Thursday 2 December 2010

Le Marche and Rome

The dog-eat-dog cut and thrust of the Combo empire-building programme continues apace and necessitated a trip to Urbino in Le Marche and then The Eternal City. Urbino is a predictably exquisite hilltop town near the Adriatic coast, virtually untouched since Dante sharpened his quill.
How about this for a bar?
And then I snuck in here for a couple.
The local white wine is called Verdicchio and there are two sub-classifications, Castelli dei Jesi and Matelica which are effectively two different regions. Expressing an interest in the difference between the wines, the charming owner gave me an unexpected BOGOF so I got four glasses for the price of two. Plus stuffing my face with all the usual delicious aperitivi that crowded the bar counter. I spent €6. Imagine an Italian going into a pub in, say, Godalming and asking about the difference between London Pride. and Taylor's Landlord. Two free pints? Your 'avin a larf, intcher? (I'm sure they don't speak like that in Godalming by the way.)

Then it was on to Rome the next day. Business finished I spent ten minutes rubbernecking outside the Italian parliament waiting for that week's government to collapse. There was this police car outside. Neat or what? Note the completely superfluous two blue lights on the roof.

7 comments:

Vinogirl said...

I think I may have to investigate Verdicchio for myself...which of the two did you prefer?
Any more Roma photos?

Affer said...

If it only had one blue light, it would be unbalanced - and fall over.

Bit like if you only had one.....

Thud said...

At one time I considered buying in Marche and it still seems a good idea if I look at shabby old England.

Wartime Housewife said...

Great article.
I shall be on the next plane.

Toby Savage said...

Timmy Taylor's is £3 a pint on Queens Rd (New Blog update) I'd happily pay double.

Peter Ashley said...

Great pics Ronbo.

Ron Combo said...

VG: not that a difficult call as my taste in wine is pretty basic. Matelica is the more serious wine, the growing area being much smaller and yields are kept low. It has higher minerality. Castelli dei Jesi is lighter, more floral and is a good glugger - so that's the one for me!
Thud: Le Marche is extremely pleasant and will be my bolt hole of choice once the game is up here.
WH: I'll be slumped in the corner of the bar at Genoa Airport.