Alcohol: 13.0 %
Grape(s): Pecorino
Location: Terre di Chieti IGT, Abruzzo, Italy
Tasting Notes: Bright straw yellow with green reflections. An expressive young Pecorino: white flowers, acacia, citrus zest, green pear and a distinctive almondy minerality on the nose. Medium-bodied and pleasantly weighty on the palate — a hallmark of the variety — wrapped in fresh, lively acidity with a light savory, saline undertow. The finish is clean and persistent, closing on citrus and a whisper of fresh herbs. Crisp and ready to drink now, it will hold its freshness for 2-3 years.
Notes: Vellodoro (“golden fleece”) is Umani Ronchi’s bottling of Pecorino, a native Abruzzo white that was nearly extinct by mid-century before its revival over the past few decades. The grape is low-yielding and small-berried, giving wines unusual texture and aroma for a crisp white. Fruit comes from hillside vineyards in the Terre di Chieti zone; fermentation and brief lees aging in stainless steel preserve its fresh, floral character. The 2025 vintage gave bright, vibrant whites.
Food Pairing: Excellent with seafood and shellfish, Adriatic brodetto, light pasta dishes, herb-roasted chicken, fresh goat cheese, or vegetable antipasti.
Winery Story: Umani Ronchi was founded in 1957 in Cupra Marittima on the Adriatic coast, and has grown into one of central Italy’s benchmark certified-organic estates — celebrated for its Verdicchio and Rosso Conero in the Marche and for characterful wines from its Abruzzo holdings, like this Vellodoro. Quality, terroir transparency and food-friendliness are the house signatures.
