Andrea Felici Backgrounder

With eight Tre Bicchieri awards in the ten years that Leo Felici has been winemaker, and press from a broad range of International media (including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Decanter, Wine Spectator and Punch), Andrea Felici has become a leader in Verdicchio, Italy’s “noble white grape,” with quality that sits comfortably at the table with fine Chablis.

Felici’s wines have the tension between fruit and minerality found in the world’s great white wines.  This remarkable quality comes in part from the estate’s unique location in the western edge of the Castelli di Jesi appellation in the foothills of the Apennine mountains. At 516m elevation, the estate is uncharacteristically high for Castelli di Jesi (average elevation of ~250m), and indeed is higher than most vineyards in neighboring Matelica (~450m). As such, Felici’s wines present a mineral-driven, crisp character that’s common in Matelica, with a richness that is a hallmark of Jesi.

Prior to becoming winemaker in 2010, Leo honed his palate working as a sommelier at London’s Savoy Grill and Florence’s three Michelin-starred Enoteca Pinchiorri.   As winemaker he began implementing his vision for world-class Verdicchio by focusing on the vineyards.  He seeks a transparent style through organic farming, hand harvesting, fermenting with native yeasts and aging on fine lees in stainless and concrete.

The winery produces two wines—Verdicchio Classico Superiore and Riserva “Il Cantico della Figura.”