REDAZIONE| | ROME, 6 FEBRUARY 2026
Luigi Veronelli one hundred years after his birth, the Semillon of Fiorano and the memory of Alessandrojacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi
To speak of Luigi Veronelli today, on the centenary of his birth, means remembering a man who wrote about wine like no one else in Italy. A philosopher by training and an anarchist by nature, Veronelli moved through newspapers, television, magazines and books, leaving a profound mark: from RAI to Corriere della Sera, from Il Giorno to Panorama, from L’Espresso to Il Manifesto, as well as through his guides and independent publishing ventures. He did not describe wine: he questioned it. And, above all, he knew how to recognize it when it was true.
Like many others—and for us as well—Veronelli is closely linked to the Tenuta di Fiorano and its Semillon, a wine he was able to intuit and defend when it was still far from any public narrative. During a visit to the cellar of Prince Alberico Boncompagni Ludovisi, Veronelli tasted that austere, persistent white wine and immediately grasped its greatness: not a French imitation, but a Roman wine, born of a place and of a solitary will. In that glass was his idea of free wine, unbent by prevailing taste or by the market.
(Alessandrojacopo Boncompagni)
Over the course of his life, Veronelli brought to light wineries and winemakers that are now part of our shared heritage. He supported Giacomo Bologna and the rebirth of Barbera; he lucidly portrayed those “hard and bruised” farmers such as Bartolo Mascarello and Bruno Giacosa; he recognized the artisanal greatness of Giuseppe Quintarelli in Valpolicella; he defended the historical identity of Biondi-Santi in Montalcino. He loved stubborn producers, the “defenceless,” those who did not seek success but coherence. For this reason, he was also among the first to believe in radical experiences such as that of Josko Gravner.
The legacy of Fiorano has reached the present day through Alessandrojacopo Boncompagni Ludovisi, grandson of Prince Alberico, who passed away prematurely last September. A discreet and reserved custodian, Alessandrojacopo continued to care for Fiorano with the same silent respect that Veronelli had recognized and loved. Far from trends and exposure, he embodied a rare sense of responsibility: that of someone who feels a place as something to be protected, not displayed.
In the remembrance that accompanies this centenary, his figure naturally emerges alongside that of Veronelli. Both bound by the same idea of fidelity, both capable of leaving deep traces without raising their voices. Today, the Fiorano estate remains the tangible sign of that continuity: wines that move through time with grace and rigor, carrying with them not only a history, but also a lasting feeling of gratitude and affection.