THE RED “DIAMOND” OF UMBRIA

Recently I had the honor and pleasure to be proposed by George Loukas, on behalf of Deals SA, to participate in a master class called “Great Italian Red Wines”.

I have to admit that this presentation was a challenge for me, because I had never given much weight to the wines of this area. Which is the area I’m talking about? It’s Umbria…. An area, located in Central Italy, surrounded by Toscana, Lazio and Marche. The climate is similar to the near by Toscana, with cold and rainy winters and dry summers with plenty of sun. It is widely known from Orvieto, an origin denomination, covering a large area of the area’s vineyards and only produces white wines mainly from the grapes Trebbiano Toscano (also known as Procanico) and Grechetto.
But the area of Umbria hides a red “gem: from my perspective, Sagratino di Montefalco (found as Montefalco Sagratino, since 2009).
This denomination of origin was upgraded to DOCG in 1992 and produces robust red wines with good ageing potential. The aromas found in this wine, are mainly cheery, strawberry, plum and a wide range of spices. But what characterizes them is their tannins, a factor that the winemakers found a way to subdue their power and produce more consumer-friendly wines, which I think that they don’t need a long time to age.
I would suggest that 6-12 years would be ideal to enjoy them, after their vintage, depending of course on the weather of each year. Some producers I distinguished in this “wine trip” was Arnaldo Caprai, Lungarotti, Còlpetrone, Antonelli and Petricaia. If you are a Barolo lover and enjoy a dish with truffle, just give it a try…