A few years have passed since I first discovered a new, unique flavour! I was among the stands at a wine-tasting event in Asti and, among the many producers, many of whom I already knew, I caught sight of a very particular bottle with a label, never seen before, that was equally striking. Depicted prominently in vivid colours was the profile of a rooster! I immediately went over to find out what it was. The smile and warmth of Emanuela, the producer, convinced me to taste what turned out to be a new and unexpected sensory experience for me. It wasn't a passito wine, nor a fortified wine, but a typical product of the Marche tradition, the "Vino Cotto Stravecchio Marca Occhio di Gallo" from Loro Piceno. So I accepted Emanuela's invitation to visit them in their small town in the hills of the Marche inland, a region we often visit in summer and one I love dearly for the beauty of its sea and the shape of its landscape, made up of gentle, winding hills, cultivated mainly with sunflowers, vines and olive trees, framing the roads that wind up and down between one village and the next, all inhabited by genuine, warm and welcoming people. In August I arrive in Loro Piceno, a charming village between the provinces of Macerata and Ascoli Piceno, at an altitude of about 400 metres. Some houses still bear visible signs of the earthquake that struck these areas a few years ago, but the warmth of its people remains intact. My visit begins in the vineyard of the Tiberi family, just over two hectares, where the five grape varieties that form the base of this extraordinary product are grown naturally and sustainably: Verdicchio, Malvasia, Montepulciano, Trebbiano and Sangiovese. So these are white and red grape varieties, skilfully blended. The strictly hand-picked harvest of the best bunches and the production in the cellar involve the whole family, who, despite the hard work, dedicate themselves to their craft always with great enthusiasm and a smile! For an always excellent result, year after year. After the harvest we move to the cellar, where the bunches arrive in small crates and go on to pressing, where only the strength of human arms operates the heavy traditional press. From this comes a rich, fragrant must which is left to "simmer" very slowly in a large cauldron over a fire fuelled solely by oak wood, which, as Emanuela explained to me, is a type of wood that produces little flame, ideal for this stage of production. This process helps to concentrate the must, reducing its volume by up to a third and allowing the sugars in the grapes to caramelise. Only after many hours and much patience, stirring it from time to time, is it left to cool, and the following day it is transferred into small oak barrels, where it will slowly begin to ferment spontaneously for a long time, even a year! Once fermentation is complete, it will rest for many more years before being bottled. On that day I had the privilege of tasting the oldest vintage, the vino cotto made by the grandparents, drawn directly from the small barrel, vintage 1964! Why "occhio di gallo" (rooster's eye)? Because the elders who produced this nectar used to say that, to be good, Vino Cotto had to have the colour of a rooster's eye! It is a typical wine known since the times of the ancient Romans, when it was a staple at the banquets of patricians and emperors, and was even mentioned by Pliny the Elder. Later it was appreciated by popes, kings and princes. Today it is enjoyed at family celebrations, on the most important occasions and at banquets to accompany traditional sweets, but it is also used in cooking to flavour meats or to prepare the sauce for "vincisgrassi", a typical dish from the Marche. It is a very special wine, beloved by the people of the Marche (and beyond), so much so that every year in August the whole town of Loro Piceno organises a festival in its honour that lasts several days, during which people drink and celebrate late into the night! It pairs beautifully with fresh pastries made with cream, as well as with dry pastries. Drunk warm, it is also an excellent and soothing remedy for coughs. Its perfect pairing is undoubtedly with extra-dark chocolate, and for those with even more particular tastes, with a fine aged cigar. This surely makes it one of the best meditation wines I have ever tasted!