Pale gold-green tint color; yellow apple, peach, apricot, nectarine, stone fruits, lilt of lemon, hint of honey, almond, wild flowers, saline-minerality on the nose and palate.
Dry; minimal tannins; fresh acidity. Medium body. Developing nicely, could age for several more years. Grapes hand-harvested on the hillside vineyard, primarily the Montecarotto vineyard supplemented by grapes from three other plots. Vines are 8-30 years old. Grapes destemmed and lightly pressed. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for 10-15 days using native yeasts. No malolactic conversion to preserve fruitiness. Aged five months in steel on fine lees, then rests in bottle for several months prior to release. 13% ABV
Verdicchio is a white grape wine indigenous to the Marche region of central Italy. There are documented references to the grape dating from the 14th century. Its name comes from Italian “verde”—“green”—and references the slightly greenish color of its berries and wine made from the grapes. Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, where this wine comes from, is the larger and most widely recognized of the two Marche appellations. Verdicchio di Matelica is the other.
The Marche lies between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains. It has a dual maritime-Alpine climate with warm, breezy summers and cool nights. The diurnal shift fosters acidity, a hallmark of quality verdicchio wines. Most verdicchio wines are made for early drinking—1-3 years—but classico superiore (this wine) riserva bottlings can age up to 10 years, developing honey and nutty nuances while remaining lively. At three-plus years, this effort is beginning to reveal those attributes.
Umani Ronchi got its start in Cupramontana, in the heart of the Verdicchio Classico production zone more than 60 years ago, then expanded to other areas on the Adriatic coast. The website notes: “It was Gino Umani Ronchi who wrote its first chapters. He did so by bringing to life a small farm in Le Marche. Then came along Roberto Bianchi, a building contractor from Ancona with a deep passion for agriculture, and his son-in-law Massimo Bernetti, a recent political science graduate with his sights set on a career in diplomacy.”
In 1968, Roberto Bianchi and his son-in-law Massimo Bernetti acquired the brand and winery. In 1973, Massimo Bernetti expanded sales abroad, increased production, and increased areas under vines, expanding in the region from Le Marche to Abruzzo. Massimo’s son, Michele, joined the winery as the general sales manager in 1990. The father-son team enhanced the winery’s international reputation through awards. In 2015, they completed the conversion of all their vineyards to organic farming.
Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC 2022 delivers big aromatics, vivid fruitiness, saline-minerality, excellent texture. Balanced, delicious, pretty much checks all the white wine boxes on a scorecard. The sea-salty finish is particularly entertaining. If you enjoy a substantial white, this is a bottle for you to find. Excellent QPR to boot. $18-25
Pairing—Seafood is classic; shellfish, calamari, clams, mussels, shrimp; grilled and baked fish, baked oysters, scallops; seafood pasta dishes, spaghetti with mussels. Grilled chicken, roasted white meats. Non-tomato pasta dishes; vegetarian fare, including artichokes. Cheese—Very verastile; fresh mozzarella, ricotta, burrata, stracciatella; pecorino and other sheep’s milk cheeses; parmigiano-reggiano, young asiago; fresh goat cheeses, tronchetto al capra; cheese fondues.
