Italy’s Verdicchio yields surprises

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      This week’s column is being filed from Barolo, in the heart of Piedmont, Italy. I’ve returned to the region a year after my last visit, participating in the Collisioni Festival, a “collision” of wine, food, music, and literary arts.

      On the latter fronts, Robbie Williams, Placebo, Dave Eggers, Joyce Carol Oates, and more have graced various stages—but, of course, it’s the wine side of things that brings me here.

      There have been many things learned and more than a handful of surprises on this trip. Although I expected to come away with revelations and re-commendations on regional icons like Barolo and Barbaresco, there have been numerous experiences that have resonated beyond initial expectations.

      I had been scheduled to participate in two seminars on one day, centring on Verdicchio. Although I’ve enjoyed the indigenous variety on plenty of occasions, I’ve always thought Verdicchios were fairly, I dunno, disposable wines: lively whites meant for immediate consumption, drenched with lemon, lime, and young-almond notes. I’ve always enjoyed the flavour profile, but I have to admit that I expected the tastings to go from refreshing to boring in a short amount of time.

      The wines—hailing from the Marche region of Italy—offer those flavours and can be easily consumed without much focus or consideration. You can be out on a sailboat in English Bay, basking in the sun, while easily crushing a couple bottles, for sure.

      What surprised me, however, was that the wines can also suit a serious dinner table and be worthy of discerning palates and opinions. A positive attribute of Verdicchio is that it can hang on the vine for a good amount of time without fear of getting overripe; it has a knack for maintaining natural acidity, which is crucial for maintaining its hallmark freshness.

      As an aside, a Collisioni participant who is a sommelier colleague from Austria commented that although the style is something those in her market would appreciate, it would be a tough sell, as the profile is ridiculously similar to her country’s legendary Grüner Veltliners. I’d never thought of this comparison before, but upon a fresh glance with this new perspective? Totally. In saying this, if you’re a fan of the noble Austrian variety, you may want to glance toward these wines.

      One of the wines we tasted was Villa Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli Classico Riserva 2013 ($55.99, B.C. Liquor Stores). Upon first glance, it may seem a little pricey and tired, based on the vintage being a few years back. This was the wine that made me recognize the ageability of Verdicchio. Many international colleagues around the room seemed in step with my surprise at the wine’s dimension and poise.

      In fact, the words proper Chablis were even tossed around on a couple occasions when we tried to bring context to what was in our glasses.

      On the nose, the wine had lifted mint, lemon balm, and fresh-squeezed citrus-fruit notes, where on the palate we delved into warmer elements of nutmeg, hazelnut, and marzipan. The acid was lifted; the fruit was precise. The wine could easily go another few years without falling apart.

      I get that most of us aren’t spending upwards of 60 bucks on a wine on a regular basis; I’m certainly not. On this note, it’s fortunate that we can get other, accessibly priced Verdicchios in our market. Umani Ronchi Verdicchio dei Castelli Classico Superiore 2015 is a mere $17.99 and available throughout the province at B.C. Liquor Stores.

      The wine is fresh and lively, with fresh lime and lemonade notes, and on the palate it is rounded out with some hazelnuts and great beeswax character that provides a nice, elegant mouthfeel.

      Although this style comes from halfway around the world, I can’t help but think of how well it can fit in here. I’m considering things like halibut or salmon on the grill, vegetable-forward dishes, and takeout Thai curry that may harbour a touch of heat.

      In the coming weeks, I’ll be riffing on various grape varieties, regions, and wines from Italy. Although some aspects I’ll be covering will be things I’m expected to report on, this initial experience proves that nothing is stagnant or worth dismissing in the vast world of wine.

      I’d never have imagined that the Italian wine style I’d be most excited to share from this experience would be Verdicchio, but here we are. It proves that quality wine can at once be challenging, humbling, surprising, and—most importantly—delicious.

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