Price $24.99/CASE PRICE $264/$22 per bottle

One of the most important things I learned on my trip to the Verdicchio grape growing region of Le Marche was that altitude matters. With summer temperatures climbing and harvests arriving earlier and earlier, the secret is to be able to grow grapes that have access to cooler nights and less fertile soils, hence the idea that altitude and slope matters. This was never more apparent than in the broad, vast growing region of Castelli di Jesi, an area that runs clear from the Adriatic coast to deep in the foothills of the Pre-Apennines. Ground Zero, I found, for Verdicchio grown in ideal conditions turned out to be in the Classico zone and the Castellaretta hamlet of Staffolo. Here I tasted several of the best wines of the dozens we auditioned over the week in the area. One producer in particular, La Staffa, was making what I considered the most inspired wines of all. From a vineyard planted in 1972, La Staffa winemaker/owner Riccardo Baldi farms organically and goes about his business with a sense of purpose and meticulous attention in the cellar, creating wines that are long on style and long on flavor. The 2023 Verdicchio was fermented spontaneously on its own yeast and aged only in cement tanks and then in bottle, giving it a lovely freshness to go with its higher-altitude minerality and lovely, lovely fruit. Riccardo, by the way, started his tiny winery when he was only 19 years old, and his bold, confident approach shows in a wine with polish, persistence and personality. We drank our last bottle in Italy at the Le Marche seaside alongside some of the best imaginable fritto misto and whole grilled fish, and it was one of those a-ha moments that made me promise to myself (and my wife) that we always have a few bottles of La Staffa in the wine fridge. We’re very happy it’s back in stock!