The owner of the Santa Barbara winery, Stefano Antonucci, abandoned his brilliant career as a banker to pursue his dream of producing wines in the peaceful mountains of the Marche. The vineyards of his estate are enclosed within the DOC appellation Verdicchio di Castelli di Jesi. The estate’s wines are produced from native grape varietals, including Verdicchio, Montepulciano, Moscato Bianco and Rosso, but also from international varietals such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and Chardonnay.
Stefano Antonucci became aware of the fact that some less well-known varietals, such as Verdicchio, could generate wines which were as high-quality as wines produced from other popular varietals, but only if they were trusted in the hands of skilled people. As native varietals were merely receiving any recognition, Stefano Antonucci, due to his patience and perseverance, was able to produce elegant wines from these local varietals for which he won prestigious honorary mentions (Gambero Rosso 3 « Bicchieri » for his Verdicchio Le Vaglie).
Now, the members of the Santa Barbara winery know how to release the full potential in their local varietals and attain the high-quality standards they have for their wines.
The Santa Barbara Winery is considered to be one of the best wineries of Le Marche for many years, and its wines have received countless prizes and medals. Santa Barbara has demonstrated that the region of Le Marche possesses the potential to produce wines, from native as well as international varietals, of rare quality and extreme finesse.