Zaccagnini, Italy
Playing to their strengths, they have focused on the local grape Verdicchio, and the results are spectacular. Their range of three Verdicchios are as distinctive and individual as you could wish for, with each wine having its own personality and textural signature. All are benchmark examples of this lesser known region on the East coast. Whilst they have been working organically for a few years, from the 2020 vintage, the wines are being certified as organic.
Viticulture
The Salmàgina vineyards extend for 42 hectares in the municipality of Staffolo, in Ancona, at around 500 metres above the sea level. The climate and the soils, (rich of saline) combined with the work of the Zaccagnini family, allowed to obtain high quality and distinctive wines. 25ha are classified as Verdicchio Doc "Classico", whilst 5ha is classified as IGT for experimental grapes such as Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero, Chardonnay and Cabernet. They also farm around 17ha of Olive groves most of which is organically cultivated.
Winemaking
Zaccagnini Azienda Agricola has been experimentation with clone selection of native varietals, temperature controlled fermentation and microbiological sterile bottle filling. This important research, combined with accurate grapes selection and years of experience in the field, the quality of Zaccagnini’s wine has achieved spectacular levels.
- Manual harvesting, often with several tries through the vineyard and temperature-controlled fermentation combined with refinement on the fine lees gives these wines a beautiful character.
- Practising clonal selection of native varietals as well as producing experimental declassified IGT wines such as Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero and Cabernet.
- Low temperature-controlled fermentation and microbiological sterile bottle filling results in a noticeable increase in quality.
