Umani Ronchi Podere Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2023 (Italy) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a delicious, organic, and unoaked Montepulciano from Abruzzo that made its debut at the LCBO in last month's November 22nd LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Umani Ronchi, a leading wine producer that was founded by Gino Umani Ronchi within the comune of Cupramontana, in the heart of the Verdicchio Classico production zone of Marche. A few years later, he formed a partnership with the Bianchi family, with Roberto Bianchi and his son-in-law, Massimo Bernetti, eventually taking over the company in 1968. In 1990, Michele Bernetti, son of Massimo, joined the company as General Sales Manager.

In 2001, Umani Ronchi purchased 30 hectares of organic vineyards in Abruzzo, which signalled the beginning of a new venture. Today, the Bianchi-Bernetti families own and manage over 210 hectares of vineyards across Marche and Abruzzo, all of which are organically farmed and nestled between the hills and the sea along the Adriatic coast from Serra de' Conti in Marche in the north to Roseto degli Abruzzi in the south. Their philosophy is based on sustainability and green viticulture, with a strong ethical approach and deep respect for the environment and its biodiversity. Their guiding principles are manifested through precision viticulture, vineyard management, and the use of organic fertilizers. They also use low-impact packaging, lightweight glass bottles, and photovoltaic energy, which covers about half of the winery's annual needs. Umani Ronchi is deeply committed and recognized for its ecological and sustainable values.

This particular wine is from Umani Ronchi's Abruzzo range of wines, which are grown in a unique, alluvial soil whose top layer features sandy-clay loam that allows the vines through the gravel below, giving rise to wines of superb minerality. Moreover, the presence of the nearby Gran Sasso mountain and the winds off the Adriatic Sea allow for notable diurnal temperatures, which helps the grapes develop their aromatic qualities.

Crafted with 100% Montepulciano grapes, this red wine is named "Podere", or Farm. The grapes were obtained from vineyard farms predominantly located in the provinces of Chieti and Teramo. The vines were trained using the tendone system, which is the most widespread vine training system in Abruzzo and known for being fairly productive. When the tendone system is used with the correct balance, it can yield grapes of excellent quality. The grapes for this wine were hand-harvested from the end of September through the first ten days of October. Upon arriving at the winery, the grapes are macerated for up to 10 days in steel fermenting vats, followed by alcoholic and then malolactic fermentation. The wine was matured in steel for about 4 months, then rested for a short period in bottle prior to release.

The 2023 vintage in Abruzzo was marked by two important events - one positive and one negative. The positive is that wines from the 2023 vintage onward allow for the mention of subzones, along with stricter production rules, in order to achieve recognition and form a stronger bond between grape variety and territory. On the downside, the crop from the 2023 growing season was devastated by downy mildew. Being an organic wine producer, Umani Ronchi was able to fend off some of the fungus, which resulted in a production loss of 25% less than the historical average. After a challenging first part of the vintage, climatic conditions were ideal from August to October, which allowed the Montepulciano grapes to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness. While quantities were low, quality was generally excellent.

Umani Ronchi's version of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines are intended to be an interpretation of the vine which exalts the varietal characteristics and freshness, and combines these qualities with just the right amount of charm and softness to create a pleasant and drinkable wine that complements many different kinds of dishes. Let's see how this 2023 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

UMANI RONCHI PODERE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2023 - DOC, Italy (#46567) (XD) - $17.95
Enclosed by screw cap, this organic and unoaked Montepulciano has an open, medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that offers perfumed aromas of rustic wild berries, black cherry, currant, and dried herbal spice characters nuanced with touches of bramble, licorice, and floral notes. The ripe, medium+ bodied palate is dry with delicious black cherry, wild berry, currant, dried herbal spice, and licorice flavours framed by crisp and juicy acidity. The medium-firm, fine-grained tannins are well-structured. The black cherry notes taper to savoury, earthy, and mineral notes on the juicy, very long, and slightly tannic finish. Should continue to drink well over the next 3-4 years and is a recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Small quantities of other fine wines by Umani Ronchi are available at the LCBO, while the full range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.