Umani Ronchi

Marche and Abruzzo

This pioneering family-owned producer has long been focused on elegant, premium wines made in a sustainable way

Imported by Berkmann Wine Cellars

Umani Ronchi got its start in the late 1950s, when Gino Umani Ronchi brought to life a small farm in Cupramontana; Verdicchio Classico wine country.

A few years later the producer was taken over by the Bianchi-Bernetti family, who acquired the brand and estate, bringing new entrepreneurial life to the venture. The property was reconstituted as a winegrowing estate in 1968.

Massimo Bernetti oversaw the winery, focusing on expanding exports (in Germany and the UK in particular) and increasing production. The area under vine would gradually extend to over 200 hectares between Le Marche and Abruzzo.

In the early 1990s, Bernetti was joined by his son Michele, who’d recently graduated in economics and business. Umani Ronchi began to invest in new techniques in the winery and the vineyard, incuding collaborations with major universities.

The company’s approach to winemaking has evolved in the pursuit of higher quality wines. The emphasis is now on lowintervention winemaking and maximum elegance. It’s summed up in the company motto: “Great wines but not big wines”

For example, the frequency of pumping over during maceration of red wines has been greatly reduced. In white wines, alcohol levels have been reduced to enhance freshness and finesse.

Verdicchio is recognised worldwide as one of the most important indigenous Italian grapes; press, opinion leaders and traders consider it the iconic white wine from Italy because of its complexity, richness, elegance and ability to be vinified in different styles.

This white wine is characterised by aromas of broom, citrus fruits and aromatic herbs. Sapid and fresh, it reveals a trademark hint of almond on the finish.

The indigenous grape grows in Le Marche, where it manages to develop its distinctive features thanks to a unique climate and environment. Verdicchio is known for its ability to age particularly well over time, often for more than 10 years, acquiring considerable complexity.

Montepulciano can be found across the east of Italy. Umani Ronchi cultivates this unique grape in Marche and Abruzzo. The wine offers up hints of spices, small berries and balsamic nuances. In the mouth it stands out for its persistent tannins and excellent length.

Umani Ronchi prides itself on its strong ethical approach, and deep respect for the environment and its biodiversity. Precision viticulture and the use of organic fertilisers are the norm. Organic agricultural practices have been applied since 2000 in Abruzzo, since 2013 in the Verdicchio hills and since 2016 in Conero.

It also takes a sustainable approach to its choice of materials: low-impact packaging and light glass bottles reduce CO2 emissions, while synthetic corks (produced from sugar cane) are 100% recyclable.

Photovoltaic energy covers about half of the winery’s annual needs, and cellar water is recycled for irrigation. All these commitments have been recognised with Equalitas Corporate Certification.

Casal di Serra Verdicchio

Castelli di Jesi Classico

Superiore 2021 RRP £19.99

Made with the best grapes of the Montecarotto vineyard, and enriched with fruit from three other plots. Contact with yeasts during fermentation and in the ageing process gives richness and personality, without altering its fine balance and special elegance.

Montipagano Montepulciano

2022 RRP £14.99

The vines are planted on stony soil with a perfect balance between sand and clay, with a south west exposure about 200 metres above sea level. The wine has an intense aroma of fresh red fruit and strawberries. On the palate, a medium bodied wine, with an intensely fruity, lingering finish.

Pecorino Vellodoro 2022

RRP £17.99

From the Degli Abruzzi estate that overlooks the Grand Sasso mountain. The wine spends four months in stainless steel on its lees. Intense aromas of fruit and flowers with intense mineral notes. On the palate, there is good structure and a pleasant freshness, with ripe fruit and sapid hints.