📍 Umbria

Umbria is a region in the middle of Italy that its own wine rules call the “green heart of Italy”. It is split into two provinces, Perugia and Terni. The Tiber flows through its valley, Lake Trasimeno lies to the west, and in the south-west Orvieto stands on a tuff crag. Average rainfall over a century is 897.54 mm a year.

Grapes were grown here as far back as the Etruscans: wine vessels turn up in their necropolises, and Pliny the Elder wrote about the local growers. In Orvieto the Etruscans carved three-level wineries into the tuff: grapes were crushed at the top, and the juice ran down to ferment and be stored below.

According to MASAF lists, Umbria has 21 appellations: 2 DOCG, 13 DOC and 6 IGT. Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG is made from Sagrantino alone; the wine is aged for at least 33 months and comes dry (Secco) or sweet (Passito). Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG is 70–100 % Sangiovese, aged for 36 months or more.

The best-known white is Orvieto DOC, shared with Lazio: Trebbiano toscano (Procanico) and Grechetto make up at least 60 %. It can be dry, medium-sweet or sweet, late-harvest and even botrytised. Gamay del Trasimeno grows near the lake, and Trebbiano spoletino around Spoleto.

Why it matters to you. Montefalco Rosso and Montefalco Sagrantino are different wines: the first is based on Sangiovese at 60–80 %, with only 10–25 % Sagrantino. On an Orvieto label, the words secco, abboccato or dolce tell you the sweetness. Reds are served at 15–18 °C.