Verdicchio

Verdicchio wine and its flavours

Verdicchio is one of the most valuable Italian white grapes. Very complex, oak-aged Verdicchio wines from the historic town of Jesi are admired around the world.

Verdicchio produces white wines with aromas of white flowers (orange blossom and jasmine), green tea, chamomile, citrus (lemon zest or lime) and herbs (sage and thyme). Verdicchio responds perfectly well to ageing, either in oak barrels or terracotta amphorae. High-quality aged wines from this grape develop nutty aromas, and can evolve in bottle for ten years or more.

While this grape is also used to produce sweet and sparkling wines, those are consumed locally. It’s the dry, long-ageing versions of Verdicchio that make this grape legendary.

Read our Guide to Verdicchio wine.

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Guide to Verdicchio Wine

Verdicchio in the Official Registry

Registration Code: 254
Official name: VERDICCHIO BIANCO B.
Offical permitted synonyms: TREBBIANO DI LUGANA , TREBBIANO DI SOAVE B. (registered as a separate grape no.239), VERDELLO B. (registered as a separate grape no.253), (297) VERDUSCHIA, PEVERELLA (only in Trento), TREBBIANO VERDE (only in Lazio).

The grape has been registered in the official MiPAAF Registro Varietà since 1970.[1]

Where Verdicchio wine is made

Marche

The spiritual home of Verdicchio is Marche, located on the Adriatic coast in central Italy.

The most prized Verdicchio wines come from the small town of Jesi – the birthplace of the legendary Holy Roman Emperor Frederic II. The most noble area for this grape is the Classico sub-zone of Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva DOCG, right around Jesi. Vedricchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC forms an arc surrounding Jesi from the north-west. Wines from Jesi are known to be lighter, more elegant, and dominated by white flower aromas.

Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva DOCG is another important denomination. Located 30 km south-west from Jesi, and separated by Mount San Vicino, it benefits from its own microclimate. Matelica produces full bodied versions of Verdicchio with higher acidity, dominated by flavours of lemon and green fruits.

The North

The Verdicchio grape is considered genetically identical to Trebbiano di Soave (or Trebbiano di Lugana), which is planted south of Lake Garda (Lugana DOC). But since the soils and the microclimate in the north are so different from Marche, Trebbiano di Lugana produces very different wines.

Production statistics

While premium Verdicchio wines enjoy a strong following, mass-produced versions are in slow decline. Verdicchio is overtaken by fast-spreading international white grapes, such as Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay.

Verdicchio area under vine in Italy (hectares) — Verdicchio area under vine in Italy (MiPAAF)

With about 2,386 hectares planted (2010), Verdicchio occupies less than one seventh of the land of Pinot Grigio (over 17 thousand hectares).

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