VERDICCHIO

2020 was a great year for Leo Felici as he was crowned 'Italy's Best Winemaker' by the Gambero Rosso Guide. And that seems to have only encouraged him to work harder and push harder! As Antonio Galloni writes - 'Leopardo Felici has a great hand with the Verdicchio grape, producing two of the Marche’s best white wines. Clearly, the vineyard location in the cool-climate, hilly area between Apiro and Cupramontana is a big help, as the wines have high natural acidity, a strong mineral overlay and wonderful clarity. But strong viticultural and winemaking skills also play a role. Felici is one of the few producers of “vino biologico” in Italy talented enough to avoid making wines with off-putting aromas, and his decision not to use oak (only stainless steel and cement vats are used) also contributes to the precision of the wines. Andrea Felici is a name to watch in Italian wine circles.'

Found between Apiro and Cupramontana, right at the heart of the Verdicchio region, Apiro is ideally placed on the foothills of Mount San Vicino (m 1479), at 516 m above sea level. The landscape is wonderful, a green valley with rolling hills, covered with beautiful woods and vines, marked by the high peaks of Gran Sasso and Maiella that stand out towards the horizon in the south and the the peaks of Mount Catria that are found to the north. The Felici wines are produced here with the vineyards benefitting from the altitude and the cool breezes from the Adriatic Sea. The variable temperatures are important factors when producing this light and crisp wine. Leo practices organic viticulture; the grapes are picked by hand and pressed within a few hours. The wine is then matured in cement and stainless steel vats and the finished product is “marked by incredible purity of fruit and minerality.”

Winemaking - The wine is made from grapes of young and old vines (6/7 yr old and 35 yr old). Once pressed, the wine spends two days on the skins followed by ageing in cement and stainless steel vats (on the lees). A further two months of ageing takes place in the bottle before release.