Lungarotti, Il Pometo Pinot Grigio

Il Pometo is a white wine from the region of Umbria in Italy.  The vintage 2019. It is made by the producer Lungarotti situated in Torgiano. Lungarotti was started in the beginning of the 1960s by Giorgio Lungarotti. Today the company is run by his daughters Chiara and Teresa. This wine consists 100% of the grape Pinot Grigio. 

This is a very good expression of Pinot Grigio. Light and fresh with notes of pear, tropical fruits and citrus. Everyyhing is well integrated and it is an excellent wine. 

Torre Di Giano 2019, White wine from Umbria

 Torre di Giano is a white wine from the region Umbria in Italy.  The vintage 2019. It is made by the producer Lungarotti situated in Torgiano. Lungarotti was started in the beginning of the 1960s by Giorgio Lungarotti. Today the company is run by his daughters Chiara and Teresa. This wine consists of the grapes Vermentino, Grechetto and Trebbiano harvested in early September. The wine is vinified in stainless steel tanks.

This wine is named after the tower today still present in Torgiano: the literal translation of the name is “Tower of Janus”. It was originally dedicated to the Roman mythological god Janus (the god of war and peace). This tower is today the symbol of the village.

The taste is of pear, citrus and some minerals. The finish is full of pear. Nice, fresh and young. Drink it young and don't wait. 

 

Four Sangiovese wines from Umbria and Tuscany

Time to catch up on some new vintages from some producers that I like.

First up is Lungarotti from Umbria in Italy. Their wine Rubesco is made from mostly Sangiovese grapes and some colorino grapes from the Torgiano area in Umbria. Compared to the 2015 and 2016 vintages  the 2018 vintage has more red berries and less black currant. A very good Sangiovese.

Antonellis Rosso di Montefalco is of the vintage 2012 and I have stored it for five years. The grapes used are 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Montepulciano. In the taste I get a lot of red cherry and some sour cherry with black currants and some tannins. This red wine can handle several years of ageing very well. Still well structured and quite powerful.


For the next two wines we move from Umbria and travel to Tuscany. Forst up is the Cold D'Orcia 2018 Rosso di Montalcino. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. This is a quite a multifaceted wine.  Red cherry and red currants first on the taste followed by blask currants and tannins in the back. Quite a long aftertaste. A very good expression of a Rosso Di Montalcino.

Last up is the Chianti Classico wine from Terreno of the vintage 2017. It is made from Sangiovese grapes and a little Merlot grapes. In the taste I get red cherry, red currant and some violet. Some smooth tannins in the back. Better than the 2013 vintage.

 

Bocale Montefalco Rosso and Villa Poggio Salvi Caspagnolo

Bocale is a producer in Montefalco, Umbria. The Valentini family created the Bocale winery in 2002. This winery produces several different wines such a Sagrantino di Montefalco and Montefalco Rosso. For their Montefalco Rosso the following grapes are used, 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot and 5% Colorino. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2017. The wine is aged in Bottis and Barriques for 12 months before being bottled. In the taste I get black pepper, dark sour cherry, some blackberry and tannins. Very well integrated and the taste is very good. Yet again a wine from Montefalco delivers. And as always I would recommend to visit Umbria, one of the hidden gems of Italy.

The next wine is the wine Caspagnolo from producer Villa Poggio Salvi. This wine is from the Chianti Colli Sienesi. I have tasted one wine from Villa Poggio Salvi earlier and that was their Brunello di Montalcino. So it will be interesting to see how a non Brunello tastes. This is a Chianti wine and the grape composition is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This is a nice light red wine. I get cherry, some strawberry and some tannins in the end. Very good and it looks like Villa Poggio Salvi delivers all across the board.

Two older red wines, Tancredi 2012 and Adanti Sagrantino di Montefalco 2008

Two older red wines from Italy. First is the wine Tancredi from the Sicilian producer Donnafugata. The vintage is 2012 and the ABV is 13,5%. It is made of several grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Nero d'Avola, Tannat and several other varieties. It has been aged 14 months in a barrel before being bottled. The taste is deep and I get leather, oak, black currant and some dark cherry. This is a lovely wine that is very well structured and is complex and elegant. So far Donnafugata has not produced a wine which I have not loved.

The next wine is a Sagrantino di Montefalco from the producer Adanti in Umbria. It is made of 100% Sagrantino grapes. The ABV is 14,5% and the vintage is 2008. It has been aged in casks for two years before being bottled and then it has been aged in the bottle for 10 years before being opened. But still after 12 years of ageing this wine is very strong. A lot of cherry, plum, black currants and some leather tones with strong but balanced tannins at the end. Excellent wine from Adanti

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Ziggurat, Montefalco Rosso from Lunelli

The wine Ziggurat from Tenute Lunelli, which is an Italian wine producer in Italy and they have estates in Tuscany, Trentino and Umbria. Their Umbria estate is called Tenuta Castelbuono and is near Montefalco. Their wine Ziggurat is a Montefalco Rosso and contains 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and the rest 15% is Cabernet and Merlot. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2015. I tasted this wine 18 moths ago and I wrote that I thought that the would become better with a few more years of ageing so let us see how 18 extra months of ageing has treated the wine.
In the taste I still get the black currants, dark cherries and the strong tannins but also some tones of tobacco now and I feel that the various elements of the wine has been better integrated. I wonder how it will be in yet another 18 months? A very good wine with storage capability and interesting to follow this over the years.

Thre red wines from Italy, Lungarotti , Mandrarossa and Vajra

The first red wine is from Producer Lungarotti in Umbria. It is called Rubesco and is of the vintage 2016. This is a wine that I have tried several other vintages before. In the taste I get dark cherries and black currants. The 2016 vintage is slightly better than the 2015 for me. A good buy.

Next up the the producer Mandrarossa from Sicily in Italy. The wine s called Frappato Costadune and it is made of 100% Frappato grapes. Frappato is an Italian red wine grape that is mostly grown in Sicily. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV is 13%. In the taste I get raspberry, strawberries and viols. A good nice easydrinking wine.

The last wine is from producer G.D. Vajra in Piemonte, Italy. It is the red wine Langhe Rosso and is a mix of the grapes from the Lange region such as Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto and small amounts of Albarossa, Freisa, Pinot noir. The vintage is 2017 and the ABV 13,5%. I get dark cherry and black currants with some earthy notes and tannins in the back. A very good Langhe Rosso from producer G.D. Vajra.

Montefalco rosso from Colsanto and Dolcetto d'Ovada from Tachino

One of my favourite wineregions in Italy is Montefalco in Umbria, especially their Montefalco Rosso and the Sagrantino di Montefalco. These wine can be quite strong but balanced by a lot of flavour. This time I am tasting a Montefalco Rosso from a producer that I have never tasted anything from before, the producer is Colsanto. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2014. The grapes used are Sagrantino and Sangiovese. This wine has a lot of red and dark berries on the nose. There is deep structured tannins which linger for a long time and combines well with the dark cherries and black currants in the taste. This is a very good wine which I think that will age well for a couple of more years gaining more complexity. But beware, It is a very strong wine.

Next wine is made from one of the lesser known red grape varieties from Piemonte, namely Dolcetto. The wine is Dolcetto D'Ovada from producer Tachino. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 14%. In the taste I get black berries, viol, plum and some black currant. A very nice Dolcetto that shows that Dolcetto is under appreciated grape.

Two red wines from Adanti in Montefalco

Cantina Adanti is a family owned winery near Montefalco in Umbria, Italy. This winery started in the sixties and nowadays they own 40 hectars of land of which 30 is used for vineyards. They make several wines, both red and white wines. When I visited Umbria in 2016 I bought several of their wines typical of the region. One each of their Montefalco Rosso, and Montefalco Rosso Riserva. Both of these winetypes must contain 60-70% Sangiovese, 10-15% Sagrantino and the rest of the grapes can be any red grape variety. For the Montefalco Rosso it must be aged for 18 months before being sold, while for the riserva it has to be stored for 30 months being sold with at least 12 months in wood.

First up is the Montefalco Rosso from 2011. It has an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grape composition: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 5% barbera, 5% merlot, 5% cabernet. This is a rich red wine with some strong tannins. In the taste I have cherries, some earthy notes and rich black currants. Very good but you need some strong food with it.

Next up is the Montefalco Rosso Riserva from 2011 with an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grapes: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 15% merlot. On the nose a lot of cherry. The taste is of dark cherry and some black currant with some plum and some lingering tannins. Very good and feels very elegant. I could have mistaken this for a very good Brunello in a blind tasting. This is a wine which would have been fun to have 12 bottles of and drink one each year just to follow the progress of the wine.

Two very good wines from Cantina Adanti. Both highly recommended.

Three Sangiovese based red wines from Italy

Sangiovese is a fabulous grape and I had the chance to try three red wines that uses the Dangiovese grapes from Tuscany, Umbria and Emila-Romagna.

First out is the Spezieri wine from producer Col d'Orcia in Tuscany. It is a blend of mostly Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2016. From 2013 this wine is organically made. I get red fruits on the nose which is typically for a Sangiovese wine. I get a taste of cherries, black currants and some spiciness. Some tannins in the finish. A good wine.

Next we go to Tuscanys neighbour, namely Umbria. The green heart of Italy. Here we find a Montefalco Rosso from producer Lungarotti. For this wine the grapes Sangiovese, Merlot and Sagrantino is used. Here at least 60-70% Sangiovese must be used and between 10-15% Sagrantino and the rest other grapes. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2014. This is a big and powerful wine. Dry and strong tannins with dark sour cherries and earthy notes. Definitely some tobacco in the back. This wine needs food. After tasting it I would give it 2-3 more years of ageing before drinking it. Good now but with a couple of more years of storage I think it will be even better.

Finally we go to Tuscany and Umbrias northern neighbour Emilia-Romagna. Here we find the wine Ora from producer San Patrignano. It is a Romagna Sangiovese superiore from 2015 with and ABV of 14%. This wine contains only 100% Sangiovese. The taste is of dark cherries and black currants with some harsher tannins. This needs more time in storage before it gains it full potential. Like the Montefalco Rosso wine above, good now but will be even better in two years time.

Three white wines from Central and Northern Italy

The wine Lunae Etichetta Grigia I have tried the previous vintage but 2017 is the new vintage on sale now. It is a Vermentino wine from producer Paolo Bosoni in Liguria. The ABV is 12,5% and the vintage is 2017.  The taste is smooth fresh and aromatic with pears and citrus. yet another very good vintage yet again.

Next up is a white wine from producer Lungarotti in Umbria. I have tried several red wines from Lungarotti but never a white wine from them. The wine is Torre Di Giano from 2017. It is made of the grapes Vermentino, Grechetto and Trebbiano, the ABV is 12,5%. The taste is of pears and citrus. It is young and a fresh wine, perfect for warm summerdays.

The last wine is a wine from South Tyrol or Alto Adige. It is a Pinot Grigio wine from producer Santa Margherita in the DOC Valadige. The vintage is 2016 and ABV is 12,5%. The taste is fresh slightly mineralic apples and citrus. A good pinot Grigio and it has been years since I drank this wine from this producer.

Three Sangiovese from Italy

Three different Sangiovese blends from three different regions in the central Italy wine growing regions. Let's start with the northern most region which is Emilia-Romagna. Here the producer Nespoli makes a Romagna Sangiovse Superiore Riserva wine made of 100% Sangiovese grapes. The vintage is 2013 and the ABV is 13,5%. I find this wine to be very full bodied oaky wine with a taste of tobacco and dark cherries. A very good wine which will become better with a couple of years storage.

Next we move south to Tuscany and the wine la Bestia Governo which are made from the grapes Sangiovese and Colorino. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 14%. I get red fruits on the nose and the taste is of red cherries, vanilla and some coffee. A nice rich fruity wine. Almost ripasso like in the style.

The last wine we find in Tuscany's south eastern neighbour Umbria. The Montefalco Rosso from producer Arnaldo Caprai I have tried before but this time it is their new vintage from 2016. It consists of 70% Sangiovese grapes, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. It is strong with cherries with spice and tannins. Almost tastes like the 2015 vintage but I think that this vintage won't get much better with storage, very good to drink right now.

Umbria, the region of good red wines

Umbria in Italy may not be that known but it is a very good wine producing wine region. Beautiful landscapes and the rolling green hills and not so many tourists.

Several of the wines I review here I have tried earlier but there are some new vintages for sale.

First up is a lighter red wine from the producer Lungarotti in Torgiano. It is a Rosso di Torgiano DOC wine consisting of Sangiovese and Colorino grapes. The vintage is 2012 and the ABV is 13,5%.  I get red fruits on the nose. Cherries and black currants in the taste with soft smooth tannins that linger in the mouth. This one is better than the 2015 vintage that I have tried. This is a wine that gains by storing it for a couple of years. A wine that is very good year from year.

Next up is Arnaldo Caprais Rosso di Montefalco of the vintage 2015. Now it has been stored for another year so let's see how it is. The ABV is 2015 it is a combination of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and some Merlot grapes. This wine is strong with cherries, tannins and spices. It could be stored for several more years before drinking. A good wine now and will last for several more years in the cellar. The vintage 2016 is now available to buy.

The third wine is from producer Sportoletti and this wine focuses on the international grape varieties merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. the grape blend is as the following: Merlot 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Cabernet Franc 10%. The name is Villa Fidelia Rosso and the grapes are grown on the Spello and Assisi hills. The ABV is 15%. This is quite a heavy wine. Strong taste with tobacco, dark cherries and black currants. Should be stored a couple of more years before drinking.  After aerating the wine it got smoother and more black currants. This confirms that this wine should be stored for a longer time. A good wine today and will be even better in a few years time.

Brunello Di Montalcino and onwards to Umbria

It is always good to taste a Brunello di Montalcino and I do it too seldom. This bottle from producer Bartoli Giusti I bought myself when I was in Montalcino in 2016.

It is a Brunello di Montalcino from 2011 and the ABV is 14%. The grape is 100% Sangiovese which is grown on a height of 300 meters. In the taste I get cherries, some black currants and liquorice with well structured tannins. The taste lingers in the mouth afterwards. A well structured wine and a bit lighter than I expected.

From Tuscany I go to the green neighbour Umbria. Here the producer Cantina Monte Vibiano is a new acquaintance. They are situated near Perugia and they are also have eliminated greenhouse gas emission in their production of wine. Their red wine Villa Monte Vibiano is a younger Sangiovese majority blend which are produced from the younger Sangiovese grapes in their vineyard. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This wine has a good red fruity nose. In the taste I get red cherries, red currants and some soft tannins. A younger wine but a good Sangiovese based blend.

Two Italian red wines

In this review I will visit Tuscany and Umbria.

Tenute Lunelli is an Italian wine producer in Italy and they have estates in Tuscany, Trentino and Umbria. Their Umbria estate is called Tenuta Castelbuono and is near Montefalco. Their wine Ziggurat is a Montefalco Rosso and contains 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and the rest 15% is Cabernet and Merlot. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2015.There is a strong smell of dark fruits In the taste I get dark currants, spices and dark chocolate with strong tannins that integrates well. A good wine that will become better with a few more years of aging.

The last wine is Vernaiolo from producer Rocca della Macie from Tuscany. It is a Chianti wine and contains 85% Sangiovese, 10% Caniola Nero and 5% Merlot. The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2015. I find it to be a light fruity Chianti with some red fruits and some tannins in the end. The wine for for food when you want an easy drinking wine.

Torlasco Barbaresco versus Umbrian red wine

For the second time in my life I tried a Barbaresco. It is the wine Torlasco of the vintage 2011 and the ABV is 14%. When trying to find information about this wine I find the following: "Torlasco is a line of wines born to satisfy the most exclusive markets and customers." This does not sound so good but in the end it is the taste that matters. The grape is 100% Nebbiolo and the grapes have been grown in the Barbaresco area of Piemonte. I find a lot of red berries on the nose. The taste is of black currants, tobacco and some violets. Some harsh tannins in the aftertaste. It is a decent wine but I expect more from a Barbaresco. I think this has been made for American tastes.

Next up is a wine from Umbria in Italy. It is from producer Cantina Roccafiore and the wine is called Rosso Melograno. The grapes is Sangiovese and Montepulciano and the vintage is 2013. ABV is 12,5%. The nose is full of light red berries. The taste is of red currants, raspberry with some herbs like sage. Nice easy wine, not so complex but clear flavours.

Lamborghini centianni bottle and Sud Negroamoro

Lamborghini, that name brings a vision of cars. But when travelling in the sixties in Umbria, Ferruccio Lamborghini fell in love with the landscape and bought a winery there and abandoned car making. The winery Tenuta Lamborghini is situated on the edge of Lago Trasimeno and I have the fortune to taste their white wine Centanni, which is a 100 year anniversery bottling of Ferruccio Lamborghini birth. It is made of 100% Grechetto grapes. The taste if lemon and grapefruits with a big hit of acidity, definitely not for everyone. But it is a great food wine, I had it with fish and it went very well together. Buy one if you want to experience Lamborghini without ruining yourself.

Going to the south of Italy we find Puglia. Here there is a red grape called Negroamoro, this grape produces great wine. Sud from producer Cantina San Marzano is made of 100% Negroamoro and has an abv of 13,5%. The vintage is 2015. This wine has a good smell. This wine is young and one can feel it in the taste. It is red fruits, cherries and tannins. The aftertaste is of dark chocolate.  I quite like the young untamed character of this wine. Goes very well with food.

Castello Banfi vs Lungarotti

Castello Banfi is the biggest producer of Brunello di Montalcino wines in Tuscany while Lungarotti is a big producer in Umbria. So here I will try a Brunello versus a cheap normal Umbrian wine from Lungarotti.

I read that Castello Banfi produces 10% of all Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany. The Brunello that I have is from 2008. So nine years of age at this date in 2017. The colour is a bit darker than previous Brunellos that I have had before. The taste is powerful but I am lacking an elegance. Dark cherries and red currants but a lot of tannins and oak. Not yet structured and feels like it would need six to seven more years of ageing. But will it bring elegance? Don't know. Feels like a wine that has been made to please Parker.

The Cadetto from Lungarotti is from 2014 and it only says that it contains traditional Umbrian grapes. Which probably means anything that grows in Umbria and a big possibility that a big part is Sangiovese. This is a much lighter red wine than the Brunello. Easy drinking and a taste of red berries and liquorice. Enjoyable and nice.

In this contest Lungarotti wins a clear victory. The Castello Banfis Brunello is to much tannins and oak for me. I have had much better Brunellos than Castellos Banfis.

Wine from Marco Donati and Lungarotti

In Italy there are so many grape varieties and in the northern region of Alto Adige there are many that are indigenous to the region. When I hear the grape name Teroldego I always think of Alto Adige. And the origin of this grape is clouded in mystery but some its relatives are Syrah and Pinot Nero.

Producer Marco Donati makes a wine Teroldego Rotaliano, I have sampled the vintage 2015. This wine is made of 100% Teroldego grapes from the Mezzacorona-Campo Rotalino wineyards. The ABV is 13%. The colour is ruby red. The aroma of the wine is rich and intense. The taste is dry, dark fruits and cherries. It is rich and intense. A very good wine.

Going down to Umbria there are certain grapes that are only common here. One of them is the grape Grechetto. This is one of the grapes in the wine Torre Di Giano Vigna il Pino from producer Lungarotti. It contains the grapes Grechetto and Trebbiano. It is of the vintage 2010 so it is a white wine that can be stored for a very long time. The ABV is 13%. The nose is very good. The taste is deep and fruity. Some acidity with a bit of grapefruit in the aftertaste. This is definitely a food wine. A rare white wine that can be aged for a long time. Lungarotti produces so many good wines.

Birthday and wine from Montefalco

For my birthday I always try to celebrate with good food and wine. This year I choose wine and food from Italy and especially Umbria. All the wine were from Umbria and from the town of Montefalco. The town Montefalco is famous for their Sagrantino ´grapes that are used in the Montefalco wine. Sagrantino is a grape that is indigenous to Umbria and has a very high tannic level. First up for the evening were the the Montefalco Rosso DOC wine Cocchino from producer Podere Castorani and the vintage 2006. The taste is of spices and richness with huge tannins that are well structured. A very good wine.
Next up were the Sagrantino Di Montefalco DOGC wine from producer Cantina Fratelli Pardi and the vintage 2011. This wine is made with 100% Sagrantino. Like the previous wine one can feel the tannins and in this wine they are even stronger but the tannins are very well structured and the taste goes very well together. One could always store this wine for several years. An excellent wine.
The last wine were the Sagrantino Di Montefalco DOGC passito wine from Cantina Fratelli Pardi from 2010. This passito wine is quite a rarity and is very hard to find outside of Umbria. This wine is spicy, sweet but still a bit tannic and is very interesting. A lovely passito wine that is a must if one can buy it.

And if you happen to be in Umbria. Take the chance to visit Montefalco as it is a lovely small medieval town.