Cantine Belisario, `Cambrugiano` Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva

The vineyards are south-facing, located outside Matelica, in the Cambrugiano and Cabraccio areas of the Marche region. 100% planted with the Verdicchio clone Matelicese, which is unique for its semi-loose clusters, the vines range from 26 to 46 years of age and are situated on hilly, well-drained soils at around 400 metres above sea level. Vine density ranges from 1,666 to 2,200 vines per hectare, trained to a double Guyot system with spacing of 3 × 2 metres.

The 2022 vintage was marked by very dry winter and spring conditions, followed by the hottest summer on record at the time. These extremes led to smaller, less juice-filled bunches and reduced yields. However, the limited quantity was offset by improved quality, with the grapes delivering greater concentration and intensity in the resulting wines.

The grapes were harvested into 200-kilogram bins and placed in cold storage at −10 °C for 24 hours before vinification. Cryomaceration followed at around 0 °C for four hours, prior to a cold fermentation lasting approximately 22 days at 16 °C using selected yeasts. The wine was aged for two years, with 95% matured for 12 months in temperature-controlled 300-hectolitre stainless steel tanks and 5% aged for 12 months in toasted 225-litre oak barriques, followed by a further eight months of bottle ageing before release.