Kicking off is “I magnifici 16,” an event desired by the Istituto marchigiano tutela vini (Imt) with the aim of promoting the PDOs of the Marche wine region on the domestic market and involving more than 120 companies in the sector and 70 national journalists.
The program includes 3 days, from June 22 to 24, of winery visits, tastings, and masterclasses in 9 oenological routes distributed over all the appellations belonging to the Consortium, which alone accounts for about 70% of exports and almost half of the regional vineyard.
“Our companies,” said Michele Bernetti, President of Imt, “have always been very active on the foreign promotion front thanks to their top wines, Verdicchio in primis, which have contributed decisively to the growth in value of regional exports, with +33% in the last 5 years and a counter-value of almost 76 million euros. But the domestic market undoubtedly remains strategic, even more so today with the tourism boom in the Belpaese as well as in the Marche’s coasts, cities, and villages.”
I magnifici 16: the event
The kermesse, spread over the first 2 days in 9 wine macro-areas, will end on June 24 in the 18th-century palace of Villa Koch, on the outskirts of Recanati, with a collective tasting of the 16 appellations and a conference focused on sector policies particularly related to wine tourism.
It is an asset, that of wine tourism, considered important for the purposes of further developing the image of the Marche brand, even after the recent passage of the regional law that aims to create a network of quality businesses not only in production but also in services.
Expected to speak, among others, are Regional Agriculture Councillor Andrea Maria Antonini, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mirco Carloni, Federdoc President Giangiacomo Gallarati Scotti Bonaldi,and Atim Marche Director Marco Bruschini.
I magnifici 16: the PDOs protected by Imt
Nearly 300 wines will be available for tasting for a 3-day event dedicated to the 16 PDOs protected by Imt:Bianchello del Metauro, Colli Maceratesi, Colli Pesaresi, Esino, I Terreni di San Severino, Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, Pergola, Rosso Conero (Doc and Docg), San Ginesio, Serrapetrona and Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Doc and Docg), Verdicchio di Matelica (Doc and Docg).
The protected area of ” I magnifici 16″
The area protected by the Marche Institute of Wine Protection covers a vineyard area between the provinces of Ancona, Macerata, and Pesaro-Urbino of more than 7,500 hectares and a production that in 2022 touched 230,000 bottled hectoliters (89% of the total).
Marche’s vines are among the most sustainable in Italy, with an organic incidence on the vineyard that has reached 39.5 percent of the area, amounting to 6,991 hectares out of a total planted with vines of 18,000 hectares (year 2022/23, source: Marche Region, Department of Agriculture), an incidence double the Italian average. From 2010 to 2022, the total investments put in place by the maxi-Consortium and its member companies with EU contributions (Ocm-Vino and Psr Marche Mis. 1.33 and 3.2) exceeded 28 million euros.