COLLE JANO
MARCHE
As much as we value tradition and working with families who have been farming for generations, there is also an excitement to stumble upon youthful, energetic, and up and coming projects like that of Colle Jano. Filippo and his wife Giulia met at their masters program, Filippo was studying agricultural entrepreneurship while Giulia was focused on education. Their lives eventually took them to this small farm property that needed renovation, only a few kilometers from where Giulia grew up.
The idea was to renovate the farmhouse, recuperate the vines that were on the property, and take steps to ultimately live off of what their land will give them. Their home was rebuilt, and soon a cellar will be on the property powered by solar panels. For now, Filippo has made wine from solely Verdicchio starting in 2017, with 2018 resulting in 4,000 bottles total. He is an incredibly intelligent winemaker relying on self-teaching along with a lot of support from a few local winemakers. His thesis in a self-sufficient winery earned him a small grant to by this property of abandoned vineyard, and now has a collection of 53 year old vines as well as a small parcel of 1 year old vines he just planted.
His wines stand out here within Cupramontana, there is an energy and life to these wines that is quite stunning. 2017 had notes of oyster shells and salinity, while 2018 is more mineral and floral. Both wines have texture that makes this grape and this zone so important, these are serious white wines with plenty of character. There is so much to this small project, a conviction from Filippo and Giulia, an impressive background of education, and an understanding of the zone.
The property is within Cupramontana, a valley fed by springs that gushes slightly salty water in the zone. Locally thought to be one of the area’s best for winemaking, his vineyards are bright green and healthy, thanks in large part to biologic farming. Most of his treatments for the vines are natural, using thyme to help control mold, as well as propolis from bees. At the moment, he is making his wines at the local La Staffa winery until he can build a small cantina for himself at the property.
The older vineyards are anywhere between 45-53 years old, with between 6 to 8 older clones of Verdicchio that are hard to find in more recent vineyards. All the farming is done by Filippo and Giulia, Filippo believing that hiring cheap labor will not bring good karma for his wines. The vineyard sites are scattered around his hills, with some facing south, some north, and a mix of yellow and reddish clay along with sand and limestone. Soil health and makeup is essential for Filippo, as his undergrad thesis was focused on hummic acids and how they affect agriculture.
Jano
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore
Varietal : Verdicchio 100%