Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 'Stefano Antonucci'
The Verdicchio "Stefano Antonucci" is a medium-bodied white wine with great personality, soft and enveloping, aged for 12 months in barrique. Notes of fruit, citrus, and sweet spices are inscribed in a fresh and smooth texture, with great balance and pleasant freshness
“Stefano Antonucci” is the label signed by the protagonist of the Santa Barbara winery: it expresses an absolutely personal interpretation of Verdicchio and a forward-looking perspective on the potential that the grape holds. The idea of combining wood and varietal is realized in an innovative winemaking process for the area in question, born from chance and a gamble, much like all out-of-the-box experiences: passionate about wines, even before being a producer and owner, Stefano focuses on the safeguarding and development of local grapes through creations with a broader international scope.
“Stefano Antonucci” is a pure Verdicchio made by the Santa Barbara winery in the heart of the Castelli di Jesi area, in that classic subzone that constitutes the central part of the denomination. The clayey soils with medium texture extend in a strip rich in water, enclosed between the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Apennines to the west, above the gentle slopes that reach 250 meters in altitude above sea level and benefit from an exposure to the east and southeast. The vines, aged between 25 and 40 years, are hand-harvested and the grapes, once they arrive at the winery, are pressed directly and gently. The alcoholic fermentation begins in steel tanks, under constant temperature control. After racking, the white wine is transferred to French oak barriques, where it can continue its aging on the fine lees for a period of 12 months. Once bottled, it rests for an additional 6 months in the cellar before going out to meet the world.
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore “Stefano Antonucci” made by Santa Barbara presents an intense golden yellow color, with the most vivid reflections. The nose, intense and sunny, releases a profusion of fruity aromas that directly recall the ripening of yellow flesh and the exotic pleasures of tropical juices, with refreshing bursts of citrus peels and sweet spices. The tasting is consistent with the fruit notes, and the sip reveals a broad and powerful character, centered on a smooth softness that finds great balance in an explosive minerality. Definitely to be tried with a plate of spaghetti with sea urchins.