Although the Maria Pia Castelli winery was founded only in 1999, in this short period of time it has already managed to become one of the reference producers of the Marche region. Founded by Erasmo Castelli, father of Maria Pia, the company boasts an extension of about eight hectares located at 200 meters above sea level on the southeast ridge of the hill of Monte Urano, in the province of Fermo. In the management of the company, in little more than twenty years, three generations have succeeded each other: in fact, Erasmo was succeeded by his daughter Maria Pia with her husband Enrico Bartoletti who, in turn, passed the torch to their son Alessandro.
The philosophy of the latter, like that of his parents, is firmly natural, implemented by an executive cleanliness that Alessandro searches almost obsessively, drawing inspiration from his reference model: Burgundy. It is not a question of uncritically copying the techniques of the great vignerons of Côte-d’Or, but rather of starting from them, trying to adapt their experience to the specificities of the Marche terroir and its traditional grapes (Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Pecorino, Passerina and Trebbiano). All this results, first of all, in the refusal of chemical treatments, in the exclusive use of organic fertilizers and in the planting of vineyards that, growing on soils rich in iron and magnesium, guarantee a natural balance of the vines. In addition, in the vineyards, the total respect for biodiversity is pursued, allowing these to be populated by wildlife and a wide variety of insects, indicators of their excellent state of health. The rest is made by very low yields (25/30 quintals per hectare) which allow to bring in the cellar very few excellent quality grapes vinificated with spontaneous fermentations, without temperature control, long macerations, and equally long aging.
Among the wines produced there is the Lorano, a 100% Sangiovese produced in about 6000 bottles a year with grapes from 20-year-old vines dwelling on a plateau 200 meters above sea level with clayey soils, with a good mineral and iron presence. After a careful manual harvest, the grapes ferment, and macerate, about 15-20 days, half in steel and half in wood, and the resulting wine is decanted into barriques where, after spontaneous malolactic fermentation, ages for a year. Another three years, at least, of bottle aging and the wine is ready for marketing.
The 2014 vintage shows a color between light ruby and garnet, with an olfactory range that opens on notes of Ravenna cherry, black cherry grenadine, red currant and pot pourri, followed by orange peel, black olive, blond tobacco and hints of wood and oxidation. The palate develops from the soft roundness to arrive at a pleasant freshness, between citrus and oxidized, with almost imperceptible tannins and a retrolfactive return of red fruit that leads to a good length finish.
Rating: 88/100
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