WINES FROM LE MARCHE

As with the rest of Italy, the locals tend to keep the best wines for themselves and the domestic market. Le Marche is no exception and is often overshadowed by neighbouring Tuscany though the same grapes are grown in both regions. The red, white, sparkling and fortified wines all represent excellent value for money. The best wines are given the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) quality assurance appellation which is clearly shown on the labels.

WHITES

The best known whites from Le Marche are made from the Verdicchio grape. The most famous being Verdicchio di Castelli Jesi which is often found in characteristic amphora shaped bottles. These light, bright, crisp whites are extremely refreshing and a perfect accompaniment to fish and seafood. The neighbouring area of Verdicchio di Matelica produces a slightly fuller flavoured wine. For those seeking big New World flavours will be disappointed as Italian whites are more subtle as a rule. Fuller flavours and richness can be found in Verdicchio classified as 'Superiore' and 'Classico Superiore'. The best producers are Bucci, Umani Ronchi, Sartarelli and Garofoli.
From the north of Le Marche comes the wonderfully fresh Biancello del Mautauro made around Pesaro from the uniquely Italian grape Biancame. It is is great summer drinking wine and you should always choose the most recent vintage for maximum benefit.The best producer is Umani Rochi. Around Ascoli Piceno in the south comes Falerio dei Colli Ascolani. This is made from the well known Trebbiano grape and produces a light, crisp wine of which Cocci Grifoni is widely accepted as making the best. Chardonnay is making in-roads in the region though the wine produced is a light shadow of its lush, rich New World cousins. Bianco delle Marche is the most everyday category of the region's whites.It is usually made from the Trebbiano grape and is dry and light.

REDS

The reds of Le Marche are very similar to those of neighbouring Chianti except that they are richer and smoother. The main areas of production are Rosso Conero from around Ancona and Rosso Piceno from the southern half of the region. The wines from Conero are the richer and firmer of the two areas due to the blend tending to contain more of the Montepulcaino grape softened with the addition of Sangiovese. These wines have good structure and depth of dark fruit flavour and are perfect with meat dishes. The wines labelled ' Riserva' are aged in oak barrels and this gives the wines a vanilla flavoured softness. The best producers are Moroder, La Terrazze, Monte Schiavo and Garofoli.
Softer, juicier reds are produced south of the craggy outcrop of Monte Conero; here the Sangiovese grape dominates the blend. Though the percentage of the Sangiovese/ Montepulciano blend differs from producer to producer, the overall result is a more gluggable red to Conero. There are many well-made Picenos of which the best are produced by Saputi, Cocci Grifoni and Villa Pigna although many local Cantinas produce a very acceptable drop which are often served as the Vino Rosso della Casa in many restaurants across the region. From close to Jesi comes a unique flavoured red from the villages centered on Morro D'Alba. Lacrima di Morro d'Alba is a fruity, soft red which bursts with sweet cherry flavours. Not very much is made but is worth seeking out especially those from Rubico and Falcone Reale. Cabernet Sauvignon has been recently introduced to the area but is rare. Rosso delle Marche is invariably made from the Sangiovese grape and produces a pleasant, light red.

OTHERS

Unique to the region is a fortified wine called Vino Cotto. As the name suggests, this Malmsey like wine is produced from slowly heating wine-musts for days, followed by fortification with spirits. This deliciously thick, rich, sweet wine is enjoyed at the end of a meal, dunked with almond biscuits. It is available in many restaurants but the fact that it is often homemade means that it is rarely found in shops. A very sweet, sparkling red wine called Vernaccia di Serrapetrona is also enjoyed with pudding. Lunch is often preceeded with a sparkling Prosecco made from the Verdicchio grape. The best local producers are Fazi-Battaglia and Zaccagnini.

Wine appreciation and vineyard tours can be arranged. Email info@holidayinmarche for details

LATEST NEWS: Rosso Conero,the full-bodied red, has now been granted the prestigious DOC rank - a new addition to the other wines entitled to this superior classification. The wine produced around the Conero Peninsula will be able to put it on the label from 2006 onwards.

Cookery in Le Marche. Informal lessons in pasta making etc from Agriturismo Il Casato (see where to stay page) set amid the breathtaking scenery of the Monti Sibillini National Park in Le Marche.



Eating Out in Le Marche
Throughout Italy if you are not ordering pizza there is a format that's jealously adhered to. Below are the different courses you will be offered. It is not necessary or assumed that you will want all four so don't feel obliged. Helpings are usually more than generous and it's fine to order one plate of something for 2. Menus are not always available, the waiter will tell you what's on offer so listen carefully and don't be afraid to ask him to repeat it. 'Ancora, per favore' should do it. Eating times are changeable, there doesn't seem to be a routine though get in after 12.00 and before 2.00 lunchtimes and after 8.00 and before 10.00 evenings is the best guide. 8.00 pm is early for Italians, even the children.Don't expect salt, pepper or oil on the tables, ask. Tipping is not normal or expected though no doubt appreciated- the cover charge deals with this.Booking at weekends, especially sunday lunch is best as this is the favourite day to eat out. Also try to be aware of Saints Days and Bank holidays.

Ambiance and the importance of subtle lighting is not universally understood here. The restaurants vary greatly though the presence of a TV and strip lighting are something you get used to. The other extreme of vaulted ceilinged cantinas, ambiently lit,crisp linen, large shiney wine glasses are just as common.

It is almost always an enjoyable experience as the Italians genuinely charming and friendly, enjoy foreigners and are supremely helpful.English is not ofton spoken but your attempts to break through the language barrier are always greatly appreciated. The food in Le Marche for the most part is excellent, the produce local, the dishes home cooked.The Italians greatly enjoy their way of eating and its a good rule to stick to authentic looking restaurants used by Italians

Unique to Le Marche.

A few things you will come across a lot of are:

All things truffle and porcini based.
Pecorino cheese made from sheeps milk, varies from mild to old and alarming, try the chili flavoured one.
Porchetta. Roast pork which is flavoured with fennel and fennel seeds, sliced and eaten with a hunk of bread,very good served warm.
Pesci fritti. italain version of fish and chips from vans selling a variety of lightly fried fish tit bits, calamari, whitebait, fish cakes, octopus etc served with chips.
Tartufo e Funghi Porcini
Ragout and stews made with wild boar. Salmi di Chingiale
Vincisgrassi A lasagne made with pork and chicken liver ragout, bechamel and thins sheets of pasta.
Ascoli Olives. Green olives stuffed with pork meat , breaded and deep fried.
Coratella. Not for the faint hearted, a mix of lambs liver and kidney , chopped and stewed. This comes with Antipasta mista.
Bordetto. A rather startling looking fish broth with huge amounts of shell fish and seafood.
Carne alla Brace. Grilled meats from a wood fired grill.
Polenta with salisicce. Soft polenta with sausage.
Polentone: Similar to a lasagne but with set but soft layers of Polenta.
Zuppa Inglese. Means English soup but is the main pudding here, a simple triffle normally just booze soaked spounge cake with custard.
Vinocotto. A sweet, slightly burnt tasting type of sherry mostly served to dunk almond biscuits into.
Limoncello. A lemon flavoured liqouri.


Eating in Le Marche

The process of eating is explained below. Choose whatever and however many or few courses you want. Prima will always come before secondo so if you aren't having pasta but your friend is you will wait until the pasta course is eaten. Just might as well go the whole hog then! If you are on a diet - good luck!!


Antipasti meaning before the first course. Amounts are normally more than generous, so go hungry and willing to eat. Antipasta differs in each restaurant and almost always you can have Antipasti misti, a selection of locally produced of hams, salamis, pecorino( sheep milk cheese ) olives, bruschetta and so on. Regional favourites Bresaola { cured thinly sliced beef } with rocket and parmesan and crostini topped with truffle paste are both good. the cortorni fritte miste is worth a try:- assorted vegetables deep fried in a light tempura style batter along with ascoli olives. { olives stuffed with pork meat, breadcrumbed and deep fried}. The faint-hearted may wish to avoid Coratella, which is a rich stew of lamb kidneys, liver etc .By the coast, the all fish antipasta is a treat for shell fish lovers, course after course of very fresh clams, prawns, langoustines and mussels.

Prima Piatti is the first course and always pasta, sometimes risotto and soup. The pasta here is very light and more often as not homemade and very different to the shop bought variety.You are offered an assortment of pasta with sauces. Regional dishes are tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, ravioli filled with ricotta, flavoured with lemon, pappadelle { thicker than tagiatelle} with wild boar sauce. Near the coast the risottos and pasta dishes feature strongly with shellfish and seafood. The speciality here is Brodetto, a cornuocopia of seafood not unlike Bouillabaisse.

Secondi Piatti. Around this area the speciality is Alla Brace, which is a method of grilling meat on an open wood burning grill. When done properly it is deliciously seasoned and succulent. You can opt for a mix grill which consists of lamb, sausage, kebab, spare rib and veal. This with a simple mixed salad and some patate fritte is a really lovely choice. Regional dishes worth trying are the slow cooked wild boar stew, osso buco with tomatoes, Grilled veal chop with lemon, spiedini which is a pork fillet and sausage grilled kebab, Pork chop with porcini, chicken breast with truffle.
Towards the coast and in larger towns fish features strongly on the menu.The main courses treat the fish very simply, either grilled or fried with herbs and lemon, no fussy sauces to smother the taste. Some restaurants serve only fish on the coast.
Vegetarians are not really catered for but alot of the pasta dishes would be a safe bet.

Contorni: Steamed, unadulterated vegetables are not prominent in restaurants, though its always worth asking. Regional favourites are steamed endive with butter, boiled green beans, insalata miste or verde { mixed salad or green} rocket and radicchio salad with parmesan. Roasted vegetables are often well done and interesting, vegetables thinly sliced and marinaded in olive oil and lemon are a personal favourite. Patate fritte or game chips are always good.

Dolce: This course varies strongly from restaurant to restaurant.Where the desserts are homemade they are good as a rule. Limited in choice usually and either very sweet or highly alcoholic. The most prominant are the usual suspects.Tirmasu [ cream with coffee and sherry flavored sponge}, Zuppa Inglese, a bizarre misnoma, infact a very simplified trifle with booze, sponge and custard. Panacotta, if good wonderful but more often mass produced and sweet. Italians homemade Gelato is world renowned and rightly so though limited in restaurants, bought in and served in its plastic pot. The best bet if you are not sweet toothed and want to be able to walk straight afterwards is the frutta choice. In summer you will recieve watermelon, strawberries, peaches, kiwi or pineapple beautifully sliced and very generous. I once ordered watermelon and was served an entire half.

Coffee and Digestivo: Caffe is always expresso so if you want to break all the rules order cappucino. Coffee is another thing the Italians cannot be beaten on but look out for those expressos!! The dominant liqueur is limoncello, often home brewed, very potent and surprisingly good. Amaro for the mad and brave, Mistra for the insane. Vino Cotto, like madiera but rougher round the edges as always home brewed is lovely to dunk almond biscuits in and too drink too.

Tried and tested Restaurants' near us (Sarnano/Sant Angelo area)