Marches

DOC for dry red wines in the Marches wine-growing region in Italy. The zone is located between the Adriatic coast and the Apennines, and includes the communes of Ascoli Piceno, Castignano, Montedinove, Montelparo, Santa Vittoria in Matenano and Venarotta in the province of Ascoli Piceno, as well as the communes Gualdo, Monte San Martino, Penna San Giovanni and San Ginesio in the province of Macerata. The wine produced here is considered to be a “modern form” of the ancient wine known as Hadrianum, and mentioned by the elder Pliny (23-79 AD). The red wine is a blend of Sangiovese (60-100%), Montepulciano (up to 40%), Trebbiano (up to 15%) and Passerina (up to 15%). The Novello is made from Montepulciano (35-70%), Sangiovese (30-50%), as well as optionally from other permitted red varieties (up to 15%). Varietal-labelled Sangiovese must contain a minimum of 85% of this variety. A Superiore is produced in the southern part of the zone from the same grapes used for the Novello, with a minimum alcohol content of 12% vol.