2021 Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC Italy 750 ml

Bucci’s standout Verdicchio has quickly developed line-out-the-door status among Wine Access members, who clean us out of each new release as soon as we hit “send.” They’ve left reviews like “This is what a Castelli di Jesi is all about,” and “Great Verdicchio at a fantastic price. Very versatile!”

Verdicchio from Marche’s prestigious Castelli di Jesi DOC has been called the “White Barolo'' because it’s layered, profoundly aromatic, and cellarworthy—a true noble in the court of Italian viticulture.

This Verdicchio is a revelation of dry Italian elegance that justifies that nickname. Aged in large, old oak barrels, it has a lush, round creaminess that will drive Chardonnay drinkers to distraction. Its seductive melange of fruit-laden, wet-stone aromatics and a lively palate of fennel, preserved lemon, and sea spray makes for a richer and more complex Verdicchio than you’ll find anywhere else. 

Few producers execute this balance as perfectly as consummate craftsman Ampelio Bucci, who has been dubbed “the dean of Verdicchio” by Italian wine expert Ian d’Agata. Under Bucci’s expert hand, this Classico Superiore achieves a level of quality almost indistinguishable from the winery’s higher-end bottles.

Bucci believes that Verdicchio vines don’t really begin producing wines of distinction until they reach 20 years old. The vines used for this wine boast nearly 40 years on average, with roots digging deep into the clay-limestone soils of four low-yielding vineyards, including Montefiore, whose vines range up to 56 years of age. Farming is 100% organic, with no herbicides or pesticides used, allowing the nuances of the terroir to shine through.

Crisp, voluminous, and complex, this wine tops some estate’s high-end riserva bottlings.