In case you haven't been following the wine industry as closely as we do here at Mission, there's been a revolution over the past decade happening right before your eyes. Gone are the days of big, rich, sweet, extracted flavors that were the result of manipulation and extraction. Here today are wines with balanced alcohol, fresh acidity, restraint, and terroir. It's a new age for Italian wine as well, as growers are beginning to establish the quality and reputation of their finest vineyards to showcase the specific terroir of their regions.

"Terroir" is a word that gets thrown around far too often, but what it refers to is a wine's ability to express a sense of place--a characteristic or flavor profile that could only come from grapes grown in that piece of earth, in that part of the world. For those of you unfamiliar with Verdicchio, it's one of Italy's most beloved native white wine varietals, known for its lip-smacking acidity and fine ability to pair with a number of foods.

 When Oliver McCrum introduced us to the new Verdicchio wines from La Staffa recently, we knew we finally found the terroir-driven Italian whites our department sorely needed. Clean, zippy, mineral-driven, and vibrant on the palate, these Verdicchio expressions not only offer more class and panache than the standard Italian fare, they offer complexity and a look into the vineyard practices in the Castelli di Jesi region of the Marche, where Verdicchio is grown near the Adriatic.

At 1300 feet above sea level in limestone-rich clay soils, the high altitude and cool air helps to preserve acidity in the grapes and the organic practices of La Staffa's vineyard team keep the flavors precise. There are four expressions of Verdicchio from La Staffa, so let's break them down now: 

La Staffa Verdicchio Classico Superiore 2021 750ml - $19.99

Straw in color with snappy flavors of green apple, almond skin, and a light herbaceousness, this 100%-certified-organic Verdicchio comes from a high-altitude vineyard planted originally in 1985. The wine is aged for six months in cement tanks before bottling to keep it fresh, and is aged on the lees for four months to add texture and weight. Drink this with seafood, light pastas, meat and cheese boards, or just a sunny day on the patio! 

La Staffa Rincrocca Verdicchio 2019 750ml - $38.99

This is where things get very interesting! La Staffa's reserve Verdicchio has a few years of bottle age and comes from the oldest plots of vines in its Castelli di Jesi vineyards. Planted in 1972 with five different clones of Verdicchio (two of which don't exist on the market in any other wine expression), the wine spends 10 months in cement, 12 months on the lees, and 20 months in bottle before release. There is more weight and richness to this Verdicchio, but the acidity is still there and it adds an incredible counterbalance. This is a showstopping white that stands on its own, but can turn a roast chicken meal into a serious event.

La Staffa Petillant Natural Mai Sentito! 750ml - $21.99

Mai Sentito means "unheard of" and you can be sure that we had never heard of a pet-nat made from Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio until we tasted this one. And WOW it's delicious! Better than any Prosecco at this price and a serious competitor for best sparkling wine around $20 from anywhere, this cuvee is made of 80% Verdicchio and 20% Trebbiano with the second fermentation happening in the bottle just like Champagne. If you've been in the mood for a clean and easy-drinking sparkler, you'd be hard pressed to find anything better than this for the price.

La Staffa Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva Selva di Sotto 2019 750ml - $79.99

Produced only in the best vintages, this tiny vineyard located in the middle of a steep forest is difficult to farm, yet produces Verdicchio grapes of unparalleled character. Aged three years before release, the richness of this wine is astonishing and the complexity of flavors--white flowers, honeysuckle, apricot, and a mineral streak-- compete with some of the finest white Bordeaux. For serious fans of Italian wines, this is a bottle not to be missed!