Vinalia x Fausti, Rosso Piceno

The vision for Fausti was conceived in 1997 when Cristina Fausti envisioned an organic, modern winery to complement her family’s Marche vineyard. She partnered with esteemed winemaker Domenico D’Angelo, who shares her reverence for the land and celebrates the principles of biodiversity y in the vineyard. Nestled in Fermo, a region steeped in viticultural history, Fausti’s vineyards are marked by a medieval tower—once owned by the Matteucci counts—symbolizing the area’s rich grape-growing heritage.

Marche, historically a buffer between northern and southern Italy, derives its name from the March of Ancona, a medieval boundary for the Papal States. Its unique culture traces back to the Iron Age, with the ancient Italic tribe of the Picentes inhabiting the region. Like Friuli, the Marche is one of the rare corners of Italy that is better recognized for its white wines than its reds. Perhaps the region’s most famous grape is the white Verdicchio, grown predominately in the northern half of the Marche. To the south, Pecorino excels.

One of the most important Italian red grape varieties, Montepulciano is enjoyed for its generous red fruit flavors, fleshy body, and savory undertones of dried herbs and earth. Its distribution spans across central Italy and further afield (beyond Europe, even, as it travelled with its immigrant populations to the New World). While Montepulciano d’Abruzzo displays more jammy richness, those grown to the north in the Marche show a lighter touch with more a more characteristic freshness and elegance.