Clever Agricola Antinori based in Montefalco in the province of Perugia will be joining the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyers meets Italian Cellar from 18 – 20 May. They look to do well as they are the only winery from the Umbria region and they do not yet export thier wines. Buyers will be queuing up to taste their wines and meet the owner.

We look forward to tasting their Sagrantino and/or coupage of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and Merlot on the first night of the event at dinner. Here’s  how Antinori present themselves:

The company AGRICOLA ANTINORI extends as far as the towns of Bevagna, Montefalco, Gualdo Cattaneo and Castel Ritaldi along “La Strada del Sagrantino”. It owns 27 hectares of vineyards and 70 hectares of olive groves. 

Sagrantino wine of Montefalco represents one of the finest examples of the Italian wines, like the famous Chianti, Barolo, Brunello of Montalcino and the most “common” Sangiovese. In the area of Montefalco the cultivation of the vines, especially the Sangiovese, dates back to the ‘pre Roman era, so much so that, Pliny the Elder boasted the qualities of the wine of this land. Later some Franciscan monks brought the Sagrantino grape wine from Asia Minor and replaced it in the vineyards of the Sangiovese grape. This rare and precious grapes only grow in the hills around the country of Montefalco. This makes possible to add Sagrantino of Montefalco in the ‘ Olympus of the Italian wines’. It can be said that the Sagrantino wine is a “unique” wine because of its relationship with the area in which the vine grow and its fruit is rich in noble components that give structure and character to the wine. As a result of a research on the DNA mapping of the Sagrantino shows that no similarity was found with other parental varieties. This wine is unique but also very complex: in the cellars there is the effort to understand and deal with this unknown and exuberant vine in the vineyard and winery, they study the clonal selection, the system of cultivation, the planting density and all it may enable the plant to make the most of its enormous potentiality. The continuous search to improve the winemaking processes, the polyphenols maturation and the winemaking techniques are aimed to make this wine more elegant and noble. Sagrantino of Montefalco dry wine is produced and certified as a DOCG wine since 1979. The production of Sagrantino Passito has obtained the DOCG certification of quality in 1992. In addition to the grapes of Sagrantino, in the territory of Montefalco, other grapes are also cultivated,  such as Sangiovese, Merlot. These 2 grapes together with the Sagrantino make another wine, the Montefalco Rosso Doc. In its new cellar of about 800 square meters the Winery AGRICOLA ANTINORI produces DOC, DOCG and IGT wines, in particular: Sagrantino of Montefalco DOCG, Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG, Rosso of Montefalco DOC, IGT Umbria Melanzio Red wine, DOC Grechetto dei Colli Martani, Grechetto Umbria IGT, Ritaldi red wine IGT, Bianco Ritaldi Table wine. All these wines from AGRICOLA ANTINORI are making them known on the market under the brand CANTINA COLLESOLE.

Umbria Rosso IGT MELANZIO received great appreciation from the critics for the various editions of Vinitaly to the Winery has participated. The FISAR, Federazione Italiana Sommelier and restaurant owners in the course of the 2007 edition of Vinitaly, held in Verona has reserved to a judgment MELANZIO excellent classifying it among the best young wines throughout the event. A great recognition for the Agricola Antinori scarl but also for the area of Montefalco which received a great level of visibility by placing it at the top of wine country. An article dedicated to this wine has been published in the Corriere dell’Umbria April 19 2007.

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG is a wine produced from the DOCG grapes of Montefalco area. It is a wine of great structure from the large bouquet with hint of blackberry blackberries, suitable for large roasts, game and game. Lends itself to long aging. Serve at a temperature of 18 ° or so, after proper decanting.

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG Passito is produced from grapes of Sagrantino a harvest to dry on racks with the respect of the natural process. It is a dessert wine, very balanced, ruby color with purple reflections and tending to garnet, full of smells (there is a bramble of blackberry and forest fruits), for aging. Combines with the traditional Umbrian pastry (tozzetti Almond, rock), but expresses his character with mature cheeses. Excellent wine for meditation.

Rosso di Montefalco DOC comes from vineyards on the hills of the area exposed happily Doc Montefalco. Produced by the skilful collaboration of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Sagrantino, shows a young ruby red color and pleasantly soft bouquet and fresh taste. To taste a 16 ° – 18 ° with red meats, roasts, cheese plates and structured media seasoning.

 Grechetto IGT Umbria is a wine produced by a skilful blend of white grapes of the area and Castel di Montefalco Ritaldi. It has a straw yellow color, smooth taste, slightly bitter and dry. Suited to taste wine as an aperitif, with appetizers, pasta dishes and Italian fish. Serving temperature 8 ° – 10 °.

Umbria Rosso IGT Ritaldi comes from the hills of Castel Ritaldi Montefalco and has a ruby red color. Very pleasant to the taste, soft and young, best expressed the characteristics of red grapes typical of the area. To taste with excellent pasta dishes, red meat, cheese or fresh medium maturing.

If you would like to contact Antinori about the export of their wines please do so through their web site. If you would like to meet owner, Alessio Utrio and his charming and efficient Export Manager, Elisa please complete an enrollment form.

Next posts will be live and frequent from the event so keep coming back to this blog for the latest news from the workshop.

See you in or from Treviso.