Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Passito 2021, Sartarelli

Verdicchio is a varietal known for its explosive citrus aromas combined with a distinct almond nuttiness. When the grapes are dried and the sugar content goes up, we end up with a sweet wine that still holds onto those incredible flavors. So we’re not sure...is this an almond tart, or a glass of delicious wine...? You tell us! As with all passito (dried grape) wines from Italy, there is a fantastic balance of acidity to leave your palate refreshed after each sip!

About the Winery

The story of Sartarelli begins at the heart of a single man. Ferruccio Sartarelli started out as a skilled and well-liked baker and went on to become an entrepreneur. He also donated to and supported various organizations and was always willing to assist those in need. In 1972, Ferruccio made the decision to invest in his greatest passion, which would later become one of his greatest challenges: the production of high-quality Verdicchio wine. Because of his resourcefulness and pioneering spirit, Ferruccio was definitely an open-minded man who was ahead of his time.

The winery was initially more of a pastime, but in 1976, his son-in-law Patrizio began to assist him in the business of the winery, sharing his father-in-law’s dream. In 1990, when Ferruccio passed away, Patrizio and his wife—Ferruccio’s daughter Donatella—made the decision to give up everything else and work full-time at the winery. As time went on, this became their primary business. Since Donatella and Patrizio were still very young and Verdicchio was definitely undervalued as a vine variety, it was a challenge at first. Still, Patrizio was determined that the only right thing to do was to follow in the footsteps of his father-in-law, with Donatella at his side.

And now there is a third generation at Sartarelli—Ferruccio’s grandchildren, Tommaso and Caterina—and their grandfather's philosophy and enthusiasm live on. The family is singularly focused on their native grape Verdicchio, one of the most age-worthy white wines in all of Italy; they grow nothing else! This devotion has led to Sartarelli being known as one of the best producers of Verdicchio. In 1999, their Balciana bottling was entered into the International Wine Challenge in London, with 8500 white wines competing from 34 countries worldwide, and that wine was awarded not only with the “Italian White Trophy” (the best Italian white wine), but also the “White Wine Trophy,” the best white wine in the world!

To make their wines even more unique, they have chosen special Verdicchio clones from their oldest vineyards, selecting for the most distinctive characteristics. This allows them to make a wine that is even more refined and aromatically expressive  while still maintaining the flavor of the traditional varietal.