I returned last week from my final reconnaissance trip to Umbria. A truly amazing tour awaits us!
Perugia is a beautiful city to stay in, simply oozing Etruscan and Roman architecture. Our Hotel Fortuna is situated about 50 yards from dozens of restaurants, bars and chocolate shops.
I had a truly revelatory day around the historic town of Montefalco. This is where the Sagrantino grape holds court. Probably the most under-rated top quality grape in Italy, and produced by only a handful of producers, it produces dark rich wines, which are comparable with many a top Sangiovese from neighbouring Tuscany.
Wine tourism in Umbria is refreshingly underdeveloped and we will be meeting some delightful family owned estates and enjoying some wonderful rustic lunches.
For example, we’ll be visiting Moreno Peccia at La Spina estate, probably the smallest estate in the whole of Umbria with only two hectares. As well as enjoying the Italo-American hospitality of Terre Margaritelli near Torgiano.
I’ll talk a bit about plans for our day in Southern Tuscany tomorrow….