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The Esino DOC of the Marche wine region, in central Italy, covers standard rosso (red) and bianco (white) wines as well as their respective semi-sparkling frizzante and early-release novello variants. The wines are made from very Italian grape varieties, Sangiovese and Montepulciano for the reds and Verdicchio for the whites (accompanied by other white varieties sanctioned for use in the Marche region).
The area in which the vines must grow in order to be covered by the Esino title is extensive, and takes in most of both the Ancona and Macerata provinces. This entirely encompasses the production zones of Italy's two finest Verdicchio wines, Verdicchio di Matelica and Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. This area lies mostly between the Cesano and Chiena rivers to the north and south respectively, and is characterized by its gently undulating topography. Although relatively close to the sea (the Adriatic coast forms Marche's eastern boundary), the climate here is remarkably continental, particularly in the north. This makes for higher diurnal temperature variation, cooler winters and warmer summers, which in turn give rise to correspondingly intense flavors in the wines.
Esino is also the name of the river which flows through the area, beginning in the hills above Matelica and flowing west to east towards the Adriatic coast at Ancona.
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