Umbria

Umbria’s inland position gives it a distinctly continental climate, characterised by hot summers and cold winters, tempered by the Apennines. Vineyards climb the hillsides around Montefalco, where elevation and stony soils bring freshness and structure to the wines. Around Orvieto, deeper calcareous clays dominate, lending weight and texture to its whites. This diversity of terroir underpins the region’s stylistic range, from delicate, mineral-driven whites to robust, age-worthy reds.

Once the toast of Europe, Orvieto’s sweet white wines were so prized in the Middle Ages that they were exempt from tax. Today, the style is predominantly dry, though quality has been uneven. Recent efforts to champion native varieties such as Grechetto and the finer Trebbiano clone, Procanico, are restoring character to these wines. At their best, Orvieto whites offer a subtle interplay of orchard fruit, almond, and saline minerality—perfect partners for antipasti and freshwater fish.

If Orvieto whispers, Sagrantino roars. Indigenous to Montefalco, this deeply coloured, tannic grape was once reserved for sweet Passito wines. Today, its dry incarnation—Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG—has become Umbria’s flagship red. With some of Italy’s lowest permitted yields and a mandatory 30 months of ageing, these wines are unapologetically bold, marrying dark fruit with spice and formidable structure. For earlier drinking, Montefalco Rosso blends Sangiovese with a dash of Sagrantino, offering a more approachable expression of the region’s character.