If you have never heard of Passerina, welcome to the club! This obscure, ancient grape variety is only found in a few areas of central Italy, most commonly the Piceno region of the southern Marche and in the hills of Abruzzo just over the border. But in the commune of Offida, where the Adriatic coast lies just a few miles to the east and the Central Apennines rise in the west, Passerina is truly at home. In this seemingly tailor made terroir, it produces wines of pure, mineral laden freshness. When veteran sommeliers complain that Italian white wines are too soft and heavy, they clearly have not experienced Offida Passerina. Today’s pitch-perfect example of the variety comes from a tiny family farm in the hills, where everything is done organically and with a nod to this region’s ancient winemaking traditions. This very affordable bottle is a sure winner for Italian wine lovers and lovers of great, mineral driven white wine writ large!

Poderi San Lazzaro was founded a few decades ago when Lorenzo Capriotti used his life savings to purchase a small farm in the hills outside of Offida, in the southern Marche, just a few miles from the Adriatic coast. The farm lies in the well established Rosso Piceno DOCG, and as such Lorenzo planted a few vines and used a small, 1000 year old farmhouse to convert into a functional winery. After years of hard but enjoyable work, Lorenzo turned the farm over to his son, Paolo, and daughter-in-law Elisetta in 2003. Over the past two decades the couple has expanded their holdings, purchasing several vineyards and planting others, to a total of 9.5 hectares, along with a couple hectares of olive groves and ancient forests. 

The vines include plantings of Pecor