🍷Along La Strada del Sagrantino in the Heart of Italy’s Green Heart🍷

It was poet Giosuè Carducci who gave Umbria the title, “green heart of Italy”. And for good reason…

Umbria truly is a lush, verdant region literally located in the heart of Italy. As with every other region, Umbria has its own distinct personality, cuisine and wines. And in the heart of the green heart is Montefalco.

When I first visited Umbria nine years ago, Montefalco and Sagrantino were virtually unknown. Fast forward to present day and both have become popular and well-known, not only among wine enthusiasts but, among those seeking an authentic “off the beaten track” experience…

Returning to Montefalco in fall of 2015, I had the opportunity to once again immerse in the “green heart”. This included, of course, visits to local enotecas and several stellar boutique wineries along the La Strada del Sagrantino, the Sagrantino Wine Trail.

Each of the family-owned wineries featured here demonstrate a strong commitment to this land—their land— and to preserving its ecology and integrity. With enormous pride, they proudly embrace and share their unique heritage and story, their deep rooted love and appreciation for their land and their dedication to producing only the finest wines. Certainly it’s a commitment that comes from the heart, the green heart…

Even though we had the privilege and pleasure of tasting many of the same varietals, each winery definitely represented the distinct philosophy and individuality of its winemaker. Each experience was a revelation and a delight. As is the custom in Italy, each wine selection was accompanied with complementary cheeses, meats and/or olives that definitely  enhanced their sublime characteristics. Delizioso!

🍷The varietals included at the tastings were:
Whites: Grechetto, Trebbiano Spoletino, Clarignano Umbria Bianco (Grechetto, Viognier and Chardonnay)
Reds: Sangiovese, Montefalco Rosso (Sangiovese & Sagrantino blended with another red such as Merlot, Barbera or Colorino), Montefalco Sagrantino

Let’s begin at…

🍷Di Filippo Azienda Agraria with Roberto Di Filippo

Overlooking Assisi, Di Filippo is now owned and operated by Robert and his sister Emma, second generation winemakers. Today, we are greeted and warmly welcomed by Roberto who will personally give us our tour of the vineyards.

As we walk among the vines, Roberto explains their commitment to, not just organic (since 1994) but, since 2008, to the biodynamic cultivation and farming of their 30 hectares (approximately 74 acres) and production of their wines which takes place entirely on site.

This commitment is best expressed in their own words:

“Passion, respect, love.
These are the three forces which drive us in our daily lives with our vines. Passion for our work, respect for the soil and love for the family tradition in the cultivation of vineyards producing wines that are a true expression of the land.”

Following along among the vines, Roberto educates us about biodynamic viticulture and points out how this philosophy is practiced here. Following the biodynamic principles, simply put, the goal is to maintain a naturally rich, balanced soil. Therefore, the vines and grapes will achieve their optimal quality.

We even meet the farm geese (excellent for pest control and natural fertilization) and horses which are used to till the soil. Obviously, this requires a tremendous amount of time, labor and commitment.

Returning to their tasting room, we meet Valeria who will be our wine tasting guide. We can hardly wait to personally experience Di Filippo vintages. With each selection, Valeria educates us about each of the wines and which cheese and meat to pair with them.

This private tour and visit along La Strada del Sagrantino has been informative and delightful. No one leaves empty handed!

Read more about Di Filippo, its inspiring story and commitment to biodynamic farming and its beautiful wines: www.vinidifilippo.com

🍷Azienda Agraria Perticaia with Alessandro Guardipli

Arriving at Perticaia the first thing you notice is the view…and what a view it is… It’s the same view that Guido Guardipli saw in the 90’s. He saw the potential and had the vision to create a winery…

“From the very name ‘Perticaia’ which in local dialect means ‘plow’, I wanted to communicate and transmit the deep ties with the environment in which the Perticaia stands, and in which the wines of Montefalco…are enriched by the character and personality that identifies Umbria…”
– Guido Guardipli, Owner

I’m struck by the lush vista that defines so much of Umbria and here along the Sagrantino Wine Trail, thanks to Mr. Guardipli, is now graced with row upon row of spectacular grapevines stretching in every direction. It’s late September and the vines are laden with ripe fruit.

We are personally greeted by Alessandro, charming winemaker and son of the owner. As we stroll among the grapevines, he tells us the Perticaia story and philosophy. He shares that the harvest was delayed due to recent rain and that they have to constantly monitor the readiness of the grapes and the weather. Workers are on stand by since the grapes are all hand picked and timing is crucial to ensure their maximum quality.

Perticaia is committed to strict biologic and organic cultivation and production of its 15 hectares (approximately 37 acres). By combining and utilizing the best of age old and modern techniques and technology, and using only their own grapes, Perticaia oversees every stage and aspect of their wine production on site in their modern facility.

After a visit to the cellar we are led to the outdoor patio of their tasting room with its absolutely breathtaking view.

Alessandro expertly leads us through the tasting, every sip reflecting their pride in producing high quality wines with passion and integrity.

Read more about Perticaia and their pride in winemaking: www.perticaia.it

🍷Cantina Colle Ciocco with Lamberto Spacchetti

“entra nel gusto”

Established in 1935 by Settimio Spacchetti, today his two sons, Lamberto and Eliseo carry on the family tradition at Colle Ciocco. With its hillside setting and panoramic view, its the idyllic setting for a wine (and olive oil!) tasting.

Produced on their 25 hectares (approximately 62 acres), every harvest is carefully handpicked and processed on site with the same tradition of care and attention.

Lamberto is our cheerful and engaging host and, once again, we are introduced to a representative flight of wines and a bonus tasting of Colle Ciocco’s olive oils as well.

It’s impossible to resist Lamberto’s enthusiasm and salesmanship! The perfect ending to today’s visit along La Strada del Sagrantino!

Read more about Cantina Colle Ciocco and their wines and olive oil: www.colleciocco.it

If you have the good fortune to travel to Umbria, don’t miss the opportunity to explore and enjoy the Sagrantino Wine Trail. Meet and support the dedicated winemakers of this and every region…

If you would like to visit Umbria and immerse in its unique culture and culinary delights, I can help!

Just send me an email and let’s get started! Cheers!