Le Marche wine tasting holidays - Red Wines

Le Marche produces a large variety of wines including 13 that carry the D.O.C. label. Many of these wines are a well-kept secret and in the past have been little known outside of Italy. However, the regions producers have started attracting attention overseas and full bodied Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno wines are now fetching increasingly higher prices.

We have created a Wine Tour using Google maps around the cantinas that we have visited in the wonderful central Le Marche Countryside and it's historic towns. We are also happy to help you with suggestions of the best cantinas to visit on wine holidays in Le Marche.

Where to buy your Marche Wines

Many good wines are available at reasonable prices in the delicatessans and shops in the medieval town of Sarnano near the Villa. Better still, there are numerous Cantinas where you can visit, taste the wines and buy them direct. Many of the vineyards are spread around the wonderful Le Marche Countryside and it's historic towns and within easy reach of the Villa if you want Wine Tours on your holiday in Italy.  You can use the regional Wine site if you wish to create that wine tour or we are happy to help you with suggestions of the best cantinas to visit on wine holidays in Le Marche.

Rosso Piceno

Produced in the territories of Ascoli, Macerata and Ancona, just to the East of the Villa, these areas were inhabited by the ancient Piceni tribe over much of the lowlands and hills of the centre and south of the region. Rosso Piceno is a beautiful red, made mainly with Sangiovese grapes, and to a lesser extent Montepulciano, is dry, robust, with a fruity flavour. Local favourite cantinas include Saputi, Pollenza and Villa Forano.

Lacrima di Morro d'Alba

A very unusual but wonderful high quality purple wine that is dry but very smooth and fruity with a floral nose reminiscent of berries and parmaviolets. It is produced in the small Morro d'Alba area, near Jesi in the province of Ancona using the lacrima grape. The word Lacrima literally translates as "tears" and describes the way the grape bleeds as it nears maturity.

Vernaccia di Serrapetrona

A ruby Red Spumante (sparkling wine) made with the Vernaccia grape by natural fermentation, sweet or semi-sweet (amabile) with a pleasant slightly bitter background. An excellent red dessert wine but drunk on it's own reveals an exceptional, sweet and delicate fragrance. Vernaccia is made at Serrapetrona half an hour from the Villa.

Rosso Conero

Probably the king of Marche reds, this exceptional ruby red wine that is full bodied, dry, fruity and velvety. Produced predominantly from Montepulciano grapes in a restricted sunny area in the foothills of the Monte Conero just south of Ancona. The Cantinas are based around the Conero National Park, near to great beaches, ristorante and some amazing towns including Loreto, Recanati and Osimo. Some of our favourites include Leopardi wines, Le Terrazze and Garofoli.

Follow this link for a cultural itinerary and winery tour of the spectacular Conero coastal National park that encompasses this DOCG region.

Offida Rosso

A well structured garnet red wine produced in the Offida area to the South East of the villa. It has a complex fruity nose and rounded dry flavour. It is produced mainly using Montepulciano and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and is aged for 2 years.

Terreni di San Severino Rosso

A ruby red colour with full-bodied flavour and a complex bouquet as befits a wine made from the Vernaccia grape. The quality Superiore is an intense ruby colour and is aged for 18 to 24 months in wooden casks and a further 8 - 12 months in the bottle before the wine is ready to be sold.

I Terreni di San Severino Passito

A deep, red desert wine with an intense bouquet that has a sweet and velvety flavour. Aged for at least 2 years, the alcohol content is 15.5%.

New Wine Techniques

As climates and tastes change, there are also a few local cantinas who are introducing new grape varieties to the area, sometimes blending these with more traditional grapes with surprising results. One such cantina is Il Pollenza, near the ancient town of Tolentino, The cantina is extremely grand and well worth a visit, the wines range from 7 that are available on tap at around €1.50 a litre through some fantastic reds and whites up to around €35.