Renaissance

The Origins

Pandolfa is a wine estate rich in history, with roots going back to the day of knights, intrigues and battles. The name “Pandolfa” is believed to be derived from Pandolfo Malatesta, the Lord of Fano, who headquartered here with his troops before plundering the Castle of Fiumana in 1436. Pandolfo was one of the most audacious condottieri of all times, but also a sophisticated art lover, and his portrait, painted by Piero della Francesca in 1451 and now kept at the Louvre Museum in Paris, remains a reminder of such an icon figure.

The time of Marchesi Albicini

From 1626 to 1941, the estate was owned by Marchesi Albicini, a noble family and patrons of the arts, great adepts in the “magnificent hospitality” to artists, poets and illustrious figures, and in farming. Poets of the caliber of Carducci and Pascoli were frequent guests of the Marchesi at the Pandolfa estate and Carducci himself described the Villa as “built for the eternity”.

Our Family’s History

In 1941, the property was taken over by Giuseppe Ricci, an entrepreneur from Forlì. In the years of World War Two, Pandolfa found itself involved in the tragic events of the war period: the estate was occupied by the Germans and then attacked by the Polish army, while its cellars were opened to give shelter to many refugees.

At the end of the war, in the fifties, Giuseppe Ricci renovated the Villa and decided to restore the estate’s land back to farming. He purchased two neighboring farms and planted new vineyards with Sangiovese, Trebbiano and Albana grapes.

Upon Ricci’s death in 1980, his daughter Noelia, who inspired the Noelia Ricci project, realized the winegrowing potential of these hills and, driven by a strong vision, planted new vineyards and built a new winery.

The Pandolfa Estate is still owned by the Ricci family, in particular, by Giuseppe Ricci’s grand-daughter, Paola Piscopo, who gathered all her enthusiasm to restore the estate to its original splendor. Today, Paola’s son, Marco Cirese – the fourth-generation member of the family- carries  on the estate’s history and heritage to make it into a place of excellence, constantly engaged in dialogue with the local traditions and native grape varieties.

We are ready for our second Renaissance!