Romanelli: A Family’s Organic Legacy in the Heart of Umbria
Located in the rolling hills of Montefalco, the Romanelli winery is a living testament to the harmony between land, family, and tradition. Founded in 1978 by brothers Amedeo and Costantino Romanelli, the estate has grown into a 30-hectare haven of vineyards and olive groves, all cultivated with an unwavering commitment to organic farming.
Today, three generations tend these lands, with Devis and Fabio leading the way, crafting wines that speak of Umbrian soil, sun, and centuries-old heritage.
A Journey Through Time: Roots in Montefalco’s Terroir
The Romanelli story begins in the late 1970s, but its spirit reaches back much further to the Etruscan era, when the hills of Montefalco were already famed for their fertility.
From the start, the family embraced a sustainable, closed-loop approach to farming: nurturing 8 hectares of vineyards and 12 hectares of ancient olive groves side by side, each enriching the other.
The heart of their winemaking lies in the local grapes, Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Grechetto, and Trebbiano Spoletino, cultivated in distinct vineyard parcels, each with its own microclimate and soil. This patchwork of terroirs yields wines that are layered, elegant, and unmistakably of their place.
Their philosophy is simple yet profound: each wine should be born from a single cru, allowing the unique expression of each site to shine without blending away its identity.
The Winemakers: Devis and Fabio Romanelli
Brothers Devis and Fabio embody the next chapter of the Romanelli legacy, combining inherited wisdom with an openness to new ideas.
Devis, in particular, has become known for reviving “vino maritato” - the ancient practice of training vines on living trees. In their Le Tese vineyard, Trebbiano Spoletino vines climb six-meter-tall maple trees, creating a living tapestry that produces one of their most distinctive wines.
Le Tese is an aromatic and textured white, fermented with long skin contact and aged patiently to bring out notes of citrus, exotic fruit, and honey, a nod to the golden hue of the wine and the sweetness of its aromas.
This method not only preserves biodiversity but also reflects the region’s agricultural past, when mixed cultivation was essential for survival.
Beyond wine, Romanelli is equally renowned for its award-winning organic extra virgin olive oil. Harvested by hand and cold-pressed within hours, it captures the freshness and intensity of Umbria’s olive heritage.
Marco’s personal notes
Our visit to Romanelli turned into a four-hour conversation, those situations where you feel immediately that there is a connection. The kind where time slips away, and you leave feeling less like visitors and more like family. Together with Devis and Debora, Ambassador of Romanelli, we spoke about challenges and traditions, explored vineyards where history breathes through every vine the richness, tasted the soul of this unique land in their wines and olive oil.
Devis explained how the maple trees in the Le Tese vineyard through the “married vine” system connects past and present, and how it mirrors their holistic approach to farming. We tasted Trebbiano Spoletino that glowed like amber and carried honeyed aromas, and Montefalco Sagrantino that spoke of strength and elegance in equal measure.
Romanelli’s philosophy, crafting wines accurately from the same cru, preserving biodiversity, and farming organically not as a marketing choice but as a way of life, resonates deeply with us at Porcalorca. It is the perfect embodiment of “Where every bottle tells a story.”