Verdicchio
[vehr-DEEK-kyoh] A white-wine grape grown mainly in Italy's marches region where it's been cultivated since the fourteenth century. Verdicchio's name is derived from verde (meaning green), referring to the yellow-green skin of the grape, which gives the wine a subtle greenish hue. The wines are generally crisp and dry with a light but elegant aroma and flavor. The best known of the Verdicchio wines come from the doc of verdicchio dei castelli de jesi which can include small amounts of trebbiano and malvasia. Part of the notability of these wines comes from the unusual green, amphora (two-handled urn)-shaped bottle in which it comes. The wines from the DOC of verdicchio dei matelica are not as well known as those from Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi but are thought by many to be as good or better because they're more full-bodied (see body) and have better aging potential. The high acid levels of the Verdicchio grape makes it a good candidate for sparkling wines and the spumante made from this variety receives good reviews. Verdicchio is also known as Marchigiano and Verdone.
