The story of Cantine Fontezoppa began in 1999 with the Falc family, local entrepreneurs driven by their passion for the land, its heritage, and its unique features.

The name Fontezoppa is a tribute to an ancient spring that once flowed just outside the medieval walls of Civitanova Marche Alta, where today the vineyard rows stretch between the charming Porta Marina and the tranquil Adriatic Sea.

Nestled among the gentle Marche hills, just a few kilometers from the sea and embraced by a timeless medieval village, this winery embodies the perfect union of landscape, history, and wine. The vineyards stretch across panoramic hillsides, between the scent of the sea breeze and the fresh inland air, in a unique microclimate that imparts freshness and aromatic complexity to the wines.

At the heart of Cantine Fontezoppa lies the richness of two territories: the Adriatic sea horizon, imparting minerality and distinctiveness to the vines and the native Ribona, and the heights of the Sibillini Mountains in Serrapetrona, bringing freshness, structure, and aromatic complexity to the Vernaccia grapes.

About 17 hectares of vineyards in Civitanova Alta (San Domenico area) grow a mix of white and red varieties, while another 20 hectares in Serrapetrona focus primarily on Vernaccia Nera, Pinot Noir, and Incrocio Bruni.

In Civitanova, white varieties like Ribona, Pecorino, and Incrocio Bruni thrive alongside reds such as Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet. In Serrapetrona, Vernaccia Nera dominates, carefully grown at high density to ensure low yields and exceptional quality, with Pinot Noir and Sangiovese growing nearby.

In the hills surrounding the medieval village of Civitanova Marche Alta, native varieties such as Ribona, Incrocio Bruni 54, Pecorino, Passerina, Garofanata, and Sangiovese grow alongside international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Thriving on calcareous, clay, and pelitic soils, and enriched by the sea and its saline breezes, these vines develop subtle salty and mineral notes, lending personality and elegant structure to the resulting wines.

In Serrapetrona, the focus shifts to Vernaccia Nera, a historic variety. As early as 1876, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Bollettino Ampelografico highlighted that “since 1872 Vernaccia was declared the foremost of the colored grapes for producing excellent table wines.” Today, Vernaccia Nera continues to attract national attention as it is rediscovered and explored through innovative winemaking.

Among the vineyards of Serrapetrona, we cultivate Vernaccia Nera, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Pinot Noir, and Merlot, along with a touch of Ribona, which enriches the bouquet of our finest labels based on this grape. Nestled near the Sibillini Mountains, the vines benefit from pronounced day-night temperature variations and grow on marl and calcareous soils. The result is wines with a vibrant, fruity character, rich spice notes, balanced acidity and tannins, and exceptional longevity.