"Mercantino" Offida Pecorino DOCG 2022

Pecorino is an indigenous grape variety from central Italy that has experienced a renaissance in recent decades, going from near extinction to becoming one of the most representative white varieties in Italy, particularly in the Marche and Abruzzo regions. Although the name may mislead one into thinking of the famous cheese, it is likely that the name 'Pecorino' derives from the word sheep. According to one theory, in fact, sheep loved to eat these grapes during their transhumance in the Marche and Abruzzo hills. In the past, the vine had been abandoned because it produced little, but it was rediscovered in the 1980s and 1990s thanks to its unique oenological characteristics. Offida Pecorino DOCG Mercantino is Cantina dei Colli Ripani's interpretation of the typical Marche Pecorino. Its name refers to the famous poet Luigi Mercantini, a native of the area and also reproduced on the beautiful label. The grapes come from the heart of the Marche region, from vineyards located 508 metres above sea level, on Colle San Nicolò, the highest point of Ripatransone. It is from here, in fact, that the Società Cooperativa Cantina dei Colli Ripani obtains all the grapes used to produce the wines of its line of excellence, called precisely '508'. In the glass, this Pecorino has a beautiful straw-yellow colour with light greenish reflections. Bringing the glass closer to the nose, then, it is easy to recognise intense aromas of fresh fruit, such as melon and mango, which blend with delicate floral and citrus notes. The taste is equally fruity, well balanced by a fresh acidity. The persistence is good, also due to the wine's special refinement, in the absence of oxygen, in contact with the fine lees in steel tanks.