The Adriatic Coast
First off, apologies for the tardiness of this (er, last) month’s club. Long story short: September took an extra long time to come together because we are making two stops this time, rather than one.
Usually we visit a single Italian region each month, featuring a red and a white selection from the area to best highlight its particular oenological history and tradition. We’ve had the red here ready to go since August: The newest bottling from one of Italy’s oldest wineries, it hails from Puglia, the ‘heel’ of the Apennine Peninsula's famous boot; it’s made from an ancient and almost extinct varietal called Susumaniello, which is making its debut in the Italian Wine Club.
So far, so good. The problem turned out to be finding a Puglian white with which to pair it. Although Puglia ranks 2nd to Veneto amongst all Italian regions in terms of vino volume per annum, the vast majority of that is red. There are great Puglian whites - just not that many and not necessarily in the quality and cost range that works for the club. Rather than adjust the standards (or simply slot in a new vintage of a wine we’ve featured before), we decided to head north along the gorgeous Adriatic Coast to Marche, where we likewise find a very old and obscure indigenous grape - Albanella in this case - also new to us here in IWC.
You may have to look a little harder sometimes, but Italian Wine remains never not amazing.
Salut,
Alan Hicks - Wine Buyer, Noe Valley
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Selvagrossa Marche Bianco 'Cuchen' |
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Region: Marche, Italy |
About the Winery: Selvagrossa Winery is a small, family-run estate in northern Le Marche, just a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast near Pesaro, founded in 2002 by brothers Alessandro and Alberto Taddei. The Taddei family has deep agricultural roots in the area, and the brothers grew up surrounded by the mixed farming landscapes and rolling coastal hills that now define their vineyards. What began as a modest family project—reworking parcels of inherited land and replanting them with a focus on quality over quantity—gradually evolved into one of the most respected artisanal estates in the Pesaro hinterland. From the outset, their goal was to highlight the identity of their corner of Le Marche rather than follow international trends, emphasizing native varieties alongside carefully chosen complementary grapes. Over time, they transitioned fully toward organic farming and low-intervention winemaking, building a reputation for honest, site-driven wines that reflect both the maritime influence of the Adriatic and the limestone-rich soils of the surrounding hills. About the Winemaking: Production Area: Hills of Pesaro, 12 km east of the Adriatic coast. Limestone and clay soil. After a two-day cold maceration, fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks and is bottled with no fining 400 cases produced.. Tasting Notes: Pale straw yellow in the glass, showing light green reflections Bright orchard and stone fruit on the nose – pear, yellow apple, ripe white peach – with distinctively greener elements close behind – cut grass, peppercorn, gooseberry, lemongrass, camomile leaves and flowers. Palate is zippy but never sharp with flavors of golden raspberries, leading to a long, supple, and savory finish. A lingering tang, like a refreshing seabreeze, recalls the wine’s coastal origins and keeps you at the table |
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Winemaker: Alessandro and Alberto Taddei |
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Price per bottle $ 28.99 Varietal: 100% Albanella |
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Suggested Food Pairing: Best with fresh seafood such as oysters, clams, grilled shrimp, and simple white fish dishes where its saline freshness and bright acidity can shine. It also pairs beautifully with light Mediterranean fare like lemony pasta, vegetable antipasti, and fresh cheeses that echo its clean, coastal character. |
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Duca Carlo Guarini Susumaniello 2024 |
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Region: Puglia |
About the Winery: Duca Guarini is a Norman family that arrived in Puglia around the eleventh century. They are among oldest wine-making families in Italy, active in the same location since 1114 when Accardo Guarini, Count of Valesio, cultivated his vineyards between Lecce & Brindisi. The estate holds 70 hectares that are dedicated to vine in Salento, farmed with a commitment to preserving the wine heritage of Salento. The Guarini family specializes in Negroamaro, Primitivo and Malvasia. The certified organic wines from native grapes represent the tradition, such as Primitivo Vigne Vecchie, that since 1985 is one of the first wines in Puglia to proudly have the name of the grape on the label. An ancient grape variety of Apulian origin, Susumaniello was almost lost to history before being rediscovered. Its curious name recalls the abundant yields of young vines, “loaded like a donkey”. Today it expresses a unique and authentic character of Salento terroir About the Winemaking: Certified Organic. All of Guarini’s vineyards are dry-farmed, and the family works with nature and total respect for the environment. The grapes are macerated on the skins for 5 days. Temperature-controlled fermentation follows, and then aging in barriques for 8 months and 3 months in bottle. Tasting Notes: Intense ruby red with purple highlights. It boasts an intense aroma of ripe fruit, spices, and aromatic Mediterranean herbs, with spicy nuances of black pepper, licorice, and sweet spices. On the palate, it is full-bodied and juicy, dominated by red and dark berries. Good structure, supported by velvety or fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps the wine balanced and avoids heaviness, with fruity and spicy notes returning on the finish. |
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Winemaker: Carlo Guarini |
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Price per bottle: $32.99 Varietal: 100% Susumaniello |
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Suggested Food Pairings: Roasted and grilled meats, hearty and/or tomato based pastas, rice dishes, aged or blue cheeses, charcuterie, and spicy southern Italian dishes like Cavatelli w/ Oyster Mushrooms and Sausage (see recipe) |
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Cavatelli with Oyster Mushroom and Sausage (serves 3)
Ingredients
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320 g cavatelli pasta 11 oz (homemade or dried)
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300 g pork sausage (10 oz) skin removed and chopped
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250 g oyster mushrooms (9 oz) In Puglia they use cardoncelli/king oyster mushrooms
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250 g plum tomatoes (9 oz) peeled and chopped
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150 g tomato passata (5 oz) I use Cirio passata rustica
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50 g salted sheep's ricotta (2 oz) In Puglia, they use marzotica ricotta
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3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
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1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
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2 bay leaves
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1 glass white wine
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1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (red chili pepper)
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salt for pasta and to taste
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black pepper to taste
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1 handful fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
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Clean and cut the mushrooms into slices, peel and crush the garlic, remove the skin from the sausages and chop into small pieces, peel and chop the plum tomatoes. Chop the parsley.
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Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan or skillet, add the garlic peeled and slightly crushed and fry.
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Add the chopped sausage meat and brown a little then add the mushrooms previously cleaned and cut into strips. Cook for a couple of minutes then add the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate.
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Add the peeled tomatoes. Crush them with a fork and, after a few minutes of cooking, add the tomato passata.
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Season with a pinch salt, peperoncino and black pepper and add bay leaves, then simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the garlic.
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In the meantime, put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil. Bring to the boil again and add the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet (if dried). Fresh cavatelli will rise to the surface when they are ready, remove with a slotted spoon. Save a cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.
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Finally, remove the bay leaves and add the cavatelli to the pan with the sauce. Mix together. If the sauce seems dry, add a little of the saved pasta cooking water. Add chopped parsley. Stir in the grated marzotica ricotta.
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Serve immediately with more grated ricotta if required.
