Vellodoro Terre di Chieti Pecorino IGT Umani Ronchi, Abruzzo, Italy

Producer

The Umani Ronchi story began in 1957 when Gino Umani Ronchi established a small farm in the heart of the Verdicchio Classico region. It was just a few years later that the Bianchi-Bernetti family purchased the farm and although they retained the original name, they have certainly put their own indelible stamp on it. With 210 hectares under vine in Castelli di Jesi, Conero and Abruzzo, and a dedicated winemaking facility in each of these regions, they have achieved scale whilst still retaining an unwavering focus on typicity and quality. The result is a range of wines which highlights both the versatility and the quality potential of the Marche’s and Abruzzo’s native grape varieties.

The name of Pecorino grape variety, also known as “grape of the sheep”, derives from the strong connection between sheep farming and agriculture, and the presence of this grape variety in the areas of shepherds’ transhumance. In the past this grape variety, thanks to its high aromas concentration, its good alcohol content, and even more thanks to its wonderful acidity which is the most distinctive characteristic of Pecorino, was used to improve the quality of wines produced with other varieties. Pecorino growing had almost disappeared because of its very low productivity, and varieties which were quality wise of a lower level, but which had a higher productivity, had been preferred to Pecorino. Umani Ronchi’s Pecorino Project started in 2005 and represents the new Umani Ronchi front in its discovery and exploitation of Adriatic native varieties, as well as a strengthening of their position in Abruzzi region.