Club Corner
Italian Wine Club September 2026
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 Selvagrossa Marche Bianco 'Cuchen' 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 Winemaker: Alessandro and Alberto Taddei Price per bottle $ 28.99 Varietal: 100% Albanella 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. Duca Carlo Guarini Susumaniello 2024 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. Winemaker: Carlo Guarini Price per bottle: $32.99 Varietal: 100% Susumaniello 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) Cavatelli with Oyster Mushroom and Sausage (serves 3) Ingredients 320 g cavatelli pasta 11 oz (homemade or dried) 300 g pork sausage (10 oz) skin removed and chopped 250 g oyster mushrooms (9 oz) In Puglia they use cardoncelli/king oyster mushrooms 250 g plum tomatoes (9 oz) peeled and chopped 150 g tomato passata (5 oz) I use Cirio passata rustica 50 g salted sheep's ricotta (2 oz) In Puglia, they use marzotica ricotta 3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove peeled and crushed 2 bay leaves 1 glass white wine 1 teaspoon peperoncino flakes (red chili pepper) salt for pasta and to taste black pepper to taste 1 handful fresh parsley chopped Instructions 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. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan or skillet, add the garlic peeled and slightly crushed and fry. 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. Add the peeled tomatoes. Crush them with a fork and, after a few minutes of cooking, add the tomato passata. Season with a pinch salt, peperoncino and black pepper and add bay leaves, then simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the garlic. 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. 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. Serve immediately with more grated ricotta if required.
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Italian Wine Club March 2026
As the least heralded region in a North Central Italian triumvirate that includes Tuscany and Umbria, Le Marche sometimes gets lost in the stampede of visitors thronging its famous neighbors. It’s also easy enough to mistake for Abruzzo, which it borders to the north; both are sandwiched between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea, with long coastlines, lots of rustic greenery and no large, iconic cities (the biggest town, and the regional capital, is Ancona, pop. 100,000-ish.) But from the definite article on down, Le Marche is a place with specificity to spare. Let’s start with the name: Le Marche (pronounced “leh-markeh”) is the only Italian region with a title in the plural form. The moniker dates back to 800 CE, when Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne assumed the throne and divided his possessions into fiefdoms, each one of them entrusted to a noble Marquis. The term “marche” derives from the German word “mark”, which means “border”; hence, Le Marche started as a group of possessions delimited by a “mark.” The literal English translation would be “The Marches” - and so my intention was to feature it in the month of March. Which almost happened. But here we are in the first week of April instead (look out for the actual April selections the week of the 21st.) Which is probably for the best, syncopation being > symmetry in music, wine and life more generally. Anyway, Le Marche is also a great historical source of art and culture, the birthplace of the composer Gioacchino Rossini, the poet Gacomo Leopardi and most famously, the late Renaissance painter and architect Raffaello Sanzio, better known as Raphael. In fact, the story of just how Rapheal came to grow up in the region is an excellent synecdoche for its layered treasures so, if you’ll indulge a[nother] digression, let’s take a day trip to Urbino, the town where the painter was born. Today it is the hilltop home of some 24,000 inhabitants, most of whom are students at the local university; when Rapheal was born it was an unlikely Renaissance center due to the efforts of Federico the Duke of Monteferalto, who had hired the painter’s father Giovanni Santil, as his court artist. The out-of-wedlock son of a small-town noble, Frederico became a duke by killing the apparent heir, his half-brother and went on to get rich as a soldier-for-hire with his own private army, fighting for Florence against the pope, then for the pope against Florence. In the process, he lost an eye and a hunk of his nose, and consequently is portrayed only in profile — with his (relatively) good side showing. He also expanded his duchy into an Italian power, before settling down to life as a scholar and gentleman, studying Latin, collecting manuscripts, and renovating the local Ducal Palace, aiming to make it the "dwelling place of the Muses," and bringing the Renaissance to this relatively remote destination 50 years after it flourished in Florence. Turn over another stone in Le Marche and who knows what you’ll find. Get thirsty and there’s a number of variegated terroirs extremely well-suited to the cultivation of vines. Due to the influences of the Apennines, the Adriatic, and the region’s rivers, there are various microclimates, giving wine producers both warm and cool viticultural zones to work with. Currently there are 15 DOC and DOCG classified wines, the best known of which is the white wine Verdicchio, It is grown in two appellations in the Marche region, Castelli di Jesi and Matelica, and is also genetically identical to a constituent grape of Soave called Trebbiano di Soave. Wines made from it show a range of zesty aromas and flavors, including green apple, flower, citrus peel, and almond, depending on where it is grown; the best examples can age very well in the bottle, but when they are as good as this month’s example, it’s hard to keep them around that long. The red is a little more unusual. Red wines from Le Marche are chiefly based on Sangiovese or Montepulciano, but this month we instead have the rare Lacrima varietal, which means “tear” in Italian, and is so named for either its tear-like shape, or its thin skin that allows tear-like drops of juice to drip from the grape. It is found almost exclusively in the Lacrima Morro D’Alba DOC in Le Marche and is ancient enough that its origins remain something of a mystery. Salud, Alan Hicks Wine Buyer PlumpJack Wine & Spirits Noe Valley Tenuta Grimaldi Verdicchio di Matellica 2022 Region: Matelica, Marche, Italy About the Winery: The Matelica appellation is in the west of the Marche, in the foothills of the Apennines, not far from the border with Umbria. Grimaldi is just outside the little town of Matelica itself, at between 450 and 550 meters (1,500-1,800 feet) above sea level. The elevation of the vineyards is important to the character of these wines; higher elevation makes for a cooler climate, and better retention of acidity. The soils at Tenuta Grimaldi are rocy, and; the vineyards face east and north-east. Tenuta Grimaldi produces only Verdicchio, from four different clones. They grow grapes organically, at relatively low yields; the fruit is picked by hand into small boxes; the whole bunches are pressed, and the juice is settled out and fermented in stainless steel tanks and large wooden barrels (Fermentation and aging in large barrels is quite different from the same process in barriques, the goal with larger barrels being to add complexity to the wine without adding oak flavors.) As of this writing, the winemaker Mirko Mattana is experimenting with both indigenous and selected yeasts, to see which he prefers. After the alcoholic fermentation, the wine is then aged in the same vessels on the fine lees until bottling, which takes place in June. About the Winemaking: From vines planted in 2016 and 2017 Altitude 450 - 550 M, E-NE, clay/ marl and limestone/ marl with a topsoil of light sand. Grapes harvested in September Fermentation mostly in stainless steel (~80%) and the rest in large Austrian and French barrels. Aged for 8-10 months on fine lees. Gentle filtration. Tasting Notes: Bright pale yellow with greenish reflections; aroma and flavor of Granny Smith apple, orange peel, cut grass and almonds; mouthwatering acidity, very long finish. Winemaker: Mirko Mattana Price per bottle / per case $30.99/$334.70 Suggested Food Pairing: works as an aperitif, but also with roast chicken, fish tacos, Vietnamese spring rolls, grilled salmon, pasta with shrimp. Luigi Giusti Lacrima di Morro D’Alba ‘Rubbjano’ 2018 Region: Lacrima Di Morro D’Alba DOC, Le Marche, Italy About the Winery: Cantina Luigi Giusti has roots that go back to 1903, when Filippo Giusti returned to Italy from the United States and bought a piece of property near his hometown. His family grew along with a passion for the land and, since the 1930s, for the cultivation of the vine. In the 1950s, Filippo’s son Luigi and daughter-in-law Maria, acquired the historic cellar of the Cantina Castelferretti. The winery began a long agricultural project focusing on the cultivation of the Lacrima varietal. While the Castelferretti cellar is still used for the sale and aging of bottled wines, in 1997 Luigi ’s son Piergiovanni Giusti, with the help of his wife Elena, bought a new cellar in Montignano, within the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba DOC boundaries. In 2000 they enlisted the assistance of enologist Giancarlo Soverchia, a specialist in the traditional grapes of the Marche. Today Piergiovanni continues his parent’s vision – to produce quality wines from the native grape of the Marche which are a distinct expression of the land and the indigenous Lacrima di Morro d’Alba. About the Winemaking: Rubbjano comes from the winery’s oldest Lacrima vineyard. Soil is Clay-based, with medium density .Elevation is160 meters (520 feet) above sea level. The vines were planted in 1994. Grapes are harvested in early October, after which they are gently pressed and undergo a slow maceration. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature with pre-fermentative and post-fermentative stages of 20-22 days. The wine is aged for 10 months in small French oak barrels, six-months in bottle before release. Production: 3,400 bottles. Tasting Notes: On the nose it has an ample and persistent bouquet, with notes of withered roses, violets and nuances of vanilla. Notes of black cherries and tobacco with very gentle tannins on the palate. The mouthfeel is soft, velvety and well structured. Winemaker: Giancarlo Soverchia Price per bottle / per case: $34.99/$377.90 Suggested Food Pairing: Cold cuts, Ciauscolo (a spreadable salami from the region), medium-aged cheeses, truffle risotto, pasta dishes with red sauces, pasta with meat sauce, Vincisgrassi (see recipe), gnocchi with Bolognese, pasta Amatriciana, pulled pork, Argentine meat empanadas, burritos, polenta with meat sauce, grilled meat; beef fillet with porcini mushrooms, lamb kebabs and roasted rabbit. Vincisgrassi (Wild mushroom & prosciutto lasagne) Ingredients: 500g chicken stock 30g pack dried porcinimushrooms 2 tbsp olive oil 100g butter 1 bay leaf 300g Portobello mushrooms or chestnut mushrooms, halved and sliced 1 garlic clovecrushed 75g plain flour 500ml hot full fat milk 100g double cream 140g prosciuttoroughly shredded Handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped 12 sheets fresh lasagne 140g parmesanabout two-thirds finely grated, the rest shaved Truffle oil (optional)Instructions:1. Pour the stock into a saucepan, bring to the boil and tip the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl or jug. Pour over the hot stock and leave to soak until it has been absorbed and the mushrooms have cooled. Drain the mushrooms over a bowl, pressing down on them to release all the stock. Reserve the stock, roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.2. Heat the olive oil and two-thirds of the butter in a large, shallow saucepan. Add the soaked mushrooms and bay leaf, and sizzle for a few mins. Turn up the heat, add the fresh mushrooms and garlic, and fry until soft. Season, scatter the flour over the mushrooms and cook until you have a thick, sticky paste. Pour in the mushroom stock and boil until everything is gloopy. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring between each addition, until you have a thick mushroom sauce, then simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, fish out the bay leaf, then stir in the cream, prosciutto and parsley, and leave to cool slightly.3. If cooking straight away, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease a rectangular casserole dish (about 22 x 30cm) with the remaining butter and cover the bottom with a layer of lasagne sheets. Using a slotted spoon, layer about a third of the mushroom mixture and some of the sauce over the lasagne sheets, then scatter over a little grated Parmesan and drizzle with a few drops of truffle oil, if using. Repeat until you have three layers of mushrooms (save some sauce in the pan), then top with a final layer of pasta. Now spread over the remaining sauce – it should be reasonably mushroom free. Scatter over the remaining grated Parmesan and drizzle with more truffle oil, if using. Can be made a day ahead, covered and chilled.4. Bake the lasagne for 20-25 mins until golden and bubbling. Turn the oven up at the end of cooking if it’s not brown enough. Remove from the oven and leave for a few mins to stand. Cut into squares, scatter over the Parmesan shavings and drizzle over some more truffle oil just before serving, if you like.
Learn moreAugust Rosé of the Month Club
OFF THE BEATEN PATH While most are familiar with rosé from the Provence region of France, we know rosés are produced all over the world in a range of styles from fuller-bodied, almost light reds, to pale vin gris that drink more like white wines. This month we have a pair of rosés from regions you don’t see too often that show the range of what rosé can be. Vibrant pink and full of flavor, these rosés are sure to please your palate! The first selection is from the Marche region of Italy, which has a long but sometimes overlooked wine history. Starting with the Picenes, an Italic tribe inhabiting the Marche, vines were cultivated as early as the 9th century BCE. Wine growing flourished under Roman rule, and after the fall of Rome, monasteries preserved winemaking traditions. Benedictine and Cistercian monks cultivated vineyards, often linked to local abbeys and hill towns. In the Renaissance era, the Marche remained somewhat rural and isolated compared to Tuscany or Piedmont, so wines were largely consumed locally rather than achieving widespread fame. Unfortunately, Phylloxera devastated Marche’s vineyards in the late 19th century, but replanting occurred slowly, with many focusing on quantity over quality. Today, Marche balances small artisanal estates with cooperatives, producing a mix of traditional and modern styles. Sustainability and organic viticulture are increasingly important. The Marche region is located on the other side of the Apennine Mountains from Tuscany and Umbria, and is lined with sandy beaches along the Adriatic Sea facing Croatia. The combination of rolling hills and a cooling ocean breeze contributes to the structure of the bright but balanced whites the region is known for. The reds from the region are largely Sangiovese, the local Lacrima grape, and Montepulciano. However, this Marche rosé features Grenache, which was planted as part of an expansion in 2003 by the current winery owners, Paolo and Elisetta Capriotti, to complement the winery's traditional local varieties. Our second rosé is coming all the way from Armenia, which, as a wine region, is matched only by Georgia in its history, with the oldest facilities uncovered in the region dating back over 6100 years. It has been known since antiquity for the quality of its goods (like wine, metals, and textiles), as noted by such ancient scholars as Herodotus, Strabo, and Xenophon, who were among the most important writers of the ancient world. Herodotus wrote of Armenian wine flowing down the Euphrates to Babylon; Xenophon described drinking from clay jars in village homes during his march through the region; and Strabo praised the fertile vineyards that shaped its economy. From antiquity to today, Armenia’s wines have been recognized as a mark of quality, deeply rooted in one of the world’s oldest winemaking traditions. Armenia is a mountainous landlocked country nestled in between Georgia, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Its high-altitude vineyards, volcanic soils, and abundance of native grapes create a truly distinctive terroir. It has a Continental climate with hot, dry summers and cold winters, as well as large diurnal temperature shifts (warm days, cool nights) that help grapes retain acidity and aromatic complexity. There is abundant sunshine (over 300 days a year in many regions) which ensures full ripening, and the low humidity and wind reduce disease pressure, making organic viticulture highly feasible. Areni Noir, which is the grape variety of the rosé being featured, is the country’s flagship red grape, and it produces elegant, age-worthy wines with cherry, pomegranate, and spice notes. Think Pink! Justin Malesheetz- Wine Buyer Fillmore 2024 Poderi San Lazzaro Elise Marche Rosato Region/Country of Origin: Marche, Italy About the Winery: Poderi San Lazzaro traces back to Lorenzo Capriotti's acquisition of a farm nestled in the hills near Offida. This site, situated 290 meters above sea level, proved to be an ideal spot for growing grapes, located just 9 miles from the shores of the Adriatic Sea and 15 miles from the Apennine mountains. Lorenzo initiated the venture by cultivating vineyards filled with Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Passerina grape varieties. In 2003, Paolo Capriotti and his wife Elisetta assumed control of the farm and winery. The estate, now under organic cultivation, spans 9.5 hectares with ages ranging from 15 to 60 years, complemented by 2 hectares of olive groves and an additional 2 hectares of wooded land. About the Winemaking: 80% Grenache and 20% Sangiovese fermented in temperature cold tanks and aged in stainless steel Tasting Notes: A vivid pale crimson in the glass with notes of ripe red cherry. Dry with balanced acidity and a fuller body, the juicy cherry and strawberry flavors glide through the long finish. Winemaker: Paolo Capriotti Price: $21.99 btl/ $237.50 Suggested food pairing: Bruschetta topped with tomato, garlic and basil, pasta with cheese or cream sauce, egg dishes, leafy salads with fall fruits, salmon dishes, poultry, spicy Asian dishes and soft cheeses like Camembert or Brie 2023 Voskevaz Areni Rosé Region/Country of Origin: Aragatsotn, Armenia About the Winery: Originally founded in 1932 and one of the only wineries allowed to work through Soviet rule, the Voskevaz Winery was has been run by Davit Hovhannisyan since 1997, who has recently been joined by his brothers, artist and architect Gagik Oganesyan and metalworker Armen Oganesyan. They focus on traditional indigenous varietals like Areni Noir, Haghtanak, and Voskehat and are one of the few producers in the region harvesting fruit from ancient bush trained vines ranging from 80 to 300 years of age. About the Winemaking: 100% Areni Noir from 80 to 100 year old vines 1600 meters above sea level cold pressed before fermentation and aging in stainless steel tanks. Tasting Notes: Pale salmon with a nose of cherry blossom, white peach, tangerine and strawberry. Medium bodied and fresh, with bright ruby grapefruit, stone fruit, fresh strawberry, and cherry flavors with a dry finish reminiscent of fresh citrus. Winemaker: David Hovhannisyan Price: $20.99 btl/$226.69 case Suggested Food Pairing: Raw fish anti-pasti, Light pasta dishes with vegetables or shrimp, Chicken Khorovats, Dolmas.
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