Haute Wines – Velenosi Vini, the New Marche

“Wine is an art capable of making you dream.”

Ercole and Angela Velenosi established their winery, Velenosi Vini, in 1984. It’s this passionate view that drives the Velenosis dynamic winery to produce some of the best wines in all of Italy.

Velenosi Vini is a state of the art winery that is unrivaled within the sleepy region of Marche. Additionally, it is the only winery of the region to garner this level of critical acclaim. Their flagship wine Roggio del Filare has won the Tre Bichieri award from Gambero Rosso nine years in a row, this is the most prestigious wine award available in Italy; and  Ludi, their super-Marchese blend, has won the same award twice. Additionally, Vini Velenosi produces thirteen different wines from grapes native to the region. They make wine from grapes like Paserina, Pecorino, Montepulciano and Lacrima; which for the most part are unheard of outside of Marche.

Marche is a small province in central Italy located on the Adriatic coast. Sandwiched between Emilia Romagna and Abruzzo, it too plants a fair number of varietals, but most noticeably verdicchio, sangiovese and montepulciano. The most famous white of the region is Verdicchio dei Castello di Jesi, a white wine made from the verdicchio grape. Although the red wines are tradionally rustic, earthy and somewhat tannic, the new guard of winemakers are making crowd pleasing wines that balance ripeness of fruit, tannins, alcohol and acidity. Certainly, the Velenosis lead this new brigade.

Haute Wines cheers Angela Velenosi and her brother Ercole for producing extraodinary wines in an area that is not normally regarded for doing so and praises them for single handedly raising the bar throughout Marche.

Velenosi ‘Roggio del Filare’, Marche, 2005, $55 – A blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese, this single vinyard blend is bright and chocked full of ripe red fruit – plums, cherries, currants. The wine is beautiful and elegant, yet structured, concentrated and vigorous as well. The name Roggio del Filare refers to the beams of light, aka. fire, that shine through the vinyard and ripen the berries in order to achieve this level of richness and concentration. This is the only wine in the Marche region to ever garner nine consecutive Tre Bichieri awards by the Gambero Rosso.

Velenosi ‘Ludi’, Marche, 2004, $80 – Ludi is a massive wine comprised of a Montepulciano, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend. The nose seduces you with the smells of freshly crushed blackberries, cassis and plums and there is also a sweetness reminiscent of blueberry pie. Lusciously ripe yet powerful and tannic, Ludi is a fantastic replacement for the California Cab drinker looking to venture out of their comfort zone.  

Velenosi ‘Quertantica Visciole’, Marche – Quite possibly the home run winner of the tasting, Visciole is named after the wild cherries that grow in the vinyard. The cherries are pressed and macerated with sugar; the juice is then extracted and blended with the must of the local lacrima wine. The resultant wine is wonderfully floral, full of violets, lavender and roses, but has a fruity sweetness and balanced acidity deriving from the cherries. Absolutely spectacular on its own and heavenly alongside a warm chocolate gateau.