The Valle Camertina is a pocket of field, pasture, and vineyard tucked into the Apennine mountains. It is a pocket of agricultural paradise surrounded on four sides by rugged mountains. The Marchionni family settled here in the late 1970s to make wine and in 1998, Fabio Marchionni made his first vintage. 27 years later, he has mastered the art of making Matelica’s particular sort of Verdicchio. Higher in elevation and more influenced by mountains than the sea, Matelica strikes a different pose than the Verdicchios dei Castelli di Jesi. Wine here is generally zestier, with a strong sense of minerality. While most of Fabio’s own grapes go into his own Matelica, he buys grapes from his like-minded friends and neighbors for this inexpensive Marche Bianco. It’s a little lighter than his flagship wine, but still filled with classic Verdicchio notes of apple, pear, pineapple, bay leaf and salt. The palate is medium weight with bright acidity defining notes of lemon and lime, with a touch of salt and pepper lingering on the finish. Verdicchio is one of the most versatile food wines in the world, this one will match with sashimi or pesto pastas with equal flair.