Pale straw color; vivid peach, citrus, flowers, almond on the nose; peach, apricot, lemon, pear, melon, almond on the palate.
Dry; light body, but very rich in the mouth with some oiliness and saline notes. Smooth, savory. Tangy acidity. Fermented in stainless steel; no oak; no tannins. Fresh and delicious. This comes from the Marche region of Central Italy, specifically along the Adriatic coast where verdicchio dei Castilli di Jesi is the signature grape and gets international attention as a fascinating wine; 13% ABV.
Garofoli is one of the oldest family-owned wineries in Italy. Origins date to 1871 when Antonio Garofoli began producing wines for pilgrims who came to the famous church of Basilica della Santa Casa in Loreto. In 1901, Antonio’s son, Gioacchino, founded the Garofoli winery. His sons, Franco and Dante, succeeded Gioacchino after World War II. Brothers Gianfranco and Carlo followed. Gianluca Garofoli, the fifth generation and Gianfranco’s son, alongside his sister Caterina, and Carlo’s daughter Beatrice lead the operation today.
The Garofolio vineyards cover some 130 acres in the zones of Montecarotto (Jesi area) and Paterno and Piancarda (Mt. Conero area) and Castelfidardo. Garofoli is considered a benchmark producer of verdicchio, a grape variety cultivated for more than a century.
Verdicchio is a classic white grape of central Italy. Once primarily made with extensive skin contact and even sweetened with a second fermentation induced by the must of dried grapes that also gave it some bubbles, now it is made in this lighter, brisker style and has improved its reputation.
The Garofolios are among those credited with improving the style of verdicchio wine. The grape is famous for its versatility and ability to age. In addition to adopting a modern emphasis on freshness and clear focus on the grape, the Garofolis were among the first producers to limit yields in order to make give verdicchio greater body, structure, and complexity. This effort reflects their achievement.
Garofoli Macrina Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Superiore DOC 2018 is made with a premier Italian white wine grape and delivers superb value and delicious, versatile, refreshing wine. With its hints of saline and slight bitterness in mid-palate, this can be outstanding paired with shellfish, marcona almonds, cold gazpacho salad, proscuitto, quiche, savory tarts and soufflés. Definitely will evoke “wows” when poured as an aperitif. $15-16
