Undiscovered Italy on WineStudio Sipping Colli Ripani

*wine scholarship samples*

Jonathan Ziegler of ZRG Imports and Wines Of Marche talked to us about this undiscovered region of Italy.Rustic regions of rolling hills, olive groves, small intimate towns with green pastures and tree groves is what you will find on your visit.Colli Ripani was born out of a cooperative of farmers back in 1969 which has now grown to over 300 small local growers. Plots are small mostly 2-4 hectares but let me tell you these growers know everything about each of their vines.You will find this in the quality of their wines and the best part so inexpensive. Pair with a multitude of dishes from root veggie to coastal seafood dishes.

Each wine tonight was an adventure starting with the 2014 Trebbiano and it's wild floral notes and citrus bonanza. I loved that kiss of lemon on the finish. Moving to the Verdicchio there was more stone fruit and minerality notes throughout the taste with a hint of melon/grapefruit. Pair this with chicken or seafood. We finished with the Rupe Nero Rosso Piceno a blend of 50% Montepulciano and 50% Sangiovese. I smelled this wine and immediately started talking like the Godfather. Jammy plum with hints of cherry, earthy notes and black tea this wine screamed Italian. While robust in the beginning the tannins were soft on the finish. Naturally I paired with a rich meat sauce over angel hair pasta. Makes you want to jump on the first plane to visit the region.

A huge thank you to Tina and Jonathan for introducing me to these three "new" wines and I look forward to next week and more Italian gems.

Cheers
Dan