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January 2003


2002 Harvest News - Umani Ronchi

Weather
The weather in 2002 was characterized by a cold winter and a mild and fairly dry spring. The beginning of summer was also dry and very warm. This allowed the grapes to grow particularly healthy, promising to be a fantastic vintage. Unfortunately, from the second week of August, the weather changed. The rain started and lasted, on and off, until the middle of September. Thankfully the weather changed from then on, blessing us with a warm sun and very dry weeks, which allowed us to pick Verdicchio grapes with high alcohol content. The same goes for the red grapes. The alcohol is fairly high and the wines, especially the late ripening Montepulciano, have a superb structure.

Quality
The Verdicchio quality is very diverse depending on the selection and on the methods used in the vineyard. The quality scores go from 7 to 9. The reds are more uniform with a score of 7 with exception of the Montepulciano, which scored as high as 9 in some of our vineyards.

Quantity
The harvest was rather poor in quantity, with losses ranging from 10% to 15% in the Marche region. In our case we selected very hard, so much so that we reached a loss of 40% for the high quality produce.

Contratto's Grandi Tavole del Mondo Program for 2003

The owners of the Contratto estate, Carol and Antonella Bocchino, announced their much anticipated "Grandi Tavole del Mondo" program for 2003. Falchini birth announcement Elie and Michael Falchini became parents for the first time with the birth of their son, Gabriele. Buona Fortuna, Elie & Michael.



Umani Ronchi's new venture in Abruzzo!

After the beautiful and breathtaking ageing cellars inaugurated last year, the 2002 has brought more news in the Umani Ronchi household: two sought after properties in strategic areas for Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Verdicchio grapes.

Only in the last few days we have required 30 hectares (74 acres) in the 'Colline Teramane' area, this is a sub-zone of the DOC Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, which, from this harvest, will be awarded the prestigious appellation DOCG.

The new Umani Ronchi's vineyards are on some of the most beautiful hills in the area of Roseto degli Abruzzi. This is an historic area from where the first Montepulciano d'Abruzzo was exported.

The vineyards are planted only with Montepulciano using the double guyot system and with a density of 4000 to 5000 plants per hectares (1600 to 2000 vines per acres). More vineyards will be planted next year, and the vinification will be moved to the "fattoria" overlooking the vineyards, which currently holds the ageing cellar.

This is a strategically important acquisition allowing Umani Ronchi to produce and age a DOCG wine, in one of the best areas, having full control of the production from the vineyard to the bottling.

For many years we had a joint venture with two producers in the Abruzzo, who followed very stringent guidelines in the production of our Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Now, in addition to this joint venture, we will be able to produce our own wines, in a region of great enological potential, aiming for the highest quality.

Amongst the wines that we intend to produce, together with the famous Jorio, there will be a Riserva of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, aged in barrique, and a Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.

To add to the ones already owned in the area, the Bernetti family has acquired a new presetigious "cru" in the DOC area of the Verdicchio Classico; 8.5 hectares (21 acres) of vineyards in the Cupramontana, right at the top of the hill, which will be used to produce a brand new Verdicchio Classico.

With the new acquisitions the total vineyard area of the property reaches 200 hectares (500 acres), divided as follows: 110 hectares (270 acres) in the Verdicchio Clssico, 60 hectares (150 acres) in the Rosso Conero and 30 hectares (80 acres) in the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.