From Italy to CanadaThe Villa Romana Story
Featuring small lot, estate-produced wines, from our family owned & operated boutique winery.Established in 2015, Villa Romana Estate Winery Inc. started as a dream by Ugo Crecco.
The family had a small winery in Lanuvio, Italy, where they harnessed a grassroots approach to the science and creation of fine wines and spirits. Ugo wanted to bring this traditional Italian approach to his own Canadian Ontario wines.
After retiring from his corporate life in Calgary, Alberta, Ugo sought his dream. He purchased a parcel of land in Niagara on the Lake; however, the land was not suitable for growing the quality grapes desired. So he sold that parcel of land, and the journey to find suitable land for growing quality grapes continued.
After some time, Ugo found a small lot on the Beamsville Bench Appellation (Town of Lincoln) in Ontario. Almost immediately, he fell in love with the property. It was an abandoned farm, but there was potential. Ugo sought the advice of his dear friend and professor at Brock University, Dr. Anthony B. Shaw. Dr. Shaw’s extensive knowledge in all things wine informed Ugo about the benefits of the Beamsville Bench.
This Beamsville Bench Appellation reaps the benefits of the bench topography. This topography provides the continuous air circulation that moderates temperature and results in consistent growing conditions. Soils are generally deep and well-drained, with numerous streams that provide seasonal water supply.
Although a relatively small appellation, the Beamsville Bench exhibits a unique set of conditions that provide a unique complexity to the wines that are grown there.
Ugo purchased the land and, together with his children, began the development process.
On June 15th, 2017, despite many challenges, vines of high-quality vinifera were planted.
For the reds, those varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. For the white varietals, they planted Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Vidal (Ice Wine). Ugo’s late father, Angelo, would be immensely proud of his son and grandchildren for continuing with the family tradition of grape growing.
While they were not fully set up to process the grapes, Ugo sold the first harvest produced at Villa Romana. Although it was not as fulfilling to watch their grapes leave the winery, it was comforting that their hard work would still produce wine, and would be fulfilling to taste the fruits of their labour.
The family put their hearts and souls into the wine, from growing, nurturing to hand-harvesting the grapes, to working with passionate and knowledgeable winemaker, Mauro Salvador. The team strives to bring the best Ontario wines possible to all of our guests.
Whether you are a wine enthusiast, wine lover, or travelling as a tourist for the Canadian Niagara Region winery experience, on behalf of the Crecco family, we hope you come to enjoy & taste the passion in our wines. When you visit us, we hope that you see our obsession and commitment to our craft, with quality and distinction.
We put our hearts and souls into our wine, growing, nurturing, and hand-harvesting our grapes, working with our passionate & knowledgeable winemaker, Mauro Salvador...we bring the best wines possible to our customers.
Our Values
Our raison d’être, is to grow quality grapes from our family-owned and operated estate vineyard and produce mouth-watering, and superior tasting wines.
Produce Quality
We are dedicated to producing quality wines from our estate vineyard. Our focus is to create natural wines in the old-world tradition, putting our hearts and souls into the growing of our grapes, hand harvesting our grapes and working with a passionate wine maker, to provide our customers with the best of the best in our wines.Embrace Teamwork
The days of working in silos is over. We want to foster passion and innovation; some of the best ways to ensure this success is through active participation and teamwork. Our best work happens when we all work together towards to collaborate on common goals.Celebrate Diversity
We value, appreciate, respect, and learn to adapt to each other and our cultural and generational differences. It’s sometimes difficult, but we strive to make the most of everyone’s potential contribution. We embrace a diversity of people and views. This makes us better and means better outcomes for our clients/guests/customers.Leadership Imperative
Leaders are accountable for providing a clear path to delivering our purpose by; bringing clarity and focus, creating a respectful and inclusive environment and, enabling and inspiring others.
Villa RomanaOur Team
CEO & CHAIRMANUgo Crecco
Ugo’s father, Angelo, passed on the passion of traditional winemaking customs from his estate winery in Lanuvio, Italy. Since then, Ugo dreamed of starting his own winery.
After a successful business career, Ugo established Villa Romana Estate Winery in 2015, with the goal of producing premium quality estate-grown wines.
He is actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the winery from vineyard management, winery production, manufacturing processes and wine sales. Over and above those duties, he is also involved with approving capital expenditures, expenses, accounting, financial record keeping, tax filings, overseeing talent acquisition, vendor and contract management; Ugo is a hands-on, fully engaged owner.
When he has spare time, Ugo loves to cook. Ugo is also a master rod maker and enjoys fly fishing.
Mauro Salvador
Mauro Salvador is our principal winemaker. With his extensive knowledge in viticulture and winemaking, he has shared his talent with wineries throughout the Niagara, making wine for well over a decade….
Mark Crecco
Taking wine far beyond passion, Mark served on the family’s estate winery in Lanuvio, Italy, in 2004. There he learned a grassroots approach to the science & creation of wine & spirits…
Andrea Crecco
Andrea Crecco received a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physical Geography from Mount Royal University and a B.Ed. from the University of Alberta. Additionally, she has been…
Villa RomanaOur Brand
Ontario Wines - Our Commitment is QualityMythology and Concept behind Villa Romana Estate Winery
Mythology ofRomulus & Remus
In the Roman foundation myth, it was a she-wolf that nursed and sheltered the twins Romulus & Remus after they were abandoned in the wild by order of King Amulius of Alba Longa.
She cared for the infants at her den, a cave known as the Lupercal, until they were discovered by a shepherd, Faustulus. Romulus would later become the founder and first king of Rome. The image of the she-wolf suckling the twins has been a symbol of Rome since ancient times and is one of the most recognizable icons of ancient mythology.
Mythology ofRomulus & Remus
In the Roman foundation myth, it was a she-wolf that nursed and sheltered the twins Romulus & Remus after they were abandoned in the wild by order of King Amulius of Alba Longa.
She cared for the infants at her den, a cave known as the Lupercal, until they were discovered by a shepherd, Faustulus. Romulus would later become the founder and first king of Rome. The image of the she-wolf suckling the twins has been a symbol of Rome since ancient times and is one of the most recognizable icons of ancient mythology.