Somewhere in the hills of Le Marche, a fifteen-minute drive from the Adriatic coast, sits an unassuming family estate. No designer tasting room. No neon letters for Instagram. What you will find: a cellar full of oak barrels, a long table under a pergola, bread with home-made olive oil and salami from the neighbour. This is the domain of the Guerrieri family, an Italian winemaker that has been doing what it does best for generations: making honest wine.
Their wines reach the Netherlands through NEVINI, a wine importer from Maastricht. And they form the beating heart of the collection.
Le Marche: Italy's hidden wine region
Think of Italian wine and you think of Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily. Understandable. But that keeps a region like Le Marche under the radar, even though grapes have been grown here for centuries.
Le Marche is wedged between the Apennines and the Adriatic Sea, just below Emilia-Romagna. No busloads of tourists, no inflated prices, no wines made to score points with critics. What you do find: family estates refining, generation after generation, what they learned from their parents.
Le Marche counts more than 200 wine producers, but only a fraction export. As a result, many wines from Le Marche are barely available in the Netherlands. The grape varieties Bianchello, Verdicchio and Lacrima are virtually unique to this region.
The Guerrieri vineyards lie some fifteen kilometres from the coast. By day the sun warms the slopes. In the evening the sea breeze brings cool relief. You taste that interplay of heat and freshness in every bottle. The soil is a mix of clay and limestone. Not the most fertile ground, but that is exactly why the vines root deep. The result: grapes with concentration and mineral notes.
White wine from Italy: from fresh and approachable to complex and layered
The Guerrieri family makes white Italian wines that show what is possible beyond the familiar grape varieties. No Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay here, but Bianchello and Verdicchio. Grapes you will hardly find anywhere else.
Guerriero Bianco: the perfect introduction
The Guerriero Bianco is a blend of Bianchello and Verdicchio. Golden yellow in the glass, with aromas of yellow peach, aromatic herbs and a touch of vanilla. The wine ages six to eight months in French oak barrels, giving it a subtle roundness without letting the wood dominate. Fresh, mineral, with crisp citrus on the finish.
This is white wine from Italy you happily pour all evening alongside grilled fish, white meat or a ripe cheese board. The price (around fourteen euros) makes it even easier.
Biancanima: Bianchello at its purest
If you want to get to know the Bianchello grape properly, try the Biancanima. One hundred percent Bianchello, fermented and aged in concrete vats and Italian terracotta. No wood. Pure fruit, minerality and texture. After a year of ageing in the vat, the result is a wine that is taut and full at the same time. This is serious white wine, but without the pretence.
Guerriero Del Mare: the top of the white range
And then the Guerriero Del Mare. The same Bianchello grape at its core, but in a completely different league. This wine is only made in years when the harvest is exceptionally good. The grapes are picked later, rigorously selected, and the wine ages in concrete tanks and then in French tonneaux. The result is fuller and more complex, with layers of citrus and peach, and herbal notes of rosemary and sage that slowly reveal themselves.
The Guerriero Del Mare Vintage 2018 has had extra ageing and shows what Bianchello can really do when you give it time. White wine from Italy that wants to be taken seriously. And deserves it.
Red wine from Italy: from everyday to festive
When it comes to red Italian wines, most people think of Chianti, Barolo or Amarone. Red wine from Le Marche is less well known, but at least as interesting. Especially when it comes from the Guerrieri family.
Guerriero Nero: the red all-rounder
The Guerriero Nero is a blend of Sangiovese, Montepulciano and a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby red. Aromas of black fruit, violets, vanilla and cocoa. Powerful and mineral, with a long finish. The grapes are harvested late, the wine ages ten months in French oak barriques and then another eight months in bottle.
Despite all that complexity, this is a red wine from Italy you can simply open on a weeknight with pasta or a stew. Just under fifteen euros, making it one of the best value-for-money wines in the Italian segment.
Guerriero Della Terra: the flagship
The Guerriero Della Terra is the family's most powerful red. A blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese, harvested late, aged for more than twelve months in French oak. Fifteen percent alcohol. This is not a wine for the sidelines. This is a wine to sit down for.
Deep purple with an almost black core. Ripe aromas of black fruit and blackberries, refined with balsamic and menthol notes. Full and silky on the palate, with velvety tannins and a finish that lingers. Serve it with game, rich meat dishes or aged cheeses.
The Guerriero Della Terra is also available in magnum (1.5L) and jeroboam (3L). In larger formats the wine ages more slowly and develops even more complexity. Perfect for a special occasion or as a gift for a wine lover.
The Guerriero Della Terra Vintage 2017 is the limited edition. Eight years of ageing, still very much alive, and by now nearly sold out. If you are looking for red wine from Italy with cellaring potential and can still find it: do not hesitate too long.
Rosé, bubbles and dessert wine: the surprises
Alongside the reds and whites, the Guerrieri family makes a number of remarkable bottles that complete the range.
Rosa dei Venti: rosé with backbone
The Rosa dei Venti is named after the compass rose, a nod to the position of the vineyards between mountains and sea. One hundred percent Sangiovese. Forget the sweet, watery rosés from the supermarket. This is an elegant, fresh rosé with aromas of strawberry, flowers and soft red fruit. Lively and drinkable, with a dry, refreshing finish. Lovely with grilled vegetables, salads or a generous antipasti board.
Guerrieri Spumante: sparkling wine with its own character
The family's two spumantes are the ideal opening to any meal or tasting. The Guerrieri Spumante is made from Bianchello and Chardonnay. Pale straw yellow, with citrus, white flowers and green apple. Fine mousse, dry, mineral.
The Guerrieri Spumante Rosé is based on Sangiovese. Salmon pink, with strawberry, raspberry and rose petals. Not prosecco, not franciacorta. Something of its own. These are the wines people always ask about first at tastings.
For those with a sweeter tooth: the Leo Moscato is a lightly sparkling Moscato with aromas of tropical fruit. Low in alcohol (5%), refreshingly sweet, perfect as an aperitif or with a light dessert.
Oro dei Guerrieri: liquid gold
The Oro dei Guerrieri deserves a mention of its own. A dessert wine made from late-harvested Verdicchio grapes that are dried on wooden tables after picking. The result is amber, almost golden in colour. Sweet, soft and enveloping, with great intensity and a finish that lingers long. Pour it after dinner with a piece of Parmigiano or foie gras. Or simply on its own, in small glasses. A bottle lasts a long time.
Buying Italian wine from an importer who knows the makers
You will find all the family's wines together on our Guerrieri page, alongside the full collection of Italian wines.
Why do so many of the Italian wines at NEVINI come from the same producer? Because the Guerrieri family makes exactly what fits the philosophy of a small-scale wine importer: wine with character, without pretence. Honest about origin. You can drink it without making a study of it, but it also rewards those who take a moment to taste consciously.
The relationship between importer and winemaker is essential here. It is not just about the wine in the bottle, but about the people behind it. How they think about their land, their grapes, their craft. With the Guerrieri family, that is in everything. In the way they tend their vineyards, how they time their harvest, how they patiently wait until a wine is ready for the market.
The Guerrieri family is no mass producer. They make limited quantities, and some wines, such as the Vintage editions, run to only a few hundred bottles. Once a vintage sells out, there is no new one until the harvest allows it.
Getting started with wines from Le Marche
Curious about Le Marche wine? The best introduction depends on what you are looking for.
For white wine from Italy:
- Start with the Guerriero Bianco for an approachable, versatile white
- Want more depth? Try the Biancanima or the Guerriero Del Mare
For red wine from Italy:
- The Guerriero Nero is the perfect starting point: juicy, complex, affordable
- For a special evening: the Guerriero Della Terra
For something different:
- The Rosa dei Venti if you like rosé that is more than a summer drink
- The Guerrieri Spumante or Guerrieri Spumante Rosé for festive moments
Buying Italian wine does not have to be complicated. It starts with a good glass, an honest producer and an importer who knows the story. The rest follows naturally.