Marchetti Due Amici Rosso Conero 2021

raspberry jam, cooked strawberries, cranberry sauce, black pepper and pipe tobacco

We have featured this wine many times as a Weekly Feature, and even an Explorer Club selection, and it is always wildly popular. It is made by Maurizio Marchetti in partnership with his friend Antonio Sanguineti, hence the name, Due Amici or two friends. The way this wine came about is that Antonio works on behalf of the importer, Small Vineyards, to visit each estate they represent and check their progress through the year. Over time he became good friends with Maurizio Marchetti, who owns a large estate in the Marches region. Marchetti contributes the fruit to the wine and Antonio gives it a bit of Tuscan flare.

Due Amici is by definition a Rosso Conero DOC, an appellation that lies close to the Adriatic on the slopes of Mont Conero. The dominant grape of the region is Montepulciano, but unlike the examples from Abruzzo to the south, these tend to be more restrained and elegant. I find this example is redolent of red fruit aromas. On the palate this wine shows impressive texture and concentration with plenty of charm. If you decant this wine for a half hour before serving you will find it comes out of it’s shell pretty quickly. Serve with grilled chicken breasts marinated in soy/ginger/garlic or spaghetti with mussels, a traditional dish of Marches.