San Lorenzo Verdicchio le Oche 2023

Le Oche is Fattoria San Lorenzo's single-vineyard Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico, made by Natalino Crognaletti's organic and biodynamic estate in the Marche. Fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeast, it's matured on lees for 12 months before a further 4 months in bottle — the same lees-ageing approach used for Champagne, applied at tank scale — which builds bready richness and a longer finish than standard Verdicchio. Brilliant straw yellow, with a fruity, floral nose of acacia, pear, almonds, elderflower and lime, layered with stone fruit and hazelnut and an intense, stony minerality; the palate is fresh, soft, balanced and persistent.

The Le Oche vines were planted in 2006 near the hamlet of San Lorenzo, on the banks of the River Esino below Montecarotto. The soil is a mix of clay and limestone, and the block sits roughly 250 metres up. The Adriatic is about 30 kilometres away, close enough to temper the summer heat.

The estate runs to 35 hectares, all farmed by hand and certified organic and biodynamic. Natalino Crognaletti manages it with his mother, Vera Biondini, and lives on the farm with his family and dozens of animals. The grapes come in by hand in mid-September. Nothing is fined or filtered on the way to bottle.

Serve it cool rather than ice cold, and give it a few minutes in the glass to open. At this weight it handles roast pork, a fish stew or a plate of fried calamari with ease.