Do you think of wine when you consider a holiday in Italy? Looking for ideas of which wineries to explore in Umbria, Italy?
Umbria might not be famous for its wines and wine tours like its neighbour Tuscany, but that has more to do with marketing and not a lack of quality. And with a lack of fame, comes some great prices.
Umbria is full of award-winning red and white wines. There are organic wineries, historic wineries and experimental wineries all over Umbria.
So where should you start? Probably with a question like, do you prefer whites or reds? That can dictate a bit in which area you should visit.
And you’ll know what to expect from the local wines in Perugia or Orvieto.
In the south, around Orvieto, they’re well known for their white wine. In the center, Montefalco, the big bold red called Sagrantino is king. Head to the northeast for the Gamay of Trasimeno. And Torgiano, between Perugia and Assisi, enjoy a lighter red wine made with Sangiovese grapes.
Here are the wineries in Umbria Italy, or cantinas, that have tours in beautiful settings with great wine.
The Best Wineries in Umbria: Lake Trasimeno, in the northeast.
The hills of Trasimeno, or Colli del Trasimeno, are known for their local Gamay, not like the French grape.
Other vineyards that I like to visit are: Beroli and Castello di Magione. Beroli has some stellar wines, Castello di Magione has a stellar castle.
1 Agraria Carini
Close to one of my favourite mountains hikes, Monte Tezio, this is a beautiful estate with great organic wines and oils.
If you have good walking shoes, spend the morning going up Monte Tezio and then head to Agraria Carini for lunch and a wine tasting?
They even make their own honey, cheeses and cured meats.
Website: http://www.agrariacarini.it/en/
Address and phone number: Strada Del Tegolaro, 2 Fraz. Canneto 06133 Colle Umberto Perugia (+39) 347 630 37 81 info@agrariacarini.it
Organic? Yes.
Cost: from 6 euros and up
My favourite wine: Oscana, their Trasimeno red and Poggio Caneto. I haven’t tried their Role yet.
Olive oil? Yes.
Tours? Yes.
2 Pucciarella
One of those idyllic spots that just takes your breath away. All you see is rolling hills full of vines and olive trees. Well, that and the swimming pool for guests. The building is a well preserved, what seems to be, castle.
You can’t see the lake, it’s very close to the cute town of Corciano. If driving, I’d consider leaving Perugia, spending a morning strolling around Corciano, a wine tasting at Pucciarella and then head to Lake Trasimeno for the afternoon.
Website: https://www.pucciarella.it/index_en.php
Address and phone number: 075/8409147 – email info@pucciarella.it
Organic? No
Cost: bottles start at 4 euros.
My favourite wine: red: Berlingero and white: Arsiccio I also like the sparkling Rose.
Olive oil? Yes.
Tours? Yes. You can also stay on the property. The swimming pool makes that idea very enticing.
The Best Wineries in Umbria: Torgiano, southwest of Perugia.
In Umbria, Torgiano area is known for their light red wines, most have a high percentage of the Sangiovese grape in them.
The Torgiano red is an easy flexible wine that pairs well with most food and you could easily have a glass as an aperitivo.
3. Terre Margaritelli
I’ve only recently been introduced to this winery, but it’s a fully organic vineyard with some great wines.
Website: https://www.terremargaritelli.com/home-4-2.html
Address and phone number: Miralduolo di Torgiano (PG) t. : 075 7824668 e-mail: info@terremargaritelli.com
Organic? Yes.
Cost: 12 and up.
My favourite wine: I’ve only tried their whites so far. Both are good. Looking forward to trying the reds soon.
Olive oil? No, not that I can find.
Tour? They have tastings, you just have to book ahead.
4 Lungoratti
The first commercial cantina in Umbria, it was set up in the early 60s. Now run by the founders daughters, this might be the biggest production in Umbria. Which isn’t saying much.
Umbria is small towns surrounded by farms. They’ve always made wine for themselves, and maybe family and friends.
Lungoratti have wines for every budget. I love their Novello (new wine) which is available from November till January.
They also run a museum about Umbria’s wines.
Website: https://lungarotti.it/eng/
Address and phone number: Viale G. Lungarotti 2 – 06089 Torgiano (PG) lungarotti@lungarotti.it +39 075 988661
Organic? partial
Cost: Wines begin at around 3 euros and go up.
My favourite wine: They have a lot. The cheap red (Cadetto) is a steal. You can’t beat the price. What would I try? The Rubesco.
Olive oil? No.
Tour? Yes. https://lungarotti.it/eng/torgiano-tour-tasting/
The Best Wineries in Umbria: Montefalco, the town of great reds.
Montefalco is blessed with a concentration of high quality wineries. Many are organic, or biologico, and win awards the world over.
Here you’ll find the Sagrantino grape. Unlike Torgiano, this is the hill of big bodied reds. A Sagrantino red wine with the most tannins of any wine.
You’ll want to enjoy it with a rich meaty dish like wild boar, or maybe some lentils from Castelluccio.
You could spend a week in Montefalco, or my favourite Bevagna, and go to 2 new wineries everyday and still not see and try them all!
Montefalco is blessed with a concentration of high quality wineries. Many are organic, or biologico, and win awards the world over.
Many people will suggest going to Arnaldo Caprai. He was the one that breathed new life into this grape back in the 1970s. But now a days there are options for wineries that create spectacular Sagrantino di Montefalco. My favourite, which I didn’t add to the list, is Milziade Antano Fattoria Colleallodole.
Forget Chianti. You’ll get more value, better quality wines here.
And without the tourists.
5. Fongoli
This winery is taking wines to a whole new level. They practice biodynamics (which is a step up from organic) and consider everything. It’s a beautiful spot, and you’ll love their wines.
Website: http://www.fongoli.com/en
Address and phone number: Loc. S. Marco, 67 06036 Montefalco (PG) info@fongoli.com +39 335 309331
Organic? Yes, with some wines being biodynamic.
Cost: 10 to 50 euros
My favourite wine: It’s all good. But the reds will blow your mind.
Olive oil? Yes.
Tours: yes http://www.fongoli.com/en/degustazioni
6. Romanelli
While most wineries in Umbria Italy are family run, this one you just feel the whole family is involved. Very nice people who care greatly for nature, you can even do some bird watching with them!
Website: Romanelli
Address and phone number: Agricola Romanelli Colle San Clemente 129/A 06036 Montefalco PG Umbria Italia info@romanelli.se +39 0742371245
Organic? Yes.
Cost: 10 euros and up
My favourite wine: I enjoy all of them!
Olive oil? Yes.
Tour: Yes. No car or time? Find their store in the center of Montefalco http://www.romanelli.se/store-greghetto.html
Or make an appointment and head to their home and business http://www.romanelli.se/store-greghetto.html
7. Valdangius
A tasting here and you’ll be blessed with home cured meats, cheeses and cookies. It’s a treat.
Website: http://www.cantinavaldangius.it They have English and Italian combined on their site.
Address and phone number: Via Case Sparse 84, 06036 valdangius@gmail.com Cell. +39 333 495 3595
Organic? Yes.
Cost: Starting at 12 euros.
My favourite wine: All great wines, but I think they might have my favourite version of the white Trebbiano Spoletino.
Olive oil? Yes.
Tours. Yes, but I can’t find anything on their site.
The Best Wineries in Umbria: Orvieto, the southeast of Umbria.
So big bodied reds don’t float your boat? Then head to Orvieto, admire the cathedral and enjoy the crisp white wine: Orvieto Classico and Orvieto DOP.
It grows in volcanic soil and is light and dry. You might not even need snacks to enjoy a glass.
8. Cantina Zanchi
The Zanchi family have been making wine and olive oil for 3 generations.
Website: Cantina Zanchi
Address and phone number: SP8 Amelia-Orte Km 4,610 05022 Amelia – TR (Italy)
Organic? Yes!
Cost: 12 euros and up
My favourite wine: This is the first wine I tried made with Ciliegiolo grapes. It was amazing!
Olive oil? Yes.
Tour? Yes. You’ll need to book 3 days in advance. They aren’t open on Sundays and holidays.
9. Decugnano dei Barbi
I found out about this winery from instagram. The modern world. And their wines are as good as the photos they take.
Website: https://www.decugnanodeibarbi.com/en/
Address and phone number: Località Fossatello, 50, 05018 Orvieto TR 0763 308255
Organic? Not sure if they’re certified, but they don’t use insecticides or chemical fertilizer.
Cost: 6 to 35 euros
My favourite wine: I’m a sucker for a sparkling wine (you may have noticed I’ve always tried those….) and they made the first in Umbria! I had one for my birthday.
Olive oil? Yes.
Tours? Yes, they have tours, wine tastings and cooking classes. But book ahead.
So which wineries in Umbria Italy will you visit?
If I had a favourite I might say Agri Segretum. Not on the list, it’s directly south of Perugia, about a 30 minute drive.
Interested in learning the basics of Italian wine before coming to Italy? I’ve written a post about everything you need to know here.
Please leave a comment about your favourite Umbrian wines and wineries to visit or email me if you have questions: katy@katyinumbria.com
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