Verdicchio

Verdicchio is a dry, crisp white from the Marche region of central Italy, known for lemon, green apple and pear flavours with herbs, minerals and a distinctive almond finish. Fresh but full of character, it’s brilliant with prawns, grilled fish, seafood pasta, roast chicken, risotto and fresh Mediterranean dishes.

Taste:

Crisp citrus, fresh herbs and a little almond twist at the end.

Verdicchio is typically dry and light to medium-bodied, with high acidity and flavours of lemon, green apple and pear. You may also find white peach, fresh herbs, floral notes and a stony or mineral character.

A subtle bitter-almond flavour on the finish is one of Verdicchio’s signatures and gives the wine an extra savoury edge.

Lighter versions are fresh and incredibly easy to drink, while more concentrated examples can develop greater texture and complexity. Good Verdicchio can also age surprisingly well, developing richer honeyed and nutty flavours over time.

Fresh when it wants to be. Serious when it needs to be. Very efficient.

Food Pairings:

Verdicchio and seafood are extremely good company.

Try it with prawns, mussels, crab, calamari, scallops or grilled fish such as sea bass, cod and sea bream. Seafood pasta, prawn linguine and spaghetti alle vongole are particularly good matches.

Its acidity also makes it brilliant with fried seafood, calamari and other lightly fried dishes.

For meat, pair Verdicchio with roast chicken, grilled chicken or chicken dishes with lemon, garlic and fresh herbs.

Risotto works beautifully too, particularly seafood risotto, mushroom risotto and vegetable risotto.

For lighter Italian and Mediterranean food, try pesto pasta, bruschetta, grilled vegetables, tomato and mozzarella salad or antipasti.

On the cheese board, goat’s cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan and other fresh to medium-strength cheeses are great choices.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Verdicchio, Vermentino is a great next move for another fresh Italian white with citrus, herbs and Mediterranean character.

Greco di Tufo offers plenty of acidity and minerality, while Soave shares Verdicchio’s combination of citrus, freshness and a subtle almond edge.

Gavi is also worth exploring if crisp Italian whites with green fruit and mineral flavours are becoming your thing.

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More About Verdicchio:

Verdicchio is most closely associated with the Marche region of central Italy, particularly the appellations Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica.

The grape’s name comes from verde, the Italian word for green, referring to the greenish colour the grapes can retain as they ripen.

Verdicchio has naturally high acidity, which helps explain both its refreshing character when young and its ability to develop beautifully with age.

For years, it was perhaps best known internationally for inexpensive wines sold in distinctive amphora-shaped bottles. Better producers have since done a very good job of reminding everyone that the grape can make seriously impressive wine.

Another Italian white successfully escaping its questionable packaging era.

We've all been there.