FROM ASCOLI PICENO TO FERMO

The itinerary starts from Ascoli Piceno, one of the most fascinating cities of central Italy, and discovering affirmed denominations like Rosso Piceno Superiore and Falerio dei Colli Ascolani, goes down to Fermo, a few steps from the sea passing through small villages brimmed with history and culture as Castel di Lama, Acquaviva Picena, Ripatransone.
ASCOLI PICENO
Highway A14. Exit: Ascoli Piceno. Take the RA11 to the exit: direction Via Adriatico, which leads directly to the city.
Known as the "city of hundred towers" Ascoli Piceno with its architecture shows signs of a majestic past. It is a medieval city, characterized by the travertine warm tones and touched by Tronto and Castellano rivers. In the heart of the city we find some of the most beautiful Renaissance squares of the Marche, as Piazza del Popolo with its Palazzo dei Capitani and the Church of St. Francis.
Here every year in the first week of August takes place, the knightly tournament of Quintana, that sees the presence of 700 locals in traditional costume. In every corner of the city's Roman ruins such as the Augustan theater and bridge, churches, Renaissance palaces and noble towers recall the glories of the past. The Cathedral of St. Emidio, in Piazza Arringo strikes with its incomplete façade designed by Cola dell'Amatrice, the Town Hall houses an art gallery with important works by Tintoretto, and Carlo Crivelli. In the same square also seats the Archaeological Museum with Valley of the Tronto and the necropolis of Castel Trosino finds from the Neolithic to the Iron Age.
Winery to visit

Pantaleone

Loc. Frazione Colonnata Alta 118 63100 Ascoli Piceno - Tel: +39 0736 254 666, +39 347 87 57476 Email: pantalone@hotmail.it
CASTEL DI LAMA
The town of Castel di Lama takes its name from the Lama stream that crosses its territory together with the Tosa and the Chifene streams, overlooking the Tronto's valley. Despite the name, Castel di Lama was never a castle, intended as center of aggregation of the village, but a territory made up of isolated estates that were probably guarded by fortified places, including a castellum Lamae, cited in 1381, who gave then the name of the current residential settlement. Even today, scattered settlements, usually country villas, dot the entire area, cultivated with olive trees, vineyards and fruit trees, all crops existing since the Roman period.
The most important church is the parish church of St. Maria in Mignano, in the village Piattoni, founded in 1506 and center of the Renaissance town center, in addition to the Sanctuary of the Madonna degli Angeli, in the district Chiarini. The characteristic appearance of the area is given by the presence of many noble villas, perhaps rustic Roman villas' ancient heritage, mostly built during the eighteenth century. The largest one is Villa Seghetti-Panichi, former residence of Odoardi, one of the most illustrious families of Ascoli, which was probably assigned this territory to as a fief from the fourteenth century .. The villa is located in the same place, which is identified by some scholars as the original site of the castellum Lamae and it's surrounded by an ornamental garden, where in summer are held concerts open to the public.
Winery to visit

Azienda Agrivitivinicola Filippo Panichi

Via Scirola, 37 63031 Castel di Lama - Tel: +39 0736 815339 Fax: +39 0736 812096 Web: www.filippopanichi.it Email: info@filippopanichi.it
In recent years the company has provided a process of development and modernization, acquiring new advanced equipment, to ensure respect for the naturalness of the product. All stages of processing and manufacturing take place on site, under the direct supervision of highly qualified personnel. The result is a product that meets predetermined quality standards, also favored by the climate, which enjoys the Adriatic sea breeze and the Sibillini mountains fresh winds.
ACQUAVIVA PICENA
Leaving Castel di Lama and crossing Monsampolo del Tronto we reach Acquaviva Picena, a charming little medieval village  that preserves castle walls and towers, as the impressive fortress of the fifteenth century. From here you can enjoy an absolute beautiful panorama, with vineyards expances that give Rosso Piceno Superiore and White Falerio. The Sibillini Mountains complete the setting and are the background to some typical manifestations of the village: the Palio of the Duke in early August and the Festival Acquaviva in comics on the third week of July.
Wineries to visit:

Agrivitivinicola San Francesco

Via Fontemercato, 9 63030 Acquaviva Picena - Tel: +39 0735 764416 Fax: +39 0735 769210 Web: www.vinicherri.it Email: info@vinicherri.it
The Agrivitivinicola San Francesco from Cherri from three generations choose and select with love and passion different types of grapes for a careful wine production. The professionalism and tradition, demand a continuous monitoring work of all production stages, from collection to harvest. It is under the control of Association Suolo e Salute (Soil and Health).

Terre Cortesi Moncaro

Via Boreale, 37 63036 Acquaviva Picena - Tel: +39 0731 89245 Fax: +39 0731 89237 Web: www.moncaro.com Email: terrecortesi@moncaro.com
It consists of three production centers respectively in Montecarotto, one of the most beautiful castles in Vallesina; in Camerano, on the slopes of Mount Conero, and in Acquaviva in the Piceno land. The vineyard has 844 hectares in the Verdicchio area, 178 hectares in the Conero area and 634 hectares in the Piceno area. 94% of the surface is for the production of DOC and IGT wines. The company's philosophy, which has always inspired reliability and consistency in the work, expresses the tendency to produce high quality, enriched by an important organic production, which indulge the taste of each consumer.
RIPATRANSONE
From Acquaviva Picena along a road characterized by a very pleasant landscape we reach Ripatransone, a town that boasts the nickname "the Belvedere del Piceno". Ripatransone boasts an incoparable view from the Gran Sasso to Monti Sibillini from the Conero to the Gransasso until the Dalmatian coast. Inhabited since prehistoric times, was an important center of Picena civility (IX-III century BC) with its inaccessible position. In later periods its importance grew up to be elevated to an episcopal city in 1571. One of its main features is the rich historical and artistic heritage, recognized and felt by its citizens to whom we owe the foundation of the Civic Museum since 1877.
Today Ripatransone has several museums and collections included within a single museum complex which belong its museums, the historical archive, the rich library, the Civic Archaeological Museum, Palazzo Bonomi collections as the Art Gallery (works by Crivelli , Fazzini, etc..), the gipsothèque Uno Gera, the Renaissance Museum and the ethnographic museum with world curiosity. The center is medieval in its urban settlement, with Renaissance and Baroque buildings even if eighteenth and late nineteenth century noble palaces, especially visible along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, a major axis that crosses the city from south to north. Of the ancient walls (fifteenth-sixteenth century) remain the Tower with Monte Antico Gate (fifteenth-sixteenth century), a second tower with Ghibellines merlons so restored in 1958, San Domenico Gate, Cuprense Gateand and the Tower with the Gate called Donna Bianca (White Woman).
Wineries to visit

Le Caniette

Contrada Canali, 23 63038 Ripatransone - Tel: +39 0735 9200 Fax: +39 0735 91028 Web: www.lecaniette.it Email: info@lecaniette.it
"The Caniette" which means "young reed" is the name of an are of Ripatransone territory, "Città del Vino", land of DOC Rosso Piceno, Falerio dei Colli Ascolani and Offida. A land particularly well exposed to the sun and just reached by the sea breeze, suited to producing an intense personality wine because of the convergence of many favorable elements. "The Caniette" is also the name of our company, whose family has been cultivating here the vine for about four centuries following the tradition and loving good drinking! Then with the entry in the company of Giovanni and Luigi, sons of Raffaele, the technology has joined the tradition, enhancing it.


Tenuta Cocci Grifoni

Contrada Messieri, 12 63038 Ripatransone - Tel: +39 0735 90143 Fax: +39 0735 90123 Web: www.tenutacoccigrifoni.it Email: enopaola@tenutacoccigrifoni.it
Company founded in 1970, now owns about 80 hectares, 50 of which are under vine with a commitment of 10 hectares of new plants. A toast to the territory that efforts towards the recovery and the development of native vines among which excel Pecorino and Passerina.
FERMO
On top of Sabulo mountain, rises the ancient city of Fermo, a Roman colony, dominated by the imposing Cathedral, whose square offers a beautiful view. The territory is a happy synthesis of sea and hills, ranging from the wide beaches of Lido di Fermo, Casabianca and Marina Palmense, to the charming center of Torre di Palme, perched on a spur overlooking the sea, in a panoramic position on the Adriatic is situated Capodarco, too. On this wide territory stands out from the top of the hill, the city of Fermo, which preserves many valuable evidences of its history.
Piazza del Popolo was the center of the town already in Roman times, and houses sixteenth century palaces such as Palazzo dei Priori (with inside the Art Museum, the Hall of the Globe and archaeological exhibition), the porch of San Rocco and Palazzo degli Studi. The imposing Romanesque - Gothic Cathedral is located in the scenic square of Girifalco, which corresponds to the acropolis of the Piceni people.
Fermo is a very much alive center on a cultural level, thanks to the intense activity of the Aquila Theatre and the many events that occur during the year: the typical carnival, the months of July and August events with GustaFermo, and the typical Cavalcade and Palio dell'Assunta around mid August.
Wineries to visit:

Madonnabruna

Contrada Camere 110 63023 Fermo - Tel: +39 0734 679500 Fax: +39 0734 678746 Web: www.madonnabruna.it Email: azienda@madonnabruna.it
Surrounded by the rolling hills of Marche which border the ancient city of Fermo, the farm takes its name Madonnabruna from the memorial newsstand at the entrance of the Company. The company covers about 50 hectares of vineyard, orchard and arable crops. Madonnabruna wines are typical of the Piceno traditions and thus based on the skilful processing of the two most important grapes, Montepulciano and Sangiovese. Producing great quality wines, but related to the area, is the basis of our work.