Trebbiano Veltenesi.
Stretching along Italy’s eastern coast with neighbors, Umbria to its west and Abruzzo to its south, Marche is a region with a varying climate from north to south. Its coastal plains roll into hills that become the Apennine Mountains, which run the length of the country. The Marche's best red wines come from the grapes, Montepulciano and Sangiovese; the local Verdicchio makes refreshing, crisp and light whites.