La Distesa
La Distesa is a small natural-leaning estate in the Marche, producing Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and a handful of reds with minimal intervention and a clear sense of place.
History
La Distesa was founded by Corrado Dottori, who left a career outside wine to farm a small property in the hills of the Marche, in the Castelli di Jesi zone. The estate has operated as an explicitly artisan project since its early years, with Dottori making all decisions in vineyard and cellar. It sits outside the mainstream of Verdicchio production, which is dominated by large cooperatives and industrial-scale bottlers, and has drawn attention precisely because of that distance. The scale has remained deliberately small, and the philosophy has remained consistent: low intervention, honest farming, wines that reflect the vintage rather than a house style imposed over it.
Vineyards
The vineyards are situated in the Classico zone of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, in the inland hills of the Marche between the Apennines and the Adriatic coast. The soils are primarily clay and limestone, typical of the zone, with the altitude and aspect of individual plots influencing the character of each wine. Farming is organic. Specific hectare figures are not documented here, but the estate is small by any measure. The range of wines, from the entry-level Nur to the single-vineyard Gli Eremi, suggests that Dottori works with distinct parcels treated separately through harvest.
Winemaking
Fermentation relies on native yeasts throughout the range. The wines see little to no filtration or fining, and sulfur additions are kept to a minimum, in keeping with the natural wine approach Dottori has practiced consistently. Whites are generally fermented and aged in neutral vessels, with some cuvees seeing skin contact or extended maceration. The Terre Silvate and Gli Eremi represent the more serious end of the white range, with greater concentration and aging potential than the Nur. The reds, including Nocenzio and La Derive, are made from Montepulciano and tend toward a lighter, less extracted style than the regional norm. The Meticcio rosato sits between the two in structure. Across the range, the cellar approach is consistent: restraint over extraction, freshness over weight, and a preference for wines that drink well young but can develop.