Storia
Origins
Ampelio Bucci, a native of Montecarotto in the Marche, created Villa Bucci around a project devoted to Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. His vision connected winegrowing with the land, the people working it and the Bucci family's agricultural roots.
1983: the winery takes shape
Villa Bucci took shape in 1983 at Ostra Vetere, in the Marche hinterland near Senigallia and a few kilometres from the Adriatic Sea. The estate worked with the area's native varieties: Verdicchio, Sangiovese and Montepulciano.
Over time, a longstanding group of collaborators became responsible for caring for the vineyards on the hills of Serra de’ Conti, Montecarotto and Ostra Vetere. In the cellar, large, exhausted Slavonian-oak vessels became a defining element of the estate's production. Reused from vintage to vintage, they permit natural micro-oxygenation without imposing the character of new wood.
Continuity and a new direction
Ampelio Bucci remained the historic proprietor and guiding figure behind his creation before entrusting its leadership to Federico Veronesi. The transition retained the established team that had worked alongside Ampelio, preserving both accumulated experience and continuity of style.
Since July 2024, Federico Veronesi has led Villa Bucci. His approach is described as conservative: the estate's evolution is intended to continue without altering the relationship between wine and nature established under Ampelio Bucci. The presence of several generations among the people contributing to the estate is presented as particularly consonant with the values of the Veronesi family.
Terroir
Villa Bucci is based at Ostra Vetere in the Marche hinterland, close to Senigallia and only a few kilometres from the Adriatic Sea. Its vineyards extend across hills in three localities: Serra de’ Conti, Montecarotto and Ostra Vetere.
The vineyard soils are calcareous and clay-rich. These soils underpin the complexity, elegance and mineral character sought in the estate's wines. Maritime breezes temper sunny days, while breezes arriving from the nearby Adriatic toward twilight help maintain cool nights.
Vinificazione
Natural cultivation of the vines is a foundational principle at Villa Bucci. A longstanding group of estate collaborators works each day to protect and care for the vineyards spread across the hills of Serra de’ Conti, Montecarotto and Ostra Vetere.
Verdicchio occupies the central place in the vineyards. Its name is associated with the greenish nuance retained by the berries even at full ripeness, alongside golden reflections. A small portion of the planted area is given to Montepulciano and Sangiovese.
Villa Bucci characterizes its production as artisanal and closely tied to its terroir. The cellar's defining vessels are large, exhausted Slavonian-oak containers. Rather than contributing the pronounced flavour of fresh oak, their porous wood permits natural micro-oxygenation.
These mature vessels are treated as repositories of the cellar's accumulated wine memory: they have held earlier wines and continue to receive subsequent vintages. Their repeated use is central to the continuity of Villa Bucci's cellar practice.
Filosofia
Villa Bucci's guiding idea is the preservation of harmony between wine and nature. Ampelio Bucci's pioneering vision forms the historical foundation, while Federico Veronesi's conservative approach is intended to carry the estate forward without disrupting that relationship.
The human dimension is equally central. Agriculture, people and territory are treated as interdependent parts of the project, and belonging to Villa Bucci is understood as participation in an extended family. The estate emphasizes teamwork, the continuity provided by collaborators who worked with Ampelio and remain alongside Federico, and the contribution of several generations of people.
In the cellar, continuity is embodied by the mature Slavonian-oak vessels. Their value lies not merely in their function as containers but in their ability to preserve a connection between successive vintages while allowing natural micro-oxygenation.
Vini
Bucci Classico
Villa Bucci Riserva
