A Taste of Le Marche:
A Unique Wining and Dining Experience

Olive ascolana from the south … vincisgrassi from the middle … passatelli from the north … brodetto from the coast … and these are just the well-known specialties from the region.  Like the rest of Italy, the marchigiani like their food, and they’re proud of their own recipes (for good reason).  Not surprisingly, there’s often a tale that hangs on the region’s unique recipes and food, like the casciotta cheese from Urbino that Michelangelo liked so much he bought a farm in the area to ensure a constant supply of it; or the salami the composer Rossini, who was born in Pesaro, had sent to him in Paris.  Cave-aged pecorino (sheep’s) cheese with chestnut honey … Amandola’s pink apples … Campofilone’s maccheroncini … Acqualanga’s truffles … Fano’s broccoli … Jesi’s artichokes … Colfiorito’s red potatoes … and a variety of olives that you wouldn’t have believed existed – the marchigiani believe they produce the best olives in Italy, and it’s not an idle claim.

The ristoranti, osterie, taverne, and locande on this tour feature a mouth-watering cross-section of the region’s cuisine reflecting each specific area’s traditions – carne alla brace (meat grilled on an open fire, mostly inside the restaurant) is the classic inland dish, while brodetto (a seafood broth containing precisely 13 – no more, no less – different types of fish) prevails on the coast.  But there’s a vast menu of items in between, which you’ll have the pleasure of enjoying in medieval castles (with medieval fare), elegant villas, fine modern restaurants, and unnamed chalkboard ristoranti where they serve nonna’s recipes on paper tablecloths.  As with all classic Italian cooking, the menu depends on what’s fresh and seasonal.
We’ll also organize one event where we’ll all pitch in and take a whole day to prepare a meal to enjoy in the late afternoon. 

OK, so much for the food, now for the wine.  There’s a side of me that’s quite content with the fact that Le Marche’s wines are not well-known, both internationally and in some cases even within Italy.  Say “Verdicchio”, and most wine-drinkers will know you’re talking about the liquid gold from the Jesi area.  But say Verdicchio di Matelica, and they’re unlikely to have heard of that area’s distinct “green gold” grown at higher elevations, resulting in (arguably) a more full-bodied wine that you can lay down for up to 10 years – it’s no wonder they call it “red wine dressed in white”. 

But there’s so much more, of high quality too – indeed, Le Marche’s wines generally rank fourth in the quality stakes amongst Italian wine-growing regions, despite its comparatively small production.  Amongst the whites you’ll find the south’s Falerio, the middle’s Colli Maceratesi Bianco and Esino Bianco, the north’s Bianchello and Colli Pesaresi Bianco, each with their own distinct character.  The area around Offida in the south is also credited with saving the aromatic Pecorino grape from extinction.

On the red side, the classic varietals are sangiovese and montepulciano, which produce the region’s signature Rosso Piceno.  There are also small specialist areas producing reds of exceptional quality, such as Monte Conero on the coast (Rosso Conero), Morro d’Alba in the center (Lacrima di Morro d’Alba), and the red counterparts of Colli Pesaresi and Colli Maceratesi.

Specialty wines include Loro Piceno’s Vino Cotto (similar to Tuscany and Umbria’s Vin Santo), and Serrapetrona’s sweet and sparkling Vernaccia.  International varietals such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and others have also made a big impact, with a number of award-winning vintages emerging consistently from the region.

Our tour will introduce you to each of these wines, but – perhaps more interestingly – the people who produce them.  Like the restaurateurs who’ll serve the fare of your plate, the winemakers are people of knowledge, history, and folklore, and spending time with them rivals the enjoyment of sampling their wonderful wines.

In between tastings and samplings, the tour takes in the cultural highlights of each area visited, including the elegance of Jesi, the history of Ancona, the majesty of Ascoli Piceno, and the charm of Renaissance Urbino.  These visits are the perfect complement to the culinary delights you’ll enjoy along the way.

Bottom line – pack your palates and your appetites, and you’ll return home a very “satisfied” customer.

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