Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi is a DOC located in the Marche province of Italy on the country’s east coast. It’s located north of Abruzzo province and south of Emilia Romagna.

About 30 km inland from the town of Ancona, the Adriatic Sea’s cooling evening breezes offer the area a strong diurnal shift; the difference between day and nighttime temperatures enables the grapes to retain high acidity and the wines to be crisp and refreshing.

This wine comes from the DOC’s Classico zone. There is another Verdicchio zone – de Matelica – which is further inland, has higher altitude and offers a fuller style of wine.

The white Verdicchio grape that makes the wine used to be fermented on its skins to produce a full style that didn’t offer much delicacy. Producers used to use something called the ‘Governo’ technique which introduced a second fermentation by adding must made from dried grapes. It added some sweetness and then CO2 was also sometimes added.

Today, thankfully, the modern style follows temperature controlled cool fermentation in neutral oak barrels or stainless steel with no skin contact. This makes it ‘clean and correct’ but also a little less distinctive. That said, this example exemplifies the lemon citrus, herbal element and almonds modern Verdicchio is known for.

The Bucci is clear and bright, medium lemon with legs. On the nose, it’s clean and youthful with medium plus intensity and aromas of dried herbs, almonds, lemon drop and minerals.

The palate is dry with better than average acidity and flavours of lemon balm, lime, thyme, pine nuts and almonds, light creme brûlée, all ending in a medium plus finish.

This is WSET Very Good; strong acidity, flavour concentration and a good finish with balanced alcohol and fruit. Refreshingly tasty. Drink now, not intended for further ageing.