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Guide to Italian Wines |
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Sagrantino ... and a great new wine bar in Rome Article and photos © 2003 by Tom Hyland
Umbria has become one of my favorite regions in Italy for many reasons. The climate in this central part of the country is beneficial to farmers, meaning there is a bounty of wonderful foods, from the best lentils in Italy to incredibly tender and flavorful pork and of course, the famous white and black truffles known as tartufi. The wines are quite distinctive as well, as international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are creating a new identity for a region known historically for Orvieto, a delicate white wine made dry or slightly sweet. But there is an indigenous grape that I believe makes Umbria's most distinctive wines. That grape is Sagrantino, grown in the village of Montefalco and several surrounding towns, located in eastern-central Umbria, about halfway between Spoleto and Assisi. There are a dozen or so producers that work with this grape, with only about 250 acres planted in total. While the origins of this grape are unclear, one fact about the grape is that it is one of the most tannic varieties found anywhere in the world. This can be a problem of course when it comes to overall balance, but the district's finest producers are taming the tannins, making it an elegant wine that has the potential to age for more than a decade. The premier wine here is Sagrantino di Montefalco, a DOCG wine that must be made from 100 percent Sagrantino. A more subdued wine that is released at an earlier date is Montefalco Rosso (DOC). This blend is typically about 65-70 percent Sangiovese and about 10-15 percent Sagrantino, with the remainder being Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, though some winemakers also use Colorino in their cuvee. Expect to pay about $12-18 for a Montefalco Rosso in the U.S. market, with a Sagrantino di Montefalco costing about $25-35 per bottle. One other wine is made from the Sagrantino grape and it is a beauty! This is the Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito (also DOCG), made from partially dried grapes. Think of this as a port with its slight raisiny character, but without the high alcohol (most are in the 14.5-15.5 percent range). The best examples have a delicious blackberry jam quality to them and are rich and ripe with medium sweetness, but not cloying or heavy. This is an exotic wine and is quite a treat, especially paired with chocolate or a plum or blackberry tart. Here are notes on the wines I tried on my recent visit to Montefalco. SCACCIADIAVOLI One of the area's smallest producers, the wines here are elegant and well balanced, if a bit light. The name in Italian, by the way, means "devil hunters."
2001 MONTEFALCO ROSSO
1999 SAGRANTINO DI MONTEFALCO ROCCA DI FABBRI Established in 1984, this handsome estate is run by Roberta Vitali. While the wines here are well made, they are rather safe. I would like to see more complexity and depth of fruit. A move in that direction could make this very good estate a great one.
2001 MONTEFALCO ROSSO
1999 SAGRANTINO DI MONTEFALCO
1999 SAGRANTINO DI MONTEFALCO PASSITO ADANTI I was only able to taste one wine from this estate, but it is excellent! Run by the Adanti family, the winery is located in the ancient Roman town of Bevagna. Though a tiny hamlet, this is a must see, especially for its 8th century church.
2001 MONTEFALCO ROSSO ANTONELLI My favorite producer – and arguably the area's finest – is Antonelli. The estate is run by the personable Filippo Antonelli and the wines here have wonderful spice to go along with the excellent depth of fruit. His 1999 reds were outstanding and the new 2001s may be even better. The 2000s, from a very good but not great vintage, are excellent. A wonderful dry white made from the Grechetto grape is first-rate and his 1998 Sagrantino di Montefalco Grappa Riserva is outstanding! (Reviews of these products appear in the new August-September issue of my newsletter, Guide to Italian Wines.)
2000 MONTEFALCO ROSSO
2000 MONTEFALCO ROSSO RISERVA
2000 SAGRANTINO DI MONTEFALCO
2001 SAGRANTINO DI MONTEFALCO
2000 SAGRANTINO DI MONTEFALCO PASSITO **** Excellent *** Very Good ** Good
Most of my trips to Italy are spent in wine regions, but this past visit, I got to spend a bit of time in Rome. I was glad I did as I discovered a wonderful wine bar that is a must for lovers of Italian wine. Il Vineto is centrally located on the Via Veneto, just a few steps from several of Rome's best known hotels (Hotel Imperiale, Hotel Alexandre).
The wine bar is owned and run by Ariano Ferdinando, who bills himself as "head sommelier." There are about ten white and ten red wines available by the glass at all times and they range from Elena Walch Gewurztraminer from Alto Adige (€9 per glass) to the famous "Flaccianello Della Pieve" from Fontodi in Chianti Classico (€16 by the glass).
As you look at the wines that are on display here, you will discover the offerings of many small producers that are hard to find, even in Italy. Prices listed are for retail sale to take away; if you choose to buy the wine and enjoy it with food at the wine bar, expect to pay another 50 percent. While this may seem high, these prices are still better than most local restaurants; remember you are in Rome! The food is quite good and ranges from several types of bruschetta to capers stuffed with prawns to roast salmon and fresh mozzarella. Whatever you decide on for food, you certainly won't have a problem finding a wine to go with it. Whether you prefer a crisp white such as Falanghina from Campania or a traditional red such as Chianti Classico (or even French wine such as Champagne or Sauternes), Il Vineto will be heaven for you!
Il Vineto July 17, 2003 Back to Tom Hyland's Italian Wines |
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Il Vineto
But an added bonus here is that there are more than 1000 wines available for sale, either to be consumed with food at the wine bar or to take away. Unlike many wine bars or enotecas in Italy, this establishment features wines from every region in Italy. While there are wines from the length and breadth of the country, the selections from Piemonte, Tuscany, Friuli, Lazio and Sardinia are especially impressive.