Since 2015, the Marche region has been selecting
territorial excellence to promote the winemaking potential in Castelli di Jesi.
Today, there are two vineyards that create special selections: San Sisto produces the cru of the same name, Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Classico Riserva San Sisto
Maiolati produces the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore Massaccio.
Both vineyards have the features of a small estate, with a farmhouse at the centre of the property, surrounded by vine rows. The oldest of these districts is San Sisto, which the project is named after due to its importance and history. For years it has been producing one of the best-known and most-awarded white wines on the national winemaking scene.
fide et
amor
restau
ravit
Tenute San Sisto’s logo depicts the façade of the church of the same name that stands at the centre of the district. According to the earliest available documents, it dates from 1199 and the church and adjacent monastery came under the Abbey of Sant’Elena sull’Esino. The church and surrounding farms were rebuilt between the 18th and 19th centuries, and the area kept the name San Sisto - which comes from the valley of San Sisto that descends from the top of the Maiolati hill towards the Esino river.
The continual restoration, firstly by the church and then by the various owners, bears witness to the love of beauty and value of this place, as written on the marble inscription placed inside the church during the last reconstruction: Fide et amor restauravit.
The historic San Sisto vineyard is located on the northern side of the municipality of Maiolati Spontini
A gentle hill goes down towards the Esino, a river that has always played a key role in local farming. The vineyard covers an area of 30 hectares, on a hill ranging from 250 to 350 metres of elevation, with a north-northeastern exposure.
This unique place is perfect for growing Verdicchio, thanks to the exposure that guarantees a much cooler climate and its alkaline-limestone soils with a clay component. These features add mineral structure, marked acidity and aromatic freshness, which make Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Classico Riserva San Sisto ideal for long ageing.
The southern side of the municipality of Maiolati Spontini, which overlooks nearby Cupramontana, accommodates the Maiolati vineyard
The 24 hectares are located on a hill of over 400 metres of elevation, with an amphitheatre-shaped layout. This vineyard was first planted in 1967 and then replanted in 2005, putting into practice all the experience gained on the cultivation of verdicchio in over 60 years of winemaking history.
The medium-textured soils are slightly alkaline and limestone, an ideal composition for making elegant and scented wines, rich in body and extract. The elevation favours good day-night temperature swings, especially during the last stage of ripening, and enhances many of these features.
