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Since assuming control of the family farm in the early 1990’s,
and converting it into a wine estate of uncompromised quality, Stefano
has won much praise for his contemporary, world-class wines, both red
and white. Stefano Antonucci is quickly becoming a leading winery in
the famous Castelli di Jesi area, and the first of his wines to attract
wine press attention was the Verdicchio Classico, Le Vaglie, in
1992. This wine comes from a vineyard of the same name where the grapes
are picked very ripe -almost late harvest in brix level. The juice
sees stainless steel for about 25 days, and then goes through partial
malolactic fermentation and aged for 8 months - half in stainless steel
and half in large Slovenian oak barrels. This process makes for a rich,
full-bodied Verdicchio with a very creamy mouth. The San Bartolo is
a blend of 75% Montepulciano and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is
round with fruit, medium to full-bodied in weight offering ripe cherry,
nice depth and smooth tannins. “Pignocco”, named for the
pine tree that towers over the adjacent vineyard, is a lovely Verdicchio
for everyday drinking. Lovely aromatics and nice, rich fruit make this
a perfect pairing for shellfish and a variety of seafood dishes.
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White wine from the Marche region on the east coast of Italy
can be summed up in one word -Verdicchio. It is generally both savory
and fruity and not typically full-bodied. It tends to be more refreshing
in style with naturally high acidity, and exhibits flavors of green
apple, Bosc pear and green herbs. It has a “green” grape
flavor for lack of a better description, and often finishes with hints
of almond. It’s the perfect white for summer seafood dishes.