2021 Mirum, Verdicchio di Matelica, Riserva, La Monacesca, Marche, Italy
Critics reviews
An elegant white, with the broad, creamy feel of the baked melon, dried pineapple, creamed almond and salted butter flavours on the palate reined in nicely by well-honed citrus peel acidity. Smoke and salt notes play out on the clean-cut, minerally finish.
Drink now
Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator (December 2024)
About this WINE
La Monacesca, Marche
Couched high up in the Appenines in the eastern province of Marche lies the La Monacesca (Italian for monastery) La Monacesca estate, on the site of ancient salt-lake of the Paleolithic era rich in minerals. The estate was so-called because of the monastery erected by Benedictine Monks on the run from the dastardly Lombards in 900 A.D. Fast-forward to 1966 when Casimiro Cifola purchased the land and began planting Verdicchio.
For many years the estate has been producing a range of high quality white wines and the Cifolas are now considered by some, among the best white wine producers in the whole of Italy, not just the Marche.
Their estate is located in the largely inaccessible region of Matelica, in the Marche region of central Italy and it is now run by Casimiro's son Aldo Cifola. The 22 hectares of vineyards are located at high altitudes near to the Umbria border and are planted with 80% Verdicchio and 20% Malvasia.
The white wines are distinctive and expressive of the terroir of the district. Over the years, Gambero Rosso has honoured several of their wines with coveted "Three Glass" awards, the most exclusive wine awards in Italy. Until recently the estate has concentrated almost exclusively on white wines, but is now beginning to work with red grapes.
Marches
Marches is located across the Apennines from Tuscany. This central-eastern province is responsible for around 3.5% of Italian production (2006). It produces mainly white wines of which only about 15% are classified as DOC.
The whites are dominated by the Verdicchio grape grown abundantly on the coastal flats of the Castelli di Jesi DOC and further inland at altitude among the more demanding Apennine foothills. Here the Verdicchio di Matelica DOC produces very good wines revered for their longevity.
The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Sangiovese grapes lie behind the two key red wine styles: Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno. Meanwhile, the red indigenous grape Lacrima di Morro d’Alba can be refreshingly interesting.
Recommended producers: La Monacesca, Le Terrazze, Saladini Palastri
Verdicchio
Verdicchio is one of the most widely planted white grape varieties in the Marche region of central Italy. It has been cultivated for over 600 years and is the grape behind two of the Marche's most important DOCs – Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, to the west of Ancona and 20 miles from the Adriatic Sea, and Verdicchio di Matelica, further inland and at a higher altitude, close to the Umbria border.
Verdicchio's name is derived from verde, meaning green, referring to the yellowish-green skin of the grape, which gives the wine a subtle, greenish hue. It produces crisp, dry, mineral wines of naturally high acidity, often with hints of citrus fruits and almonds. It is also well suited to the production of sparkling wine and Verdicchio was one of the first Italian spumantes back in the 19th century.
Verdicchio has recently been proven to be identical to Trebbiano di Soave, Trebbiano di Lugana (aka Turbiana) and Trebbiano Veltenesi.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
The 2021 Mirum, Verdicchio di Matelica, Riserva, by La Monacesca, Marche, is just beautiful on the nose, lifted and fragrant with fleshy notes of honey, stone fruits and summer herbs. Dry and giving on the palate, rich and broad with stony minerality, intense and beautifully balanced. The fleshy fruit is ever present on the long, delicate finish with notes of bitter almond. One of the most concentrated vintages I can remember reminds me of the 2001 or 2006, both great classic vintages.
Chris Pollington, Senior Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd
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