Biting the Salt: A Review of Belisario’s Verdicchio di Matelica Cambrugiano 2012 White Wine
Cambrugiano Riserva is one of the most famous and well-liked Verdicchio di Matelica wines. It comes from a historic cellar like Belisario, which has been making it since 1988.
They want us to know that they were the first to produce a Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva.
But does it really make sense to make a Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva so intense and spicy, so pumped up by the use of the barrique, so much so that it loses its territorial spontaneity to favor an aesthetic stylization imposed with technique and forced refinement?
For Belisario, yes, if he has been producing it for years. For us, the answer is less crystalline.
But we’ll explain the dilemma right away. The wine we tasted is a Verdicchio di Matelica 2012, so it has 5 years of aging behind it. And they are all needed because, to dispose of the tones of vanilla, cinnamon, and sweet spices, such a long aging in bottles is necessary.
But at the same time, this 2012 vintage has reached the end of the line. We had been keeping it in the cellar for a while, but it would not go beyond 5 years of al fresco meditation. It’s still lively, very savory, and moderately fresh, but we couldn’t ask for more.
And so, what does it mean?
It means that this wine is very good now that it has been cleaned up and given time to develop delicious, ripe fruity notes that aren’t sticky or repetitive.
On the market now, you could find the 2014 vintage, which is still very young, but if you want to drink a great white wine from the Marche region and you are patient, buy the 2014 vintage, two bottles. Taste one now and put one in the cellar for 4-5 years, and you will see what a splendid transformation will take place.
All this speech is just to say that we liked this Cambrugiano 2012, although it is a wine that comes from a careful and even intrusive, at least in the early years, technical choice in the cellar. However, it is only with age that its expressiveness (character) comes out, so be patient.
Bouquet
The nose is filled with peaches, vanilla in the background, nutmeg, lemon, and candied oranges. It is strong, warm, and honeyed. It’s a fantastic nose right now because of the variety it provides: aromatic herbs, mineral hints, ripe fruit, and a very persistent spicy finish. Fascinating.
The taste of Cambrugiano Riserva 2012 from the Belisario winery
In the mouth, it is carved in a mineral block but inlaid with fruity and mellifluous references. It has a savory rhythm but is a little slow to react with freshness. Let’s say that we are at the peak of its expressiveness and vigor, and it has reached an optimal balance.
And when you taste perfectly mature wines, there is great satisfaction: you can taste their essence. You feel in the mouth layers upon layers that alternate, highlighting candied oranges and almonds.
The finish is tasty and elegant, nuanced, and embellished with peach returns.
A little flabby? Certainly! Alternatively, a little doped, aesthetically modified for pleasure?
That’s fine, but that doesn’t mean we should deprive ourselves of the pleasure of an excellent wine, especially considering the very affordable price.
Price
12–16 euros.
Pairings
Baked fish, chicken curry, Margherita pizza, veal with tuna sauce, falafel, Cantonese rice, Pad Thai, Vitello Tonnato, truffle risotto, pasta alla carbonara.