One of my favorite places on earth: the Conero. Monte Conero looms over the Adriatic and the surrounding landscape, imposing its massive presence on all visitors. The Moroder winery is entirely within the Parco Nazionale di Monte Conero. The farm uses only biological practices and has been certified by Ecocert since the 2011 vintage. They've farmed organically for far longer. The family's restaurant on the property,"Aion," uses 80% of ingredients farmed right on the 52 hectares of property owned by the family. Even the flour for the pizza crusts is grown on the property. And even the truffles - glorious black truffles that ripen at various times during the year, growing in the tartufaio planted by the Moroders several years ago. And of course, the wine. The ultimate farm to table.
The wines, by the way, seem to be better every vintage, and are undergoing a packaging renewal in order to bring the line together visually and to update and modernize the image (except Dorico, the Moroders' flagship Cru, who's label will remain the same). They have introduced a new red wine, Rosso Conero DOCG Riserva, made from a selection of Dorico, and from a selection of the Rosso Conero Moroder Classico. Tasted for the first time at dinner last night, the wine was deeply impressive - all black and blue fruits, depth, and with the Moroders' signature gorgeous, velvety, mineral structure, brooding tannins, and extreme finish.
Yesterday we spent the day with the Brunori family. The 2013 vintage continues to impress for whites, Le Gemme being astonishingly aromatic, super clean, refreshing, with superlative fruit. The vintage was more difficult for reds, but I found myself appreciating the herbaceous notes that came through on the nose of 2012 Rosso Piceno "Torquis," reminding me a bit of the Loire Valley.
Monte Conero makes its presence felt all over the landscape. Photo taken from an overlook on the Moroder property, above the tartufaio.
Marco Moroder and Argo walk through the tartufaio. Unfortunately, we had little luck finding truffles today. Argo is NOT a truffle dog, and is of no use at all but to be big and lovable.
Remains of some of the damage done at the beachside restaurant "Da Marcello," one of my favorite restaurants in Italy.
Left to right: Carlo Brunori, his father Giorgio, with Cristina Brunori and Tony lagging behind in one of the family's steeply sloped, south facing vineyards for Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. This is San Niccolò, an old parcel, planted using selection massale to preserve the genetic heritage of the vines found on the Brunori property. Farming is organic.
Serenella Moroder shows off one of several gigantic black truffles presented in a basket and served with eggs in the opening salvo last night at restaurant Aion.
