Villa Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva 2018

“A beguiling mix of crushed hazelnut, dried apricot, dusty flowers, marzipan and stone dust makes the 2018 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Riserva Villa Bucci almost impossible to pull away from. lts medium-weight textures have an almost-glycerol feel, casting a dense wave of ripe orchard fruits and subtly sweet spices across the palate with ease. The 2018’s minerality comes through in the finale, tapering off slightly grippy yet not as structured as past vintages; a note of sour melon lingers. The Riserva of Bucci typically takes a bit of cellaring to really perform, yet the 2018 is already showing quite well today. That said, losing some bottles in the cellar for a few years certainly won’t hurt. This is a unique vintage for this wine, but one that really shouldn’t be missed. Drinking window: 2023-2028. 91 points

The Bucci portfolio stands out for its quality and consistency, along with one of the most classic and age-worthy expressions of Verdicchio produced year after year, the Riserva di Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Villa Bucci. Ampelio Bucci paved the way for many of today’s rising stars in the region by creating the Riserva through a combination of superior fruit and deft integration of Slavonian oak casks in the aging process. These days, the wine may not shine as brightly as it once did in large-scale tastings, but that’s only because of the rise of quality across the region. There was a time that a bottle of Villa Bucci would be like a guiding light through a dark and misty sea full of mediocre Verdicchio. The 2017 Riserva proves that Bucci is still one of the very best producers in the region and that the up-and-comers still have a benchmark to look up to.”

Eric Guido, Vinous (11/22)