August 2000
Financial Times, By Jancis Robinson - Umani Ronchi
"Which reds to put into your cellar now: Italy has long modeled its reds for the longer term and even something as inexpensive as Rosso Conero from the Adriatic Coast should be a more interesting drink after a year or two in the bottle. Umani Ronchi has consistently sold a fine version under its San Lorenzo label. The 1997 is deliciously silky now. Serrano's 1999 Rosso Conero still has quite a bite at the end and would repay a year or two in the bottle".
101 Great Red Wines of Italy, by Burton Anderson - Umani Ronchi
"With its first vintage, 1994, Pelago triumphed at the International Wine Challenge of London over 6750 competitors from 37 countries. In Italy this news was received with some suspicion, rather than with celebration. The skeptics wondered how Umani Ronchi, the big winery mainly known for its Verdicchio, could achieve that miracle with a red wine. Maybe they forgot that Rosso Conero Cumaro received the same honor in 1998?...There were no tricks behind the sudden success, although some kind of witchcraft came from the consultant Giacomo Tachis, creator of Sassicaia, Tignanello, and other famous wines based on cabernet...Montepulciano is a native grape, but Cabernet and Merlot develop a special character and, according to Massimo Bernetti, the President, Pelago will have a brighter future with the aging of the vines."
101 Great White Wines of Italy, by Burton Anderson - Verdicchio
"As I have been a faithful follower of Verdicchio for a long time, I have been very pleased to see that more and more experts consider it as an elitist variety among the white wines - and not only the Italian wines. Even when Verdicchio was sold in the kitschy amphora-shaped bottle, the quality level was higher than other popular white wines, and this was due in my opinion to the virtues of the Verdicchio grape. In the last twenty years Verdicchio has found its place among the excellent whites, with wines from a dozen admirable growers. Umani Ronchi produces two Verdicchios from single vineyards: 'Casal di Serra' and 'Villa Bianchi', and the Riserva 'Plenio'. Thanks to the collaboration of Giacomo Tachis, the oak support in 'Plenio' is magisterial. But for a lunch based on fish from the Adriatic, I prefer 'Casal di Serra', whose fresh and fruity sensations match the pure pleasure of Verdicchio."
