Azienda Agricola Tomassetti is an organic estate in Trecastelli in Ancona province in the Marche region of Italy. It was founded by brothers Matteo (1986) and Andrea (1977) Tomassetti. Matteo is an agronomist (microbiologist) and devotes himself to the vineyard and yeasts. Andrea is a graduate in economics and takes care of the commercial side. Their family were farmers and sharecroppers making olive oil from 1,000 or so olive trees. Andrea went on to become an administrator (economics) at an olive oil plant (‘frantoio’). In 2015 the two brothers began renting four hectares of old organic Verdicchio, Trebbiano and Sangiovese vines (the owner of the vines had approached them in 2014). The winery is rented, too. ‘We are a bit gypsy-like,’ they told me in 2019, adding ‘we want to get more old vine plots.’

The wines are mainly sold locally, with exports to Sweden and Canada.

Staff: Marco Gozzi consults.

Vineyards (2):  2019 20ha. 100% rented vines. Vines on two distinct sites in Trecastelli, where the winery is, and in Corinaldo 6.2miles (10 km) away.

1) Trecastelli: The winery vineyards in Trecastelli are only 8-10km from the Adriatic. Constant breezes. 120m. Clay soils, which can compact. The wild vegetation is never mown. Find legumes, lolium (‘l’oietto’), sulla, barley (‘orzo’), vetches and grasses. 4ha of rented vines. Vines are around 40-45 years old, from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s: The 0.5ha Vigna Mista vineyard comprises 80% Trebbiano Toscano (this zone was historically known for Trebbiano) and 15% Vermentino, and 5% mixed vines. In this period the favoured rootstocks were 5 BB Kober. Vines were planted at 2,300 vines per ha (1978 and 1988 vines). In 2003 Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Cabernet, Sangiovese and Merlot were planted for volume (clones, and on SO4 rootstock). Montepulciano gets the highest altitude sites.

2) Corinaldo: 0.5ha of rented Verdicchio in Santisidoro which is a frazione of Corinaldo. Sandy, 80m. Near the Cesano river.

Production: 20,000 bottles. The estate has no other form of income (eg. agritourism) apart from wine. 

Organic certification: 2019 Yes.

Winemaking: 1950 de-stemmer made by Firma. 

White wines

Mietitore: The name means ‘reaper’, or harvester. 100% Trebbiano Toscano. From clay-limestone soils. South-east facing. 110 m above sea level. 3,300 vines per ha. Double guyot pruning. Picked mid-September. Fermented in stainless steel. 6m on fine lees. | 2017 Marche Bianco IGT. Frosty spring, so limited availability. | 2018 100% Trebbiano Toscano. 40 year old vines. Spalliera. Double guyot. 11.5% alcohol. No oak. Pied di cuve. 7 days on skins. 2,800 bottles. Clay soils. Yellow fruit. The salty notes may arise from soils derived from a lake left after the last glaciation here. Creamy vibrant fruit. Easy to ferment. Goes dry after 8-10 days. Verdicchio can take 3 weeks to ferment. 2,800 bottles. 

Cercanome: Verdicchio from the winery vineyard. It could be bottled as a Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi but the brothers prefer to use the Marche Bianco IGT. Clay-limestone. South-east facing. 110m. 1970s vines. Double guyot pruning. Hand picked early September. Whole bunch pressed. Free run. No added yeast. Stainless steel. 6m on fine lees. | 2014 Wet. | 2016 IGT Marche. 12.5%. Fermented in cement tanks. Creamy, slightly wild, tropical but not estery. 2,000 bottles. Cool year here. Wet May. Heat only from late June. Coolish summer and coolish summer nights. (Bad for olives, two generations of the dreaded mosca). | 2017 Very hot. Dry. | 2018 Humid but with very dry spells.

Frico: Local name for ratatouille = everything goes into it. | 2018 11.5%. 2,600 bottles. Golden yellow. On skins until cap rises, rack, fermentation lees returned to tank to feed the yeast. Racked. All in cement. Moscato Bianco 25%, Malvasia Puntinata 3%, Verdicchio 15%, 80% Trebbiano Toscano. Savoury, refreshing, clear, focused and very enjoyable at the winery in 2019.

Pink wines

Balia: Marche Rosato. 100% Sangiovese. Clay-limestone. South facing. 110 m above sea level. 1990s vines. 4,500 vines per ha. Guyot. Hand picked early September. Stainless steel. 6m on fine lees. | 2016 100% Sangiovese.

Red wine

Marche Rosso IGT, Corno: 2015 70% Montepulciano, 30% Sangiovese. 13.5%. 12m in cement for the Sangiovese. Montepulciano aged 12m in old oak. Some 2nd fill and the rest older. No new oak. Concentrated and the only wine they have done with an international style.

Marche Sangiovese IGT Renudo: 100% Sangiovese. From clay-limestone soils. 1960s vines. 3,300 vines per ha. Double guyot. South-east facing. 110 m above sea level. Serve at 15C. Can go well with fish. White wines here are hard to match with fish due to each of half a dozen local port towns have their own way of making brodo eg Senigallia (pomodoro al brodetto di Senigallia with added vinegar), Ancona (with added olives), Fano (with added vongole), San Benetto (with added green pepper), Civitta Nuovo (with added something). Each port also calls the same fish under a different name. | 2016 100% Sangiovese. Hand picked. Whole bunch for 20 days. Destemmed. Fermented at 25/28°C in steel for 5 days with pump over. MLF. 6m on fine lees. | 2017 100% Sangiovese. 100% whole bunches. Gravity. Carbonic maceration 100%. 18-20 days on skins (15 only in this year as hot). Sulfites added only after MLF. 21hl. A red wine for the beach. Nice mix of bright soft crunchy fruit and tannin.

Vino da Tavola Rosso:1.5 litres Rosso: Merlot and Cab and odds and ends. Really nice, chunky primary red fruit and plenty of it. Crunchy. Sold in Emilia-Romagna. Good for pizza and fatty food.