To put it in the French way, San Paolo is a cru in the heart of the Castelli di Jesi and belongs to Silvano Brescianini’s Pievalta. Livia Belardelli participated in a vertical tasting, which was surprisingly dynamic.
A magical place, discovered almost by chance, a vineyard slapped by the Balkan wind, overlooking the Adriatic. It is love at first sight. Thus was born the San Paolo of Pievalta.
But let’s go back a little bit. Back all the way to Franciacorta. Because from here Silvano Brescianini (Barone Pizzini, a splendid Franciacorta reality), recognizing the qualities of Verdicchio, among the great native Italian grape varieties, decided to invest in the Marche region. It was 2002 when he bought Pievalta. And only the following year, on an inconclusive morning searching, not even too convinced, for new land, at the very last, climbing Mount Follonica, he discovered the San Paolo vineyard.
St. Paul, a dream vineyard
A plot between 250 and 270 meters slm, east/south exposure and soil of calcareous marls but also characterized by sands from alpine erosion, almost outcropping sandstones. Right from the start the quality of the vineyard’s grapes is clear and so the obvious choice, to vinify them separately. Thus was born the eponymous wine, San Oaolo, corporate flag bearer.
The organic and then biodynamic approach
Brescianini’s bond with the hills of the Castelli di Jesi is deep, almost visceral. Although he is not “native” he has found in these hills a second home, a land where he can get involved with a vine with extraordinary potential. A 20-year-long journey that began by following the Franciacorta roots and immediately adopting a biological approach That, over time, has gone further. Since 2005, in fact, Pievalta has been biodynamics and has been the first certified biodynamic winery in the Marche region since 2008, entrusted to winemaker Alessandro Fenino who immediately embraced the project, falling in love with these lands and moving to the area.
The vertical
A few days ago, together with Silvano, during a lunch on the outskirts of Milan – at Trattoria del Gallo, a historic and gaudy trattoria in Gaggiano with a rich cellar of wines you don’t expect – we tasted several vintages, for a surprisingly dynamic vertical. Contemporary, elegant and vertical wines.
TO READ THE WINE DESCRIPTIONS, WITH SCORE AND AVERAGE SHELF PRICE, CLICK ON THE TABS BELOW.
TASTINGS
