Pecorino Grape Variety: The White Wine Revival of Marche and Abruzzo

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

The genius of Italy is its ability to cater to everyone: there are as many autochthonous grape varieties as there are varieties of pasta on the Italian peninsula! So, if you seek comfort and familiarity, immerse yourself in the warming reds of Chianti Classico and the ethereal pleasures of Barbaresco. Or, if you crave some of the finest celebratory bubbly outside of Champagne, leap headfirst into Franciacorta and Trento DOC.

Guide to Italian White Wine: Read more

However, to limit yourself to the established appellations would be a waste – Italy has the greatest diversity of individual wine styles, mesoclimates, and soils of all the world’s wine producers. The nation is using them to the full; revival stories are everywhere these days. Pecorino, one of the most exciting white grapes of southern Marche and Abruzzo, is perhaps one of the most uplifting of these resurrection sagas. After teetering on the brink of extinction in the 20th century, the grape has established itself as one of central Italy’s most distinctive white varieties: perfumed and uniquely fresh. It is another classic in the making.

What Does Pecorino Taste Like?

History and viticulture

Pecorino, unrelated to the cheese, is thought to be indigenous to the Sibillini Mountains of Marche. In the pre-Roman era, Marche was inhabited by the Picens and, later, the Celtic Senone Gauls. However, after the Romans consolidated their hold over the region by 268 BC, the Gauls were driven out of Marche. As enthusiastic adopters of the grape, the Romans encouraged the proliferation of vines across central Italy. Enjoying a goblet of wine was as important to local culture as the Colosseum.

But how good was Roman wine? The writings of Pliny the Elder would suggest that the best vintages would last for decades: the famous Opimian, dedicated to the consulship of Opimus, was said to have lasted for over a century.

By the time of the Western Empire’s collapse in 476 AD, the Romans had laid the foundations for almost all of Europe’s most famous vineyards. After that, much of central Italy fell under the control of the Papacy. Nevertheless, winegrowing was most definitely the religious establishment’s domain. Cathedrals and churches, but above all monasteries, controlled vast swathes of vineyards in Europe. It was within this stable framework of the church that the styles of wine, now commonplace in the world, came into being. Pecorino thrived under their stewardship, producing delicious white wines, which became the talk of Marche.

Marche became part of a unified Kingdom of Italy in 1860. This eventually created a national wine market, although many producers abandoned quality for quantity in the mid-20th century. From one perspective, the rise of vineyard mechanization, modern vinification techniques, and international markets did consumers no favors; a great deal of Pecorino was ripped out and replaced with Trebbiano.

By the 1960s, Pecorino was close to extinction. Its modern revival is usually linked to Guido Cocci Grifoni in southern Marche, who helped recover surviving vines and return the grape to commercial production. The first pure Pecorino bottling is widely associated with Tenuta Cocci Grifoni’s 1990 wine, although it was labeled “Colle Vecchio” after the vineyard. In Abruzzo, Luigi Cataldi Madonna became one of the grape’s most important champions and is often credited as the first producer to print “Pecorino” on a wine label with the 1996 vintage. Pecorino’s revival coincided with renewed interest in premium Italian whites made from indigenous varieties.

Nevertheless, not all are willing to embrace Pecorino’s charms. Unlike the high-yielding Trebbiano, Pecorino rarely delivers a substantial crop; its low yield continues to deter bulk producers. However, it is an early-ripening variety, which usually ensures the berries are picked while acidity levels are still high. Moreover, Pecorino is renowned for its fighting spirit and robust nature: the vines are generally considered resilient, although their low yields have historically discouraged large-scale planting.

Today, Pecorino appears in several central Italian appellations. Its best-known expression is Offida DOCG in southern Marche, where Pecorino wines must contain at least 85% Pecorino. The grape is also important in Abruzzo DOC, Falerio DOC, Controguerra DOC, and Terre Tollesi / Tullum DOCG. These appellations help explain why Pecorino should be understood not only as a Marche grape, but as one of the defining white varieties of the central Adriatic wine corridor.

How Pecorino Is Made

Winemakers love to work with Pecorino. It means ‘little sheep’ in Italian, a reference to the longstanding tradition of feeding Pecorino berries to sheep grazing on the hills of central Italy. Recently, the grape has become very trendy among sommeliers and wine buyers in the US, much appreciated for its attractive bouquet of stone fruit, lemon, orange peel, and honeysuckle. Moreover, Pecorino always offers a refreshing cut of ripe acidity. So it is not unlike Spain’s Albariño in its flavor profile and rising popularity. And, like Albariño, Pecorino wines are seldom aged in new wood.

No: the overriding objective is primary fruit flavor – and intense aromatics! As a result, most wine producers follow a standardized recipe when making Pecorino. First, hand-harvested berries will be chilled and gently pressed – pneumatic cylindrical machines tend to yield the finest must because the applied pressure can be strictly controlled. The juice is then transferred to settling vats, where it is chilled. As a rule, Pecorino wines are made in stainless steel; a cool fermentation can be relied on to deliver fruit-driven white wine. Occasionally, the wines will be matured on their fine lees (yeasty sediment) for several months in stainless steel. This adds ‘fat’ and richness to the wine without extracting any oak flavors; growers also use concrete vats for the same purpose.

However, men like Francesco Cirelli prefer a different approach. He claims, with some justification, that fermentation in stainless steel produces a very cookie-cutter-style white. Therefore, Cirelli ages his Pecorino wines in amphorae – these terracotta jars allow gentle oxidation of the wine, as clay is porous. Yet it is a neutral material that does not extract additional flavors. The resulting wine has a deeper color and opulent mouthfeel, although there is less upfront ripe fruit. Yet the food-matching possibilities are infinitely greater.

The Road Less Traveled

Italy has endless appeal. As the cradle of Europe’s greatest civilization, the country is famous for its temples and monuments, while millions flock every year to Italy’s exquisite countryside, beautiful beaches, and chic resorts. And if that isn’t enough, Italian food and wine are a match made in heaven.

The only potential fly in the ointment is overcrowding – particularly in July and August. In this case, allow us to introduce you to Marche and its neighbor, Abruzzo. The Adriatic coastline and its interior may lack the fame of Tuscany and Campania, but these green hills are utterly unspoiled and a fertile source of exceptional wine. In southern Italy, Fiano, Falanghina, and Greco are all leading contenders for the title of Italy’s finest white. But in this quiet corner of the Apennines, Pecorino rules the roost. Its rebirth has transformed the white wine scene in central-eastern Italy, leading estates to pull out all the stops for their top bottlings, combining freshness with substance.

Moreover, a host of outsiders have invested in Marche and Abruzzo in recent years, with dramatic effects on local quality. And the secret is starting to leak out: importers and sommeliers are helping to make Pecorino a household name in northern Europe and the US. Then again, it’s not a particularly hard sell – who could resist the cutting pungency of this grape, set against textbook acidity and lovely freshness? When grown in central Italy’s most attractively situated terroirs, Pecorino wines compete with the best of Alsace. Moreover, they are always keenly priced.

Pecorino Food Pairings

Pecorino is also a very food-friendly grape. As always, stick to local, regional dishes to get the best results: Brodetto and Pecorino are guaranteed to be a massive success. This aromatic fish stew is a specialty of the Adriatic coast; Maccheroncini di Campofilone is another brilliant pairing. A simple dish of egg pasta and beef ragu, Pecorino’s bright acidity cuts through the richness and complements the saltiness of the beef. Our favorite match, however, has long been a chilled glass of Pecorino served alongside Moscioli. The name refers to wild mussels from the water surrounding the Conero Peninsula – a pristine piece of coastline in Marche. Often cooked in a fresh tomato and saffron broth, the mussels have no equal in Italian seafood. However, enjoying them with Pecorino takes the pleasure to another level.

Good pairings include:

• Brodetto, the aromatic fish stew of the Adriatic coast
• Moscioli, wild mussels from the waters around the Conero Peninsula
• Mussels cooked in fresh tomato and saffron broth
• Maccheroncini di Campofilone with beef ragù
• Grilled white fish with lemon and herbs
• Seafood pasta with clams, mussels, or prawns
• Fried calamari or mixed seafood fritto misto
• Fresh cheeses, especially mild sheep’s cheese
• Vegetable antipasti, grilled courgettes, and artichokes

Top Pecorino Producers to Know

Le Marche

• Tenuta Cocci Grifoni
• Ciu Ciu
• Tenuta De Angelis
• Tenuta Santori

Abruzzo

• Cataldi Madonna
• La Valentina
• Torre dei Beati
• Cirelli
• Valori