Podere Sabbioni, a Ribona to discover

A young estate has focused on this native white varietal and their vintage wine is simple, pleasing and has a good price.

Despite some hesitation in regard to promotion, the quality of Ribona continues to rise. It is made in the Colli Maceratesi appellation, at the heart of the Marche region and not far from both Jesi with its Verdicchio and Offida with its bold Piceno reds

Ribona, a white wine made from the native grape of the same name, is no longer a novelty for local wine lovers, thanks to its distinct character and a potential that could even be greater than that for Pecorino.

A biotype of Greco Bianco or, more likely, Verdicchio, Ribona here produces white wines with a medium body, somewhat essential but pleasingly bitter with a note of Jordan almond and anise. It is a white that can not only age in the bottle for several years but even, and quite often, improve, maintaining its traits of austerity. Bottle aging, in fact, brings out metallic, floral and fruity notes all at the same time. This makes it more similar to a great Verdicchio than a Greco di Tufo, which is more stony/sulfurous.

It is a wine that has a created a small but dedicated group of admirers, so much so that that on the Marche coast there is an unofficial fan club headed by the Civitanova Marche sommelier Palmiro Ciccarelli.

A significant number of estates are now producing good Ribona wines, from Sant’Isidoro to Murola and Boccadigabbia and even top wineries like Fontezoppa and, above all, Villa Forano, among others.

Podere Sabbioni is a new, family-run estate in Corridonia, inside the wonderful Abbadia di Fiastra nature reserve. The grapes are cultivated organically and the estate participates in the Agriculture Ministry’s VIVA program for sustainable winegrowing that focuses in Air, Water, Vineyards and Territory. Podere Sabbioni has from the start focused on Ribona and has even come out with a nice vintage version, softened with a tad of Chardonnay.

Colli Maceratesi Ribona 2019 Podere Sabbioni

88/100 - € 10

A blend of 90% Ribona and 10% Chardonnay that matures in stainless steel and cement vats on the lees. The wine has a pale, straw color and the aroma has a pure note of Jordan almond on a background of yellow flowers, while the austerity of the varietal in the mouthfeel is counterbalanced by a touch of fruit. But what most stands out – even if the wine is simple – is the sense of fusion, which is rare in Marche vintage whites. This makes it both pleasing and distinct.

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