Contrada Contro revives ancient vineyards high in the Sibillini Mountains, between the villages of Gualdo and Sarnano in Italy’s Marche region. Known for its rolling hills that rise from the Adriatic coast into the rugged Apennines, Marche has long been a crossroads of culture and agriculture, with a winemaking history stretching back centuries. At Contrada Contro, the focus is on restoring ungrafted vines planted above 500 meters, farmed organically and vinified with a philosophy of non-intervention. In this alpine landscape of rocky soils and cool mountain air, low yields and spontaneous fermentations are not techniques but necessities, bringing out the purity and endurance of vines that have quietly survived for generations. Each bottle is a testament to the belief that the vineyard is sovereign and that authenticity begins in the soil.

From a 50-year-old vineyard perched at 620 meters on limestone-rich soils, Contrada Tomassucci is a field blend led by malvasia bianca di candia, with verdicchio, maceratino, and trebbiano lending their voices to the blend. Malvasia bianca di candia, one of Italy’s most aromatic white varieties, brings lifted floral and spice notes, while the high-altitude site and chalky soils frame the wine with tension and mineral cut. The grapes were hand-harvested, pressed directly, and fermented with native yeasts in ceramic and large oak vessels. After twelve months of quiet élevage, the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered, just 2,000 bottles drawn.

Though only a few kilometers from the Contrada Contro parcel, Tomassucci speaks a different dialect of the mountains: leaner, taut, and stony. Aromas of candied ginger, dry flowers, and orchard fruit give way to cool notes of melon and pear, underpinned by a chalky, mineral edge. The palate is coiled and tense, opening slowly to reveal depth and subtle richness, finishing long and savory with an almost seaweed-like umami. At once restrained and aromatic, white wine lovers will find an appeal and unique distinction to this wine.