Offida Doc

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Offida, recognised in June 2001, is the most recent controlled denominations of origin from Marche. This product takes its name from an antique municipality in the province of Ascoli Piceno, which is said to have been founded by the Pelasgi, later inhabited by the Piceni and then conquered by the Romans. Its period of great splendour was in the Middle Ages; shortly after the year one thousand, the land was donated to the Abbey of Farfa and, under the administration of its inhabitants, Offida newly economically and socially flourished and became a free municipality. Offida Doc is produced in the Red (also Superior and New), Pecorino, Passerina (also Passito), Vin santo and Sparkling versions.

How it is consumed

The Red wine should be enjoyed with pasta dishes with rich red and white meat-based sauces, but above all with characteristic cheeses and cold meats and salami such as Urbino Casciotta, Fossa cheese and Carpegna ham and salami; it should be served in balloon wineglasses at 16-18°C. The Pecorino version may be savoured with fish soups and Marche-style sardines. The Passerina version in tasty combination with molluscs, shellfish and fish soups but also with cardoons with Parmesan cheese; they should both be served in wide tulip-shaped glasses at 8-10 °C. In the Passito, Vin santo and Sparkling types, Passerina can be enjoyed with fruit tarts and dry pastries and should be served at 10-12°C in medium size tulip-shaped glasses (passito) or at 6-8°C in flutes (sparkling).

How it is conserved

For a better conservation of these wines, the bottles should be stored, on their side, on wooden shelves, as this material cushions impacts and vibrations; kept in the dark, at a constant temperature of 10-15°C and with humidity of 70-75%, to prevent the corks from drying.

How it is produced

In the production processes of the Red Offida Doc, the grapes are pressed and the must fermented and macerated with the marc. The phases that follow are the drawing from the vats, which allows the separation of the marc from the must, decanting, refinement and ageing (two years). At the end of this period the wine is bottled. The method of production of the White wine, instead, is a much more delicate process, as the white wine is easily subject to alterations by microbes and abnormal fermentation. Fermentation is without the peel, which could compromise the colour of the wine. The Passito version is obtained from grapes dried on the plant and is aged for at least a year and a half, for the Vin santo type drying of the grapes must be on grates in suitable locations and ageing is of three years. The rest of the process is similar to that of other passito wines: the dry stalks are removed, as they would otherwise absorb considerable quantities of alcohol and leave a bad taste behind. The next process is that of soft pressing. Fermentation follows the production of the must and stops naturally upon reaching a high alcoholic content. The wine so obtained is then stabilised, refined and bottled.

Product report