Vinalia x Fausti, Falerio Pecorino

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.

While Pecorino counts among Italy's finest white grape varieties, it is only within recent decades that winegrowers have realized the tremendous quality and aging potential of Pecorino. Confusingly, the grape shares its name with one of the country's most popular cheeses. The etymology, however, is similar. The grape, like the cheese, derives from pecora (meaning "sheep" it Italian) and is a reference to the variety's history as a convenient snack for sheepherders roaming the Marche region.