Cupramontana, Contrada San Michele | Often considered the “grand cru” of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi region in the Marche, Italy. San Michele is a named area or ‘contrada’ in Cupramontana where it is the warmest terroir. The winemaking tradition here almost certainly dates back to the work of the Camaldolite monks. Their hermitage was founded by San Romualdo in the first decade of the year one thousand. Throughout the entire Castelli di Jesi territory the monks tilled the woods (Terre Silvate) [Terre Silvate is the name of a wine made by La Distesa] to create vineyards and arable land. They began viticulture here in 1186, near the present church of San Michele (see the La Marca di San Michele winery, link below), a rural frazione bordering Cupramontana. La Marca refers to a “border district.” All of these rural territories were united to form the region of “Le Marche,” the only Italian region that takes the plural. The region’s first vineyards registered in the land office here date to 1471.

Wineries

Certified organic | La Marca di San Michele.