Another Italian Wine – Pecorino

In Italy, most of the more famous wines are red, but Italy has over 500 grape varieties and many of their indigenous white grapes produce great wine. The pecorino grape grows very well in the southern area of Marche and in the hills of Abruzzo. If you know your geography, mountains run down the spine of Italy, so the wine growing areas in Central Italy reflect the influence of altitude. In Abruzzo and Marche, the grapes also enjoy the benefit of sea breezes and cooling temperatures at night. This is not a grape you choose to cultivate unless you know the quality of the wine that results from your hard work.

So why have a grape with the same name as a cheese? Pecora means sheep, and one story suggests that sheep grazing on the hillsides like to eat the grapes growing in the wild. Of course, in Italy there has to be a story behind everything! I doubt the sheep would pass up any grapes growing in the wild. What makes the most sense is simply that pecorino romano cheese is made from sheep’s milk, and if this grape was growing on the hillsides, the sheep would likely try it.

Now you may wonder why you have not heard of this grape, and the wine that is made from it. The grape is native to Italy, but difficult to grow, and Italy has perhaps more native grapes than almost anywhere else in the world. The truth is, the grape has only been cultivated for wine in recent years. In the 1980s, winemaker Cocci Grifoni began cultivating the grape in his family vineyards in Marche, Tenuta Cocci Grifoni. At Tenuta Cocci Grifoni, the vineyards stand at about 500-800 feet in altitude. This altitude is much cooler than the coast, and perfect for this grape variety.

In the glass, this wine is dry, aromatic and elegant. A perfect companion to grilled fish or sautéed scallops!