At the end of the 18th century, Europe was entering a period of massive upheaval. In the vortex of revolution, the army of France's Napoleon seized power, crossed the Alps, and advanced into Italy, rapidly expanding its influence from the north to the center.
It was in the late 18th century when the French army passed through the Marche region in central Italy. It is said that the sight of vineyards filled with golden hues stopped the feet of soldiers hurrying their advance. Soldiers who tasted the wine made from these grapes are said to have enjoyed it, calling it "wine that shines like gold." The wine became more widely known after the French army took it away in bottles. It was a wine made from a native Marche variety now known as Verdicchio.
Verdicchio takes its name from the Italian word verde, meaning green. It is a variety with crisp acidity and minerality, and a white-wine grape that represents the Marche region of central Italy.
But at one time, Verdicchio was not regarded as a premium wine. In particular, during the 1960s to 1980s, it was sold in amphora-shaped bottles modeled after ancient Roman jars and became widely known as a popular table wine for tourists.
That perception began to change after the 1970s. As some producers reduced grape yields and shifted to a winemaking style that emphasized the character of individual vineyards, Verdicchio began to show that it was not a simple daily wine but a white with structure and aging potential.
One of the producers at the center of this change is Umani Ronchi. Founded in 1957, the winery is a flagship producer of the Marche region. It has produced wines focused on Verdicchio and Montepulciano. It is now run jointly by founder Massimo Bernetti and his son, Michele Bernetti.
Umani Ronchi is also a member of Grandi Marchi, an association that includes only 18 prestigious wineries across Italy. The association includes leading Italian wineries such as Antinori and Gaja. Grandi Marchi describes Umani Ronchi as a producer that "seeks out the best soils, experiments with cutting-edge winemaking techniques, and maximizes the sensory characteristics of wine based on a rich viticultural heritage."
Umani Ronchi currently owns about 210 hectares of vineyards across three areas: Castelli di Jesi, Conero, and Abruzzo. All vineyards are farmed organically, and the winery produces about 2.9 million bottles of wine annually. It offers more than 20 different wines and exports to over 60 countries. About 70% of total production is sold in overseas markets.
Umani Ronchi is credited with playing a key role in elevating Verdicchio's quality to a global level. Its representative wine is Casal di Serra. Casal di Serra means "farmhouse on the Serra hill." It is regarded as a wine that, unusually for a white in the late 1980s, adopted the single-vineyard concept. Using only grapes harvested from a specific plot and emphasizing the variety's innate concentration, it achieved a style with relatively long aging potential despite being a white wine.
The vineyard for this wine lies on hills at about 200–350 meters above sea level. Grapes are grown in calcareous and clay soils. The vines are generally 8–30 years old, and harvesting is done by hand between late September and early October, considering the balance of sugar and acidity.
The harvested grapes are gently pressed and then fermented in stainless steel tanks at about 16–18 degrees. The wine is then aged on the lees for about five months to add texture and complexity. Malolactic fermentation is generally not carried out, maintaining a fresh acidity.
Casal di Serra is made from 100% Verdicchio. On the nose, it offers intense aromas of wildflowers and yellow-fleshed fruits such as peach, apricot, and apple. On the palate, freshness and savoriness are in proper harmony. It pairs well with fish cooked in the oven or on the grill, roasted white meats, and fresh cheeses.
Umani Ronchi was selected as the "Winery of the Year 2024" by the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso. In addition, the Casal di Serra 2022 vintage made the "Top 100 Wines of 2024" list released by Wine Spectator. The wine also won the grand prize in the Old World white wine institutional sector at the 2025 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards in Korea. The importer in Korea is Les Vins.