When you explore the rolling hills of the Piceno region, you’ll see they are dotted with impressive vineyards. This summer we had the opportunity to get to know two more estates nearby Homestead Hill: Ciù Ciù and Tenuta Cocci Grifoni. Both vineyards stand out for their philosophy towards superior winemaking and family tradition.
Discovering Ciù Ciù in historic Offida
When we tasted the wine of Ciù Ciù in 2 sequential days (once because our lovely neighbour Bridget brought one to us, once at Bolle in Scala), we decided we wanted to do a proper tasting. So we planned to visit the village of Offida and booked a tasting at Ciù Ciù, right in the heart of this beautiful historic town.
The vineyards of Ciù Ciù stretch across the hills from Offida towards San Benedetto del Tronto. Their tasting room in the town center offers a wonderfully relaxed setting, complete with local olive oil, fresh bread, and cured meats. Although this was not the most unique tasting experience we ever had, we can recommend it if you are around. And more importantly: their wine is excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed their selection and indulged in an extensive tasting of their sparkling, white and red wines.
A panoramic lunch at Tenuta Cocci Grifoni
A few days later, we set out with our friends Bart and Nancy for a great lunch at Tenuta Cocci Grifoni. If you browse through local tourist brochures, you are bound to come across this place thanks to its impressive panoramic balcony.
We had driven past this winery many times while exploring the area, so stopping here had long been high on our wish list. What makes this place truly special is its deep-rooted family history. The winery played a pioneering role in the region; for instance, the family was instrumental in saving the indigenous Pecorino grape from extinction.
Funnily enough, the land directly below their estate was one of the plots high on our list of potential purchases when we were looking for a place of our own. Although we ultimately settled in a different valley on the other side, near Ripatransone, this fantastic view reminded us exactly why we love this region so much.
We booked the ‘Cocci Grifoni Experience’ – a wonderful package featuring lunch and a tasting – and it exceeded all our expectations. Seated on that famous terrace with sweeping views of the countryside, we were served a variety of fantastic wines. Two wines really stood out for us: the Notturna and the Vigna Messieri. We particularly enjoyed the Vigna Messieri; it is a wine with a magnificent character that perfectly reflects the local terroir.
Everything came together beautifully during an inspiring conversation with Marta, one of the owners, right after lunch. The Cocci Grifoni Experience strongly confirms our feeling: this is exactly where we want to be.
