The Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi zone is located in northeastern Marche in central eastern Italy. The appellation is named for the city of Jesi, in the heart of the production zone. This is a moderate climate, with cool breezes from the nearby Adriatic Sea; giving the wines very good acidity, which gives these wines structure for lengthy aging. Indeed, Verdicchio is one of the longest aging whites in all of Italy (and, in reality, the world), as five to seven years is normal for even basic examples, while the best version, from older vineyards, taste out beautifully after two decades.

Verdicchio must make up a minimum of 85% of the wine; other permitted varieties include Trebbiano and Malvasia. Most examples are aged in steel or cement tanks to preserve the wonderful white flower, pear and apple aromatics, although some versions - especially single vineyard or older vine selections - do receive some oak aging.

While most versions are DOC, wines aged for a minimum of two years before release, and labeled as riserva, have earned the right to be labeled as DOCG. As a whole, Verdicchio is an excellent value, given that the demand for this wonderful white wine, is not as strong is it should be; prices range between $14-$20 for the DOC offerings, while the riserva examples retail between $25-35. (Wine/Appellations)