Recently, our wine offering has expanded to include bottles from a region that had not previously graced our shelves. Marche, as it is called, is an area located in the central-eastern part of Italy, divided into five provinces: Ancona, Ascoli Piceno, Fermo, Macerata, and Pesaro e Urbino. The territory of Marche is hilly (almost 70% of the area) or mountainous (about 20% of the area). Plains are limited here to a narrow coastal strip and parts of valleys located closest to river mouths. The region stretches from the foothills of the Apennines to the Adriatic Sea coast. On the other side of the mountains lies Umbria, Marche's northern neighbor is Emilia-Romagna, while from the south the region borders Abruzzo. Its location between mountains and sea, on hilly terrain crossed by many rivers, means that there are many good habitats for vine cultivation here. High temperatures, a large number of sunny hours, cooling guaranteed by the influence of the Adriatic and mountains, as well as diverse soils have a positive impact on the development of winemaking in the region. Wines are produced here in table, IGT categories, as well as the highest DOC and DOCG, and are based mainly on local varieties: White: verdicchio, pecorino, passerina, and trebbiano. Red: montepulciano and sangiovese. Il Conte Villa Prandone Amilcare de Angelis, coming from an impoverished aristocratic family, decided to start his new life in Monteprandone, on seven hectares of vineyards, which became his great passion. In subsequent years, the next generations of the family, sharing this love for wine, developed the company. First, Marino, Amilcare's son, contributed to the winery's first successes by expanding cultivation and releasing the first wine under their own label to the market: Zipolo 1997. Then his four sons: Marino, Emmanuel, Walter, and Samuel developed the project to its current state of about 50 hectares of vineyards, basing their activities on sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and a focus on quality. Today, Villa Prandone products are present in over 40 countries worldwide, with exports accounting for over 60% of their sales. In creating wines, the family relies mainly on local varieties such as pecorino, passerina, montepulciano, or sangiovese, as well as international ones: merlot or sauvignon blanc. They create wines in two lines. The first is Terra, where wines reflect the character of the variety in reference to the specific environment. From this line, we currently have in our offering: CEPPO MARCHE PASSERINA IGP A wine composed of carefully selected grapes of the passerina variety. Straw-yellow color with greenish reflections. The bouquet is fresh and fruity, with aromas of fresh, yellow fruits – plums and apricots, with a note of lemon and chamomile. On the palate it is full, with mineral and floral accents and nicely preserved acidity. Excellent with appetizers, grilled fish, seafood, and other light dishes. It was rated 90 points by Wine Spectator. AURATO FALERIO PECORINO DOP A fresh and crisp wine created exclusively from the pecorino variety. Straw-yellow in color with greenish reflections. Aromatic, with notes of fresh citrus fruits and acacia. On the palate refreshing, round, with considerable minerality. Ideal as an aperitif, with various appetizers, fish, seafood, salads, and poultry. James Suckling rated this wine 90 points. CONTE ROSSO PICENO DOP A very pleasant wine being a composition of montepulciano and sangiovese grapes. Intense, ruby-red color, and a subtle bouquet with aromas of red and dark fruits. In the mouth lively, juicy, smooth and harmonious, with a delicately spicy note. It delights with its youth and lightness; ideal with appetizers, poultry, and cheeses. It received 91 points from James Suckling. DONELLO MARCHE SANGIOVESE IGP A smooth and juicy wine created from sangiovese grapes vinified in cement tanks. It has a beautiful, ruby color and an elegant bouquet full of notes of sweet, ripe dark fruits, with a forest accent of berries and violets. On the palate it is harmonious and juicy, with smooth tannin. Ideal with roasts, grilled meats, game, and aging cheeses. The second line is the Premium line. In it, wines are created from the best plots and grapes. Exceptional and often limited. NAVICCHIO OFFIDA PECORINO DOCG An excellent version of pecorino, which underwent the process of vinification and aging in clay amphorae and cement vats. Light yellow color with golden reflections. The bouquet is intense, rich and fruity, with notes of citrus fruits, spices, candied fruits, and bread crust. On the palate it is full and harmonious, juicily fruity, with a delicate, spicy accent. Pairs perfectly with aromatic white meat dishes, smoked hams, and vegetables roasted with herbs. 90 points from Decanter. MARINUS ROSSO PICENO SUPERIORE DOP An excellent wine created from carefully selected montepulciano and sangiovese grapes. Long fermentation and aging in stainless steel vats to preserve the juiciness and freshness of taste. Very attractive, intensely ruby color. The bouquet is clear, with an intense aroma of currants and raspberries. In the mouth substantial, fruity, velvety and long, with soft tannin. Excellent with roasts, grilled meats, game, and aging cheeses. It received 90 points from Falstaff magazine and 90 points from Wine Spectator. In 2020, the wine was included among the 100 best wines in the world by Wine Spectator magazine – it was the first wine from the Marche region to be included in this hundred in its history. ZIPOLO MARCHE ROSSO IGP An exceptional wine produced in very limited quantities, only in the best vintages, from carefully selected montepulciano, sangiovese, and merlot grapes. It aged 16–24 months in oak barrels, and then a year in the bottle. Deep, ruby-red color with violet reflections. Intense and lasting bouquet; fruity aromas of currant, plum, and syrup fruits are accompanied by vanilla and licorice. On the palate powerful, generous, perfectly balanced, with a velvety, long finish. Aging potential is up to 30 years. Ideal as a contemplative wine, as well as with red meats and game. James Suckling gave it 91 points, and Decanter 90 points. The Winery and the Environment Villa Prandone is proud of its pro-ecological stance: They carefully analyze climate trends to minimize intervention in the vineyard. Their photovoltaic system practically covers their entire energy consumption. They maintain natural vegetation among the vineyards to enable settlement of local fauna and work with respect for the biological diversity of the soil. 50% of the glass used to produce bottles comes from recycling. They recover rainwater to an underground tank, and then use these resources as needed by the vineyard. Recovery of cooling water – water used to control temperature during fermentation is reused multiple times in a closed circuit. They practice this approach in every smallest detail concerning, among other things, waste segregation and use, or the purchase and use of energy-efficient devices.