Umbria
Welcome to the picturesque region of Umbria, a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Italy, renowned for its captivating landscapes and exceptional wines. As an expert with a discerning palate, you possess a deep appreciation for the rich viticultural heritage, diverse terroir, and exceptional quality that define Umbria wines. Join us on a journey to explore the finest expressions of this remarkable region, where ancient vineyards, indigenous grape varieties, and winemaking expertise converge.
Umbria is home to a myriad of esteemed vineyards that have garnered international acclaim for their exceptional wines. Among the most renowned estates is Arnaldo Caprai, celebrated for its exquisite Sagrantino di Montefalco wines. With a deep respect for tradition and a commitment to sustainability, Arnaldo Caprai showcases the potential of Sagrantino, a unique and indigenous grape that thrives in the region's rolling hills.
Another prominent vineyard in Umbria is Lungarotti, a family-owned estate that has been at the forefront of winemaking in the region for generations. Known for its exceptional Torgiano Rosso Riserva and Grechetto wines, Lungarotti combines tradition and innovation to craft wines that beautifully reflect the terroir and character of Umbria.
Other notable vineyards in Umbria include Castello della Sala, owned by Antinori, renowned for its elegant white wines, and Perticaia, celebrated for its nuanced and age-worthy Sagrantino wines. Rocca di Fabbri and Tabarrini are also esteemed estates, recognized for their dedication to producing high-quality wines that showcase the unique terroir and grape varieties of Umbria.
Umbria's diverse terroir, characterized by its rolling hills, volcanic soils, and a Mediterranean climate, provides an ideal environment for cultivating a range of grape varieties. Sangiovese, Sagrantino, Grechetto, and Trebbiano Spoletino are among the region's iconic grapes, each contributing to the unique character and personality of Umbria wines.
Umbria wines captivate the senses with their refined elegance, balanced structure, and expressive flavours. From the robust and age-worthy Sagrantino reds to the vibrant and aromatic Grechetto whites, these wines offer a captivating journey through the terroir and winemaking traditions of Umbria.
Umbria
-
Vinous (90)
Dried apricots and peaches emerge from an air of white smoke and incense as the 2020 Bramìto della Sala opens up in the glass. It’s soft and appealing through its stimulating mix of mineral-tinged orchard fruits and complementary nuances of sour citrus. Hints of grapefruit and green botanicals linger throughout the long, spicy. mouthwatering finale. The 2019 represents excellent value in the category of entry-level Italian Chardonnay.$241.00 -
Vinous (89)
The 2021 Bramìto della Sala is an Umbrian Chardonnay that reaches up from the glass with a sweetly seductive mix of crushed yellow apples, honeyed florals and lime zest. It’s soft-textured with vividly ripe orchard fruits and nuances of chamomile within. The Bramìto tapers off with a citrusy tension balanced by pleasant hints of tropical melon and confectionery spice. It’s totally charming and beautifully balanced.$190.00 -
Decanter (91)
This Umbrian Chardonnay from Antinori's estate is vinified and aged partly in stainless steel and partly in wood. The 2023 is toasty and slightly tropical, with a mineral, stony quality which runs through the core, and lovely bright acidity. It finishes with some zesty lemon peel and Mediterranean herbs. Nicely balanced and very fresh.$129.00 -
Wine Advocate (91)
The Castello della Sala 2024 Chardonnay Bramìto della Sala shows hints of bergamot tea and chamomile. The wine is primary and fresh, with 40% of the fruit fermented in oak (with malolactic fermentation) and the rest in stainless steel. There is a citrusy note that adds verticality and brightness, and the wine has a hint of reduction that underlines the purity of its fruit. This pretty expression is full of tension and energy.$131.00 -
(1x75cl) 2020Experience the luxurious embodiment of elegance with the Antinori Castello della Sala Nibbio 2020. Crafted on the sun-dappled hills of Umbria, Italy, this exceptional white wine combines careful grape selection and meticulous wine-making methods for a sublime result. Antinori, a family with over six centuries of winemaking tradition, utilises the unique mineral-rich soils and cool climate of their Castello della Sala estate to nurture the Muffato della Sala grapes to full, rich maturity. Post-harvest, a noble rot is encouraged to develop, adding layers of complexity and depth to the wine. This vintage's palate boasts concentrated notes of ripe pear, citrus, and a delicate hint of honey. Each sip is a testament to seamless integration of intense fruitiness, balanced acidity, and refined minerals, ensuring the Antinori Castello della Sala Nibbio 2020 lingers exquisitely on the tongue. A showstopper at any occasion, this wine takes you to the heart of Italian indulgence.
$390.00 -
(3x75cl) 2020Experience the luxurious embodiment of elegance with the Antinori Castello della Sala Nibbio 2020. Crafted on the sun-dappled hills of Umbria, Italy, this exceptional white wine combines careful grape selection and meticulous wine-making methods for a sublime result. Antinori, a family with over six centuries of winemaking tradition, utilises the unique mineral-rich soils and cool climate of their Castello della Sala estate to nurture the Muffato della Sala grapes to full, rich maturity. Post-harvest, a noble rot is encouraged to develop, adding layers of complexity and depth to the wine. This vintage's palate boasts concentrated notes of ripe pear, citrus, and a delicate hint of honey. Each sip is a testament to seamless integration of intense fruitiness, balanced acidity, and refined minerals, ensuring the Antinori Castello della Sala Nibbio 2020 lingers exquisitely on the tongue. A showstopper at any occasion, this wine takes you to the heart of Italian indulgence.
$973.00 -
$334.00 -
(6x75cl) 2010Wine Advocate (92)
The 2010 Cervaro della Sala (90% Chardonnay/10% Grechetto) is seriously beautiful in this vintage. A large-scaled, voluptuous wine, the 2010 emerges from the glass with an exotic melange of honey, tropical fruit, butter, lemon and sweet spices. Underlying veins of minerality frame the striking, oily finish. Although the 2010 is pretty today, I will not be surprised if the 2010 improves with further time in bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018.$559.00 -
Decanter (95)
This feels a bit more generous, expansive and tropical in both flavour and texture thanks to the warm conditions in 2011. It has a slightly reductive nose (a positive trait here), while the broad palate offers flavours of spice, straw, apricot and stone fruits alongside notes of honey, toast and some attractive bitter orange peel on the long, rousing, savoury and saline finish. The acidity is present, though it's a touch softer than some of its siblings. This is just entering its drinking window.$636.00 -
(6x75cl) 2015James Suckling (95)
Intense aromas of crushed lime and lemon as well as mineral and flint follow through to a medium body, ultra-precise acid and fruit balance. Long and linear finish. Just a hint of vanilla and cream. Give it a year or two to develop in the bottle but already a beauty.$582.00 -
(1x150cl) 2016James Suckling (97)
This is the Batard Montrachet of Italy with such and amazing depth and compression of beautiful fruit and chalk. Dried mango and dried green papaya. Full body, yet tight and focused. Energized acidity. Vibrance. Don't miss this one. A wine for now or in the future.$320.00 -
(1x500cl) 2017James Suckling (99)
This is big and powerful, without being ripe and heavy. So much apple, stone, and hints of toffee. Aromatic. Full-bodied, layered and framed with phenolic tension and a great finish. Muscular and agile at the same time. One of the best I have tasted. Drink or hold.$1,020.00 -
James Suckling (99)
This is big and powerful, without being ripe and heavy. So much apple, stone, and hints of toffee. Aromatic. Full-bodied, layered and framed with phenolic tension and a great finish. Muscular and agile at the same time. One of the best I have tasted. Drink or hold.$528.00 -
James Suckling (96)
Focused and complex on the nose with stone, sliced cooked apple and hints of toffee. Full-bodied, with a density and freshness and liveliness. Vivid and energetic. All about class here. Drink or hold.$508.00 -
James Suckling (97)
Complex nose of toast, charred pineapple, green papaya, kaffir lime and lemon. Crushed stones and white pepper, too. Full-bodied with vibrant acidity. Textured. Long and layered. Delicious and concentrated. Drink or hold.$434.00 -
(1x150cl) 2021James Suckling (97)
This is very aromatic and lifted with mineral, nougat, floral, and lightly cooked apples. Some flint and matchstick. Medium- to full-bodied with a fine phenolic and acid backbone that energizes the wine. Complex aftertaste with subtle fruit and pastry at the end. This will age beautifully but hard not to drink now.$212.00 -
(1x300cl) 2021James Suckling (97)
This is very aromatic and lifted with mineral, nougat, floral, and lightly cooked apples. Some flint and matchstick. Medium- to full-bodied with a fine phenolic and acid backbone that energizes the wine. Complex aftertaste with subtle fruit and pastry at the end. This will age beautifully but hard not to drink now.$422.00 -
(1x500cl) 2021James Suckling (97)
This is very aromatic and lifted with mineral, nougat, floral, and lightly cooked apples. Some flint and matchstick. Medium- to full-bodied with a fine phenolic and acid backbone that energizes the wine. Complex aftertaste with subtle fruit and pastry at the end. This will age beautifully but hard not to drink now.$744.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
This is Marchesi Antinori's top white wine, and it comes from the region of Umbria. The Castello della Sala 2022 Cervaro della Sala is based on Chardonnay and has a small part of the local grape Grechetto in the blend. The nose opens to a reductive note of flint or matchstick, but it lifts quickly to reveal soft orchard fruit, white peach and minty apple. There are delicately applied toasted notes with a hint of pecan or macadamia nut. To finish, you also get salty mineral notes that underline the extremely vertical or lifted personality of the bouquet. Renzo Cotarella tells me that tweaks to winemaking in recent years have attempted "to slim down the wine and not make it any bigger." This was a hot vintage, but Cervaro della Sala remains true to its leaner and meaner blueprint. However, given its accessible personality, we could expect a shorter drinking window for the 2022s.$451.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The most impressive aspect of the Castello della Sala ethos is its ability to reinvent itself. This latest edition of Umbria's headline white is a true delight. Renzo Cotarella and his team have created an Italian masterpiece that is reminiscent of the great whites of Burgundy. The 2023 Cervaro della Sala opens to an elegantly reductive note of flint or crushed granite before sliding gracefully into silky fruit sensations, breakfast pastry and crème fraîche. It offers carefully balanced richness and textural importance. Winemaking is moving away from 500-liter barrels to embrace larger foudre. No bâtonnage is implemented. The wine is mostly Chardonnay, with a smaller part (between 5% and 10%, depending on the vintage) of Grechetto that has been further reduced in order to avoid any rustic tones from the Italian grape. Part of the Chardonnay does malolactic fermentation, but the Grechetto does not. This gives energy and verve to the final results. Castello della Sala has recently planted more Chardonnay (now totaling 80 hectares) for flexibility in choosing the best clusters. Throughout its many reinventions, this is the best Cervaro della Sala I have tasted.$438.00 -
(6x75cl) 2023$349.00 -
Vinous (95)
Deep, dark and almost animalistic in nature, the 1997 Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni boasts a rich ruby hue in the glass without any bricking at the rim. Balsamic spice, dried black cherries, leather, minty herbs and hints of mocha form its beguiling bouquet. Its textures are velvety-smooth, yet the wine is surprisingly lifted with tart berries and sweet inner herbal tones, as silty tannins slowly saturate toward the close. While still lightly structured, which I believe the 1997 always will be, the finale remains completely pleasurable and long, with a mentholated freshness and a bitter hint of espresso that lingers.$716.00 -
Wine Advocate - Robert Parker (97)
The 2000 Montefalco 25 Anni simply multiplies all the elements exponentially with room-filling aromas of sweet berry fruit and perfectly integrated oak and a mouth-coating cascade of ripe fruit, powerful, dense, and sensual tannins in a swelling flow of unrelieved pleasure. I would be very surprised if this wine did not last another two decades.$547.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2004 Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni is even more remarkable. A dark, brooding beauty, this pure Sagrantino flows from the glass with awesome richness. The wine's fruit is still primary and vibrant, while the textural sensations on the palate are totally seductive. The firm Sagrantino tannins are there, but the wine has so much fruit they are barely perceptible. First made to celebrate the property's 25th anniversary, the 25 Anni is a selection of the best fruit and sees 24 months in small French oak barrels. It represents the very finest in contemporary winemaking.$455.00 -
$455.00 -
Vinous (95)
The truly captivating 2016 Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni pulls you close to the glass with a beguiling bouquet that mixes citrus-tinged black fruits with exotic spices, hints of oregano, menthol and a dusting of cocoa. While there’s admirable weight and depth here, the textures are more like pure silk, delicately draped across the palate, yet leaving behind a saturating blend of intense dark fruits, minerals and fine-grained tannin. There’s so much depth and concentration to work through that, even as the 2016 finishes youthfully structured and dry, it continues to resonate for well over a minute with notes of currant, sage and dark chocolate. Bury this beautiful beast for at least 3–5 years in your cellar, and then enjoy it over the next decade or more. This is a fantastic rendition of Arnaldo Caprai’s 25 Anni.$483.00 -
Vinous (94)
An exotic and smoky mix of dusty dried flowers, allspice, sage and dried black cherries emerges from the hauntingly dark 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni. This is densely textural and weighty in feel, yet the balance is on point, as brisk acids maintain momentum, and a saturation of ripe red and black fruits permeate the palate. Balsam, mint, tobacco, dark chocolate and licorice can all be found through the long and utterly dramatic finale, as the 25 Anni finishes structured, yet more approachable than I’ve come to expect. Arnaldo Caprai did a great job in creating a highly successful wine in 2018; however, don’t expect it to take the usual ten years (or more) that this bottling usually does to come around.$458.00 -
$418.00 -
(6x75cl) 1998Carraia Fobiano 1998 epitomises the excellence of Tuscan winemaking. Crafted in the esteemed hills of Bolgheri, this vintage benefits from the region’s optimal climate and rich terroir. Handpicked Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes undergo meticulous fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, followed by ageing for 24 months in French oak barrels, imparting complexity and depth. The Carraia-Fobiano estate, renowned for its commitment to sustainable viticulture, employs traditional techniques blended with modern innovations to ensure each bottle reflects unparalleled quality. On the palate, Carraia Fobiano 1998 reveals layers of dark cherry, plum, and subtle spice, complemented by velvety tannins and a lingering finish. This exceptional wine showcases the producer’s dedication to elegance and character, making it a distinguished choice for connoisseurs seeking a memorable vintage. Experience the legacy of Carraia Fobiano 1998, a testament to fine Italian craftsmanship and enduring sophistication.
$170.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
The Castello di Solomeo 2018 Brunello Cucinelli (with 7,000 bottles made) is drinking very nicely right now, with a hint of tertiary definition and dusty mineral that make for nice accents over a mid-weight mouthfeel. This wine feels fresh and elegant and a little "old school," with vague hints that remind me of the austerity of a Brunello or an aged super Tuscan. The classical profile that you get in the 2018 sets this wine apart.$1,305.00
