The Luxury Report

Lugana DOC Wines

Marisa DVari — Tue, 26 May 2026 18:55:20 +0000

Lugana DOC Wines

Quick question: When you think of a refreshing summer white wines, do you reach for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or an unoaked Chardonnay.

Great choices.

Yet one of northern Italy’s most quietly compelling white wines remains surprisingly under the radar: Lugana.

I was reminded of this during a fascinating masterclass organized by Gambero Rosso featuring six Lugana producers from the shores of Lake Garda.

What struck me most about Lugana wine was the freshness and versatility of the wines. Yet more than that, the diversity of each producer’s interpretation despite working with the same grape variety.

The Lugana DOC

Lugana DOC stretches across a picturesque area near southern Lake Garda, spanning parts of Lombardy and Veneto.

Lake Garda is one of the key vacation spots of northern Italy, and oen of the reasons the wines from this region became so popular.

Although many consumers still associate the wine with names like Trebbiano di Lugana or Trebbiano di Soave, local producers proudly refer to the grape as Turbiana.

Wines from the Turbiana grape are known for their bright acidity, mineral tension, and subtle saline quality. This makes them especially appealing in the warm weather of summer.

The Unique Bottle Shapes

One unexpected detail from the masterclass was the variety of bottle shapes.

Some producers opted for sleek, tall bottles while others used shorter, more sculptural designs.

It may seem like a small detail, but together they reflected the individuality and personality of each estate.

The producers themselves also brought warmth and energy to the tasting. Virtual masterclasses can sometimes feel impersonal.

Yet hearing winemakers discuss their vineyards, soils, and philosophies directly added an intimacy that is often difficult to achieve during large trade tastings.

History of Lugana

Historically, Lugana has deep roots. According to lore, ancient Romans enjoyed wines from this area long before Lugana became officially recognized in 1967 as Lombardy’s first DOC wine appellation.

Why Lugana is so Compelling

What makes these wines particularly compelling today is their balance between freshness and texture.

Many of these Lugana wines feature aromas and flavors ranging from citrus and herbs to green olive. Even wet stone.

You will often find a subtle salty edge that makes the wines incredibly food friendly.

Why Soils are Key

A major influence comes from the region’s dense mineral-rich clay soils of glacial origin.

These compact soils naturally limit vine vigor and help produce concentrated fruit while preserving acidity.

Several producers stood out during the tasting.

Tommasi presented a polished and refined
Lugana aged on lees in stainless steel. While Pasini San Giovanni emphasized sustainability and organic farming practices near Lake Garda.

Marangona showcased the influence of calcareous clay soils through a particularly mineral-driven style, and Perla Del Garda demonstrated how extended lees aging can create greater texture and complexity.

Personal Notes

What I personally love about Lugana is that it offers something slightly unexpected.

It has the refreshing character people often seek in summer whites, yet with more texture and savory complexity than many standard warm-weather wines.

These are wines that pair beautifully with grilled fish, seafood pasta, lake cuisine, and long outdoor lunches.

They also work wonderfully as an apéritif, particularly on hot summer evenings.

Most importantly, Lugana represents the joy of discovering a wine region that still feels relatively undiscovered outside serious wine circles.

Closing Thoughts about Lugana Wines

In a world where many wine drinkers rotate endlessly between familiar grape varieties, Lugana offers a refreshing reminder that some of Italy’s most rewarding wines are still waiting quietly beyond the mainstream.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on A Wine Story and has been updated for The Luxury Report.

Marisa DVari

Marisa D'Vari, DipWSET is founder and publisher of TheLuxuryReport.com. She recently obtained her OIV MSc diploma in Wine Business Management and contributes to Forbes.com, Financial Times, World of Fine Wine, Quarterly Review of Wine, Decanter Robb Report, San Francisco Chronicle, South China Morning Post , and more. She holds the (WSET) diploma, Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, a Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators ... to see it all, please click on bio

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San Salvatore 1988 Lunch

Marisa DVari — Fri, 15 May 2026 04:13:42 +0000

San Salvatore

San Salvatore 1988 Brings the Spirit of Cilento to Manhattan

It was a pleasure to Giuseppe Pagano, owner of San Salvatore 1988 winery, at the elegant Audace Ristorante on Manhattan’s Park Avenue South.

Dressed in the style of a successful Italian hotelier in a tailored jacket and open-collar shirt, he gave me and other wine journalists an introduction to his winery.

San Salvatore 1988 is his organically farmed estate in the Cilento region of Campania near Paestum and the Amalfi Coast.

In his presentation, Signore Pagano explained it was ‘easy’ for the grapes to be farmed in a sustainable fashion because the vineyard was near the sea and there was a lot of wind that kept mildew at bay.

Signore Pagano’s words moved easily between Italian and English. Yet the language almost seemed secondary to the emotion behind them.

Pagano founded San Salvatore in 2006 after a successful career in hospitality. The winery is named for his firstborn son, Salvatore, born in 1988.

Despite his background operating luxury hotels including the Hotel Savoy and Hotel Esplanade, Pagano spoke less like a businessman and more like a custodian of the land.

Through the course of his presentation, Signore Pagano spoke of his dedication to sustainability and respect for nature.

Located in the Cilento National Park, San Salvatore benefits from a remarkably favorable environment for viticulture.

Strong coastal winds, abundant sunshine, and the influence of the nearby sea create healthy vineyard conditions that reduce the need for chemical intervention.

The wine estate farms organically across vineyards, olive groves, fruit orchards, and land supporting hundreds of water buffalo used for mozzarella and dairy production.

Sustainability at San Salvatore goes well beyond buzzwords. Pagano described the estate’s biodigesters, which convert buffalo manure into green energy used to help power the property.

The operation also includes olive production, yogurt, and mozzarella made from the estate’s own buffalo milk.

The wines themselves, however, delivered the strongest positive argument for the estate’s philosophy.

The lunch opened with the Vetere 2024 IGP Campania Rosato, a rosé made entirely from Aglianico, Campania’s famously structured red grape.

Normally associated with deeply tannic, ageworthy reds, Aglianico is not the first variety many drinkers would associate with rosé. Yet the wine’s brief maceration, only about twenty minutes on the skins, transformed the grape into something unexpectedly refined.

Fresh, vibrant, and substantial enough to stand up to food, the Vetere was one of the afternoon’s biggest surprises.

Rather than producing a lightweight summer rosé, San Salvatore created a wine with texture, personality, and underlying structure. All while avoiding the aggressive tannins normally associated with the grape.

Next came the Falanghina 2023 IGP Campania Falanghina, followed by the standout white of the afternoon, the Pian di Stio 2021 IGP Paestum Fiano.

Pagano spoke about the Pian di Stio vineyard almost as if discussing a living companion.

It is a place, he explained, where he goes to think and reflect. The emotional attachment was unmistakable.

The wine itself carried remarkable freshness for a 2021 vintage, combining energy, longevity, and depth. Pagano noted that when the grapes from this vineyard are pressed, the juice retains a striking green hue — a sign, in his view, of vitality and aging potential unique to that site.

In a region famous for ancient Greek and Roman winemaking history, the wine felt like a bridge between Campania’s past and future.

The reds that followed demonstrated another side of San Salvatore’s identity.

The Jungano 2021 IGP Paestum Aglianico showed the grape’s youthful structure and energy, but it was the Omaggio a Gillo Dorfles bottlings that fully captured the table’s attention.

Named after the famed Italian critic and intellectual Gillo Dorfles, the wines are San Salvatore’s flagship expression of Aglianico.

The 2017 vintage, in particular, stood out for its harmony and polish. Aglianico often demands patience, and the additional year of bottle age appeared to have integrated the tannins beautifully.

The wine showed balanced acidity, smooth texture, and impressive length without losing the grape’s essential character. Aged in French oak, it delivered both power and restraint.

Throughout the afternoon, one theme remained constant: Pagano’s belief that true richness comes not from money, but from land.

That philosophy seemed embedded in every aspect of San Salvatore 1988 — from the organic vineyards and renewable energy systems to the emotional connection between the owner and the landscape itself.

In an era when sustainability is often treated as marketing language, San Salvatore presented a deeply personal vision of stewardship expressed through wine.

Marisa DVari

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Goretti Winery Montefalco

Marisa DVari — Fri, 01 May 2026 18:19:28 +0000

Goretti Winery Montefalco

The Goretti winery is based just outside Perugia. Yet for this tasting during the three-day A Montefalco experience the two active daughters of the estate came to Montefalco.

The tasting was conducted in a small enoteca on an ancient Montefalco street. It contained one front room lined with bottles, a refrigerated counter of cheeses and cured meats, and lots of wine bottles.

A dozen journalists stood shoulder to shoulder with glasses while the Goretti sisters presented their wines.

The choice of venue underlined the practical reality of central Umbria. Perugia and Montefalco belong to the same wine story, but they are far enough apart that bringing the wines to town saves time for people with tight schedules.

Sisters Sara and Giulia Goretti represent the fourth generation of the family and are the public faces of the estate abroad.

They handle much of the international promotion, traveling, pouring at events.

Other members of their immediate family remain involved in the day‑to‑day work at the winery.

At this tasting, both sisters spoke and showcased their wines. The format was simple and efficient: brief introductions, wine in the glass, a few key points about each bottle, and then space for the group to taste.

The wine lineup was what you would expect from a producer straddling Perugia and Montefalco.

There were whites, clean and straightforward, a clear entry into the range. Middle tier Montefalco Rosso reds showed the more approachable, everyday face of the estate.

And of course a Sagrantino to top it off, giving the group a sense of how the Goretti portfolio extends from hills around Perugia into the Sagrantino zone.

The emphasis was on a quick overview rather than a deep dive into individual denominations or vineyards.

What made the tasting stand out was not a specific wine, but one object: the family cookbook.

The sisters passed around a volume of their grandmother’s recipes, printed in multiple languages.

The book exists because so many visitors to the Perugia tasting room asked for those recipes that the family decided to collect and translate them.

In the Montefalco enoteca, this cookbook served as a physical link between wine and the broader culture of the estate.

While the sisters spoke about vineyards and labels, the book quietly illustrated another part of their identity: a household that has been cooking and pouring in the same region for generations, now translating that history for an international audience.

The atmosphere matched the practical format: efficient, friendly, and informative.

There was no elaborate staging—just two sisters in a compact neighborhood shop, presenting their family’s wines to a small group of writers who had been spared the drive up to the Perugia hills.

The shop itself, likely used for many different purposes over the centuries, added a layer of context.

Montefalco’s old stone walls and narrow spaces hosting wines from another Umbrian hill, reminding everyone that regional boundaries are short distances in a car but long threads in the story of a family estate.

Marisa DVari

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Scacciadiavoli in Montefalco

Marisa DVari — Fri, 01 May 2026 17:46:17 +0000

Scacciadiavoli in Montefalco

Scacciadiavoli is one of the oldest and most recognizable wineries in the Montefalco area.

Its story is straightforward once you strip away the legend and practice the winery name a few times.

The name “Scacciadiavoli” means “drive out the devils.” It comes from an older local story about an exorcist who used wine as part of his work. Today the name functions mainly as a distinctive brand identity and a reminder of the winery’s long roots in the region.

The winery founder was Prince Ugo Boncompagni Ludovisi, Prince of Piombino.

He conceived the estate in 1884 as a large, technically advanced winery for its time. He wanted to create a modern wine operation in the hills around Montefalco and chose a multi‑level structure that would allow gravity to do much of the work, from grape reception at the top down through fermentation and aging levels below.

This was unusual in the late nineteenth century. The chosen location, on the border between Montefalco and Gualdo Cattaneo, gave access to slopes and soils suitable for Sagrantino and other local varieties.

Over time, the estate changed hands. The key transition came in the mid‑twentieth century, when the Pambuffetti family, who had worked there, acquired the property.

Since then, Scacciadiavoli has been a family‑run winery in the more familiar Montefalco sense: owners on site. Several generations involved, and a long‑term commitment to the vineyards and cellar.

Today, Liu and other members of the fourth generation are in charge. The focus is entirely on quality bottled wine under the Scacciadiavoli name, rather than on bulk production or other agricultural activities.

For the last handful of years, I’ve most often met family descendent Liu, a woman who started in the family business as an “intern” (the family business, like many in Montefalco, is run like a small corporation) and who now has a young daughter.

During the last visit I had asked her if she remembers her own mother recounting her experiences leading tours during her active time with the family winery. And teased Liu, that it may be her daughter’s turn next.

The winery’s layout still reflects the original gravity‑flow concept. The winery building is functional and distinctive, with thick walls, multiple levels, and a sense that production has happened in more or less the same footprint for decades.

What is “new” is the elegant space the winery uses for its many receptions and events. With favorable weather activities are often outside in the brilliant sunshine.

When you tour, you’ll notice one visible relic of the estate’s history. It is a large concrete tank, built in the early twentieth century, with the year scratched or carved into its surface. It stands as a reminder of earlier winemaking techniques, when concrete was a standard material rather than a fashionable revival.

In terms of production, Scacciadiavoli is built around Montefalco’s key appellations. Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG is the flagship, both in dry and passito forms. The dry Sagrantino is typically structured, with firm tannins and the capacity to age, in line with the grape’s reputation.

The passito, made from dried grapes, is a traditional sweet style that balances richness with tannin and acidity. Alongside Sagrantino, the estate produces Montefalco Rosso and Montefalco Rosso Riserva, based mainly on Sangiovese with supporting roles for Sagrantino.

Scacciadiavoli has a strong emphasis on food and wine pairing in the way it presents its wines. The structure of Sagrantino naturally encourages pairings with rich, savory dishes such as grilled meats, braised lamb, aged cheeses. Montefalco Rosso is positioned as more versatile, suitable for pasta, roast poultry, and everyday Umbrian cooking.

This is a ‘must visit’ winery when your tour Montefalco because of its extensive history and the fact there is always something new at the winery.

This year, the owner’s great granddaughter Liu was showcasing the cuisine of a new chef with her wines. Last year she was pairing the estate’s wines with rock music (yes, really).

A visit to Scacciadiacoli is always a pleasure and you are certainly in for a treat and an intriguing slice of Montefalco’s history.

Marisa DVari

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Valdangius Winery Montefalco

Marisa DVari — Fri, 01 May 2026 17:14:56 +0000

Valdangius Winery Montefalco

Valdangius is a small family winery in Montefalco that grew out of a traditional mixed farm.

For generations, the family raised farm animals and made simple wine. Most of it sold in bulk to a local cooperative.

The turning point came when the current owner, Daniele, decided that this model would not be the future of the property.

As a young man, he made a clear choice: close down the livestock side, stop selling anonymous grapes and bulk wine to the cooperative. Instead he would build a small estate dedicated to bottling and selling their own wines at a higher quality level.

That decision involved risk. It meant giving up multiple income streams in favor of one. Yet it gave the family business a clear direction.

The name “Valdangius” reflects this shift. It is not an old geographic or historical name, but an acronym the family created. It combines the word “valley of” with parts of the first names of the founders.

The result is a made-up word that anchors the winery to its location while also signaling that this is a new chapter in the family business.

The first years as a winery were modest in terms of infrastructure. There was no designer building and no cutting‑edge cellar. When Daniele began bottling under the Valdangius name, he worked with what he could afford.

He and the winemaker, Alessandro Meniconi, bought three used barrels from the well‑known Antonelli estate nearby.

They made use of simple plastic fermentation containers. An important note is that they chose to start with white wines.

The reason is that whites could be vinified and released more quickly than structured reds. The sales helped generate the cash needed to support the transition away from livestock and bulk sales.

Both Daniele and Alessandro are now experienced in their roles, and they share the responsibility for the style and direction of the wines.

Daniele brings the perspective of someone who grew up on a working farm in Montefalco, with a clear understanding of the local land, climate, and the practical realities of agriculture. Alessandro, who also grew up in the Montefalco area as the son of a wine businessman, has long exposure to the commercial side of the wine world.

Their collaboration combines local roots with an awareness of how Montefalco wines are perceived beyond the region.

This shared approach is particularly visible in the way Valdangius handles Montefalco Sagrantino.

The grape is known for its deep color, high tannins, and long aging potential. Many producers historically emphasized maximum structure and longevity, resulting in wines that were impressive but often required years of cellaring and heavy meat dishes to show their best.

At Valdangius, the aim is different. The goal is to make Sagrantino that retains the grape’s identity—its structure, depth, and capacity to age—but is more approachable in its early and medium years and more flexible at the table.

Fortunato, the estate’s Sagrantino, is the practical expression of this goal. In the vineyard and cellar, decisions are made to avoid excess heaviness and to keep the wine balanced.

Extraction is controlled so that tannins are firm but not harsh. Oak use is managed to support the fruit rather than dominate it.

The result is a Sagrantino that can still handle traditional Umbrian dishes, yet also sits comfortably with a broader range of foods, including more contemporary, lighter cuisines.

The emphasis is on making a wine that can be ordered and enjoyed in restaurants both in Italy and abroad without requiring specialized local pairings or extended cellaring.

White wines remain an important part of the Valdangius identity as well. Trebbiano Spoletino has a strong foothold in the area, and the estate uses it to show a different, more vertical side of Umbria.

While individual vintages may vary in profile, the overall approach to the whites reflects the same practical mindset: clean, expressive wines that can be sold on release, provide steady cash flow, and introduce new drinkers to the Valdangius label.

Family continues to play a role, even as the winery operates in a more professionalized way. A great winery to add to your Montefalco visit schedule and wine list.

Marisa DVari

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Sagrantino Montefalco Dinner

Marisa DVari — Fri, 01 May 2026 13:30:40 +0000

Sagrantino Montefalco Dinner

The Montefalco wine region produces wine from the iconic Sagrantino grape, historic and unique to the region.

A Montefalco translates to an annual event representing three focused days of tastings and winery visits that brings journalists and wine professionals from around the world to celebrate this distinctive appellation.

The last event on my self-selected schedule was the closing dinner at the Lunelli-Carapace estate.

Though we had the freedom to choose which final celebration to attend, the allure of Carapace—and the promise of rare vintage Sagrantinos—made this an irresistible choice.

The Lunelli family, which has operated the prestigious Ferrari sparkling wine house in Trentino since the 1950s, now oversees three estates across Italy, with Tenuta Carapace representing their venture into the mystical hills of Umbria.

Their story is one of vision, perseverance, and earning one’s place across generations. A legacy explored in depth in our companion piece on the family’s remarkable history.

Arrival at the Sculpture

Guests arrived just before sunset and were welcomed at the top of a hill overlooking sweeping views of vineyards and valleys below. The grass was vividly green and carried the fresh scent of early evening. From this vantage point, the Carapace winery—designed by the legendary sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro—rose from the landscape like a massive copper-covered turtle shell, visible for miles around.

Beneath a white tent stood a large silver bucket filled with sparkling wines from the Montefalco producers who had hosted us throughout the week.

Attentive waitstaff carefully presented each bottle, ensuring guests could appreciate and photograph the labels before tasting. Among the producers mingling in the crowd, I spotted the familiar faces of producers from the week’s visits who had so generously opened their doors to us.

Nearby, a spread of cheeses, cured meats, and classic Italian aperitivo fare invited guests to wander and enjoy the golden hour.

The Vintage Table

As we moved inside for dinner, one element stopped everyone in their tracks: a long table displaying rare, older vintages of Sagrantino wines from the producers—precious bottles from their private reserves.

This was no ordinary tasting lineup.

These were aged Sagrantinos, some from exceptional years that had been cellared for over a decade, now generously donated by the consortium members for this closing celebration.

Guests were invited to choose freely, to taste and compare, to experience how this powerful, tannic variety evolves with time.

It was a rare and extraordinarily generous gesture, and the room buzzed with excitement as people examined labels, debated vintages, and poured tastes for one another.

Between Two Generations

I found myself seated between two of the evening’s most engaging figures. To my direct left was Alessandro Lunelli, the dynamic force behind Tenuta Castelbuono, and to my right, Filippo Antonelli, head of the historic Antonelli San Marco estate.

Both men were exceptionally generous with their time, stories, precious wines, and deep knowledge of the region. Very fortunate to enjoy and in-depth conversation with both men.

Alessandro Lunelli, whom I had met on previous occasions, radiated energy and passion for this place.

This was my second visit to Carapace. I remembered from my first that he had commissioned Arnaldo Pomodoro, one of the world’s most celebrated sculptors, to design the winery in his final years.

The result is breathtaking: a functional winery that is simultaneously a work of art, its copper surface engraved with fissures reminiscent of furrows in the surrounding earth.

To my right, Filippo Antonelli spoke with equal enthusiasm about the future of his family’s estate.

The Antonelli estate dates back to 1881 when his ancestor Francesco Antonelli, a lawyer from Spoleto, purchased the property from the Archbishop.

“What’s new at Antonelli?” I asked.

His lively brown eyes lit up.

“We’re adding new accommodations,” he explained, describing guest rooms that would sit somewhere between a boutique hotel and the more rustic agriturismo concept common in the region.

But the more ambitious project, he admitted, was creating a proper venue for weddings and events.

“It’s complicated,” he said thoughtfully. “We have neighboring wineries to consider. We can’t have loud celebrations late into the night disturbing everyone.”

Mr. Antonelli envisioned multiple spaces. At this stage, he is considering one for ceremonies, perhaps another for afternoon receptions, and a third designed to accommodate evening celebrations without disrupting the tranquil wine country around them.

Knowing Mr. Antonelli’s attention to detail and respect for tradition, I’m considering the result will be elegant.

The Wines and the Winemakers

As the evening progressed at the Lunelli Carapace space, we were served several courses. Around the table, guests requested their favorite donated Sagrantino producer and vintage to pair with them. The estate’s flagship Carapace Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG was among the wines served. It is a 100% Sagrantino wine from the finest historic vineyards. It showed the variety’s characteristic depth: concentrated aromas of blackberry jam and blueberries, mellowed by skillful vineyard management and long aging in large oak casks.

At one point, the producers gathered at the front of the room, and Alessandro Lunelli introduced them with evident pride. Each spoke briefly about their wine, their approach, and the character of the vintage they had contributed to the evening’s selection. What struck me most was their humility. These were families with deep roots in Montefalco, many spanning multiple generations, who spoke with a quiet sincerity and shared passion that made the evening feel intimate and authentic.

A Celebration of Sagrantino

As the evening drew to a close, I reflected on the extraordinary generosity of these producers. Sharing their finest, aged Sagrantinos freely with visiting journalists was a gesture that spoke volumes. The evening was more than producers showcasing their individual estates. It was about celebrating Sagrantino itself, this distinctive and iconic variety that defines their region.

Sagrantino is a challenging grape. It demands patience, skill, and respect. Its tannins are among the most powerful in the wine world. Only only through careful viticulture and thoughtful aging does it reveal its extraordinary complexity and aging potential. These producers have mastered this skill, each bringing their own philosophy and terroir to express something unique within the appellation.

Thanks to Lunelli Carapace, the Montelfalco producers, and Montefalco consortium for this stellar evening.

Marisa DVari

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Sagrantino Montefalco Tasting

Marisa DVari — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:58:43 +0000

Sagrantino Montefalco Tasting

Montefalco Sagrantino Tasting in the Palazzo Comunale

Sitting in the Palazzo Comunale on Montefalco’s main square, I tasted a broad cross‑section of Montefalco Sagrantino, comparing producers, vintages and styles in the town that made this grape famous.

The setting for the Sagrantino Tasting in Consorzio Tutela Vini Montefalco is the medieval town that.

It was built in the late 13th century when Montefalco was a self‑governing commune.

It was later extended with a Renaissance loggia and bell tower as the town came under papal rule and developed into today’s compact hilltop center.

The piazza outside, Piazza del Comune, is the historic hub where all streets converge, surrounded by churches and noble palaces.

From here, vineyards fall away on all sides, forming the DOCG zone that supplies the wines in my glass.

My tasting focused on two vintages – 2021 and 2020 – offering a snapshot of Sagrantino’s power, tannin and the range of interpretations from small family producers to large, region‑defining estates.

2021: Young Power and Producer Signatures

Arnaldo Caprai – 25 Anni 2021 and Collepiano 2021

25 Anni is Caprai’s flagship: very dark, concentrated and structured, with dense black fruit, cocoa, spice and formidable but polished tannins aimed clearly at long aging. Collepiano, also powerful and deeply colored, shows a more open, generous dark‑fruit profile and slightly more accessible tannins, feeling like the “gateway” Caprai Sagrantino: serious and age‑worthy, but friendlier in youth.

Moretti Omero – Montefalco Sagrantino 2021 and Vignalunga 2021

The basic Montefalco Sagrantino 2021 shows dark berries, plum and a touch of herbs, with firm but not rustic tannins and good freshness. The single‑vineyard Vignalunga 2021 is denser and more focused: inky color, concentrated dark fruit, spice and floral notes, with a more powerful, compact structure that clearly marks it as the estate’s statement wine.

Scacciadiavoli 2021

Scacciadiavoli 2021 comes across as ripe and brooding, with black cherry, blackberry, licorice and a hint of tar. On the palate it is full and generous but anchored by firm, rising tannins and a savory, slightly bitter finish that makes it feel serious and very food‑oriented.

Tenuta Lunelli “Carapace” 2021

Carapace 2021 combines richness with polish. It shows dark berry fruit with subtle herbal and earthy notes, but stands out for its texture: full‑bodied yet suave, with fine‑grained tannins and a long, clean finish. It feels carefully engineered for power without harsh edges.

Terre di San Felice 2021

This wine presents bright red and dark berry fruit with a slightly rustic, savory edge. It is full‑bodied, with classic Sagrantino grip and a long, dry finish, but the style is straightforward and honest rather than glossy, giving a clear, “local” expression of the grape.

Arnaldo Caprai 2022 (base Sagrantino)

The basic Caprai Sagrantino 2022 shows the house’s modern style in a slightly lighter key than the two 2021 crus: dark berry fruit, spice and a hint of cocoa, with firm but refined tannins and a long, balanced finish. It reads as a well‑made, benchmark baseline for the appellation.

Bocale 2021

Bocale 2021 is dark and aromatic, with black berries, dried herbs and a touch of earth. On the palate it feels powerful but less polished than the larger houses; the tannins are firm and grippy, with a natural texture that emphasizes character over sheen.

Colle Ciocco 2021

Colle Ciocco leans into a more traditional style: deep color, dark fruits, spice, and a hint of forest floor. The structure is serious, with firm, somewhat old‑school tannins and good acidity, clearly made to reward time in bottle.

La Veneranda 2021

La Veneranda 2021 offers vivid berry fruit, gentle spice and floral notes on the nose. In the mouth it is full, with the expected tannic backbone, but it comes across as warm and approachable, wrapping the structure in generous, friendly fruit.

Lungarotti 2021

Lungarotti’s Sagrantino shows deep color and layered aromas of red and black fruit, spice, tobacco and chocolate.

The palate is dense and powerful, with rich but harmonious tannins and a long, persistent finish, reflecting the scale and experience of a major Umbrian estate.

2020: A Five‑Star, More Elegant Vintage

The final flight shifted to 2020, a vintage widely described as high‑quality, with ripe fruit and better‑managed tannins, giving slightly more approachable Sagrantinos without losing structure.

Montioni 2020

Montioni 2020 is dark and ripe, with walnut, prune, molasses and dark chocolate on the nose, almost port‑like in richness. The palate is full and enveloping, with sweet‑toned fruit, evident but polished oak and surprisingly accessible tannins for Sagrantino.

Romanelli 2020 “Terra Cupa”

Terra Cupa 2020 is more vertical and serious: blackberry and plum with violets, cocoa and earth. It is dense and firmly structured, with mouth‑coating tannins and a savory, slightly bitter finish, built more for hearty food and aging than immediate comfort.

Tenuta Alzatura 2020

Tenuta Alzatura’s 2020 combines muscularity with control. Aromas of plum, cherry, toasted spice, coffee and cured meat lead into a massive but well‑balanced palate: rich black fruit, roasted notes and significant, dusty tannins supported by good acidity.

Terre de la Custodia 2020 “Maior”

Maior 2020 is a bold, savory Sagrantino, typically showing dark cherry and plum with coffee, vanilla and dried‑fruit notes. The palate is full‑bodied and structured, with firm tannins and enough freshness to keep the dark flavors from feeling heavy.

Tudernum 2020

The Tudernum 2020 offers ripe wild berries, blackberries and cherries, wrapped in coffee and chocolate tones. It is full‑bodied and robust, but the cooperative’s modern style gives it a relatively accessible, fruit‑driven feel over a firm tannic spine.

Valdangius 2020 “Fortunato”

Fortunato 2020 is positioned as Valdangius’s emblematic wine: ruby‑red, with ripe plums and blackberries on the nose and a rich, complex palate. It is full‑bodied yet notably elegant for Sagrantino, with good tannin that feels integrated rather than aggressive, promising both current enjoyment and aging potential.

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Montefalco Masterclass

Marisa DVari — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:36:31 +0000

One of the very educational experiences during the Montefalco days was a Masterclass from Cristina Mecuri at the Chiostro S. Augustine in Montefalco.

Cristina Mercuri MW used her Montefalco masterclass to argue that this region is in the middle of a stylistic shift: from power to precision, from sheer opulence toward what she called “shaping elegance.” I attended her lecture and tutored tasting at the Chiostro di Sant’Agostino, and what follows is a condensed version of her presentation to help orient visitors to Montefalco’s wines in her words and through her comparisons.

From opulence to “shaping elegance”

Cristina began by placing Montefalco in a global context. Many now‑famous regions, she noted—Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Etna, the world of Super Tuscans—built their reputations on “opulent, generous, rich, abundant, bold” wines. Over time, however, the most interesting producers in those areas have shifted focus toward terroir: precision, definition, and a clearer link to soil and place. For her, Montefalco is at that same turning point today, especially with Trebbiano Spoletino, Montefalco Rosso and Montefalco Sagrantino.

Trebbiano Spoletino: texture and versatility

The first part of the tasting explored two expressions of Trebbiano Spoletino, the white grape that has become Montefalco’s stylistic counterpoint to Sagrantino. Spoletino, she stressed, is not about loud aromatics alone but about a particular kind of texture: wines that start linear and then expand across the palate.

Wine 1, a stainless‑steel Trebbiano Spoletino 2024, showed a “beautiful combination” of melon and stone fruit with green herbs and a touch of passion fruit, the latter linked to cool fermentation and protective handling. The nose was “fresh, pretty, uncomplicated and versatile,” but Cristina asked the room to focus on the feel rather than the fruit: the wine begins narrow, then fans out, creating what she likened to the sensation of applying lip balm on a winter day—an almost waxy, protective layer on the lips. The acidity, she emphasized, is high but broad and welcoming, not sharp or angular, which makes Spoletino’s signature texture “expansive but never heavy.”

Wine 2, also Trebbiano Spoletino 2024 but fermented in oak with spontaneous yeasts, offered a more subtle nose—white flowers, hints of stone fruit, a quieter aromatic profile overall. Again, the key was texture: the same linear‑then‑expanding Spoletino identity, now enriched by oak‑derived mid‑palate weight and layering. For Cristina, both versions “enhance the identity of the grape and the terroir,” with style—direct fruit versus discreet complexity—being a matter of personal preference rather than quality.

To frame Spoletino, she compared it to a white from Etna, a region that has already traveled from rustic, abundant wines toward more chiselled, terroir‑driven styles. The Etna Bianco, with Caricante at its core, showed clear oak but also “shaped elegance,” where the wood adds dimension without smothering the volcanic identity. The parallel, in her view, is that Montefalco’s Spoletino can follow a similar path: multiple stylistic options, but a core of texture and balanced acidity that must remain recognizable.

Montefalco Rosso: shades of red

The second flight moved to Montefalco Rosso, the DOC blend of Sangiovese with a portion of Sagrantino and often Merlot. Cristina used two 2020‑s‑era wines to illustrate how much stylistic variation can exist within one appellation.

The first Montefalco Rosso (from Tenuta Alzatura) combined roughly 60% Sangiovese, a “touch of Merlot,” and Sagrantino, with six months in oak and alcohol just above 14%. On the nose she highlighted its very floral, linear character—red fruit, rose petals, and a clear, plummy note from Merlot. On the palate, she invited us to “feel the tannins”: a juicier, more slender structure with granular, rounded tannins from Merlot, silkier ones from Sangiovese, and a final grip from Sagrantino that appears at the back of the palate. This combination, she argued, makes for a fresh, versatile wine, “modern in a light style” without sacrificing complexity.

The second Montefalco Rosso, from a different producer, was the “more serious” sibling. Same basic blend, but with different élevage and a slightly higher alcohol, it showed darker fruit—black cherry, blackberry—more evident oak toast and a fuller body. Here the tannins were “more on the gums,” broader and more structuring, giving what she called a “gastronomic” style: still clean and precise, but built for the table, perhaps for richer dishes.

Across the room, preferences split almost 50/50 between the lighter, more floral first wine and the denser, darker second. Cristina underlined that this was the point: “Each wine has its consumer.” Within Montefalco Rosso, she said, there are “beautiful shades of style, from slender and modern to layered and food‑driven,” all valid as long as quality and terroir expression remain high.

She then brought in a comparison wine from a young Tuscan denomination (Terricciola / Costa Toscana style), based largely on Sangiovese with a touch of Cabernet. Here, spontaneous fermentation and extended aging in large oak aimed for artisanal precision. The point of this detour, she explained, was to show how even in emerging areas, the work of “building an identity” is ongoing, whereas Montefalco Rosso already shows a coherent direction: approachable wines with clear personality and high quality.

Montefalco Sagrantino: power refined

The final act belonged to Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, the region’s flagship red and one of Italy’s most tannic wines. Cristina described Sagrantino with three words in other public remarks—“astonishing, accurate, aspirational”—and her flight here was designed to show why.

The first Sagrantino, a 2021 from the northern part of the area (Carapace), underwent a complex vinification in steel, oak and amphora, followed by two years in wood and further bottle aging. Despite 15.5% alcohol, the nose was “very nice,” with typical ripe black cherry and blackberry, plus balsamic Mediterranean herbs. On the palate, she drew attention to the tannin texture: assertive at first, gripping the sides of the tongue, then softening into a more velvety feel as acidity kicked in and made the mouth water. The finish, she noted with approval, was fruit‑forward rather than dry, bitter or dominated by toast.

The second Sagrantino, another 2021 from a different zone, had slightly lower but still significant alcohol and 24 months in small oak. Here the nose leaned more into dark ripe fruit and smokier oak, with a touch more austerity. On the palate, the tannins were “more difficult at the finish”—not in a negative sense, but more demanding and gastronomic, with a firmer, darker profile. Again, the room split on preference, and again Cristina insisted that both wines were high quality; what differed was their stylistic message.

To close the circle, she poured a classic Bordeaux, a Saint‑Estèphe dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Here, the angular, gum‑gripping tannins and defined black‑fruit profile served as a foil: proof that “elegance” does not mean lack of structure, and that Sagrantino, handled thoughtfully, can stand as an alternative to Cabernet in the global hierarchy of structured reds. In her words, Montefalco Sagrantino can now “communicate itself as a good alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon in an elegant way,” provided producers continue to manage tannin and alcohol without losing identity.

Throughout the lecture, Cristina returned to her central idea: Montefalco has moved beyond simple power. In Trebbiano Spoletino, Montefalco Rosso and Sagrantino, she sees wines that are “approachable yet very high in quality,” increasingly rooted in terroir, and capable of speaking not just to local tradition but to an international audience searching for precisely this combination of character and refinement.

Marisa DVari

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Terre di San Felice

Marisa DVari — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:06:23 +0000

Terre di San Felice

On a bright Umbrian afternoon, Terre di San Felice looks almost too perfect to be real.

The small winery sits among rolling hills of Montefalco, with vines falling away toward the horizon and butterflies drifting through the air like something from a technicolor Walt Disney film

It is a place that feels both secluded and deeply connected to its surroundings. After hearing the story, it seemed a place where family history and local tradition intersect in unexpectedly modern ways.

Okay. The story begins in 1909, when the ancestors of present-day owner Carlo Mancini bought these vineyards in Montefalco, what was then a rural outpost.

The land had once been tied to the Church, and like many properties in the area at the time, it passed into private hands.

For decades, Terre di San Felice was a remote family residence for relaxation. A place to visit on weekends but not run as a full‑time business, a thread in the background of family life.

Today, Carlo Mancini and his wife, Douchanka, still live in Rome but are increasingly present in Montefalco’s wine world.

The couple devote time and energy to the winery and to the local association of producers. Outgoing and gregarious, Carlo moves easily among fellow vignerons at regional events, greeting colleagues whose families have been rooted in Montefalco for a century or more.

Douchanka, French by birth, is at ease in several languages. Warm, elegant and practical, she bridges cultures in the same way the winery now bridges city and countryside.

The couple met in their twenties when she was working in Rome. Their lives for many years were defined more by medicine and urban careers than by pruning schedules and harvest dates.

Yet the old family property in Montefalco remained a constant point on their shared map. The estate wines themselves are the product of a deliberately small, artisanal approach. All grapes are harvested by hand, with careful selection of bunches in the vineyard to favor quality over volume.

In the cellar, the team combines modern and traditional methods: some wines mature in stainless‑steel tanks, others in oak barrels, all in spaces where temperature is kept constant to promote steady, graceful maturation and aging.

Even the labels carry a personal touch: each wine is associated with a different animal, something common in the local landscape, chosen to express the wine’s character and to root the bottle firmly in this particular patch of Umbria.

My own visit unfolded as a laid‑back, quietly generous tasting. Plates of local cheese appeared alongside small, traditional, pretzel‑like snacks, simple bites that spoke of Umbrian kitchens rather than restaurant tasting menus.

Two friendly small dogs wandered through the scene, clearly delighted by the extra company. Family friend Luca helped bridge the language gap. The effect was more like being invited into someone’s home than entering a formal tasting room; conversation wandered from wine to life and back again.

Among the wines poured was a Trebbiano Spoletino DOC, both in its still form and as a sparkling wine. Then we tasted through the range until ending with Montefalco Sagrantino passito.

This is the sweet wine that once defined Sagrantino long before dry versions became the norm.

Historically, Sagrantino grapes were used exclusively for passito, and until the early 1970s there was hardly a farmhouse in what is now the Sagrantino DOCG zone that did not produce its own Sagrantino passito for Easter and for major family occasions such as weddings.

Terre di San Felice makes its passito according to old local customs that aim to preserve an incomparable fragrance and a sweetness balanced by structure and freshness.

It was served with the classic local biscuit meant to be dunked into the wine. Doing this made the biscuit feel less like a dessert and more like a ritual.

What a fun visit to a great family winery.

Marisa DVari

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Terre de la Custodia Winery

Marisa DVari — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:24:07 +0000

Terre de la Custodia

By the time I reached Terre de la Custodia, just outside Montefalco, I thought I had a handle on Umbrian family wineries. Then I met brand ambassador Daniele Sevoli and discovered that here, the story starts not with vines but with olives—and with a family whose roots stretch back to 1780.

Terre de la Custodia is part of the Farchioni group, a name Italians usually associate with extra‑virgin olive oil rather than the grape varieties of the Montefalco region.

For centuries the Farchioni family has farmed Umbria, becoming one of the country’s leading olive oil producers. They have thousands of hectares under olives and cereals and bottles on supermarket shelves across Italy.

Wine, Daniele explained, came later, as a natural extension of the family’s instinct to “harvest the fruits of our hills and turn them into something precious.”

The modern winery at Palombara, in the hills of Gualdo Cattaneo about five kilometres from Montefalco, is the visible symbol of that decision.

The Farchioni built a major new olive‑oil facility in 2004 and, soon after, invested in a purpose‑built cellar for Terre de la Custodia, surrounded by new vineyards.

Today those vineyards cover around 120 hectares in the Montefalco and Todi zones, planted to Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Grechetto, Spoletino and a touch of international varieties, producing over a million bottles a year.

Yet for all that scale, what you feel on the ground is a surprisingly tight family focus—and a clear hierarchy of wines.

Daniele talked me through three levels in the range. At the base are the entry wines, designed to be accessible and “daily,” but even these carry Latin‑evoking names that nod to the region’s layered history. Above them sits a middle tier that includes a Montefalco Bianco DOC called Plentis, and at the top are the cru‑style selections, among them a Trebbiano Spoletino and a flagship Montefalco Sagrantino called Exubera.

Everything, Daniele stressed, is built to express a specific piece of land rather than an anonymous house style.

We began with the Trebbiano Spoletino, Nubite 2024, a wine that neatly encapsulates Terre de la Custodia’s blend of tradition and precision. Spoletino is an ancient local white variety associated with the area around Spoleto. It has been rediscovered in recent years for its natural acidity and texture, and here it never appears under the generic “Trebbiano” name, only as Spoletino.

Nubite 2024 spent around six months in stainless‑steel vats before bottling, resulting in a fresh, luminous white. In other tastings it has shown notes of field flowers, yellow apple and fern, carried by a crisp, satisfying palate that makes it an easy pairing for young Umbrian cheeses. In the glass it felt like a clean, modern expression of a very old grape.

From there we moved to Plentis, Montefalco Bianco DOC 2022, a wine that sits at the “middle” level but feels almost aristocratic. Plentis is a blend of Spoletino, Grechetto and Chardonnay from hillside vineyards in the Montefalco area, vinified and aged patiently to let the texture catch up with the aromatics.

In a recent vintage, critics have described it as “full” and harmonious, with exotic fruit, herbs and enough structure to stand up to dishes as rich as pasta with sea urchin or semi‑aged cheeses. Tasting the 2022, you could feel that same generosity: a white with breadth and persistence rather than just a flash of fruit.

Montefalco Rosso 2018 followed, a classic blend led by Sangiovese with Merlot and Sagrantino—your notes recall roughly 70% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and 15% Sagrantino, which matches the estate’s stated approach of combining local backbone with a touch of international polish.

The vineyards around Palombara sit at about 300 metres above sea level on light, south‑facing hillsides with clay soils rich in lignite, conditions that give both ripeness and structure.

In the glass, the Rosso showed exactly that balance: red‑cherry fruit and spice from Sangiovese, a little rounded mid‑palate from Merlot, and a firm, distinctly Umbrian grip from Sagrantino.

But it was Exubera, Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG 2018, that crystallised the Terre de la Custodia philosophy for me. Exubera is a relatively new project, launched in the mid‑2010s as a collaboration between the new generation of the Farchioni family—Jean Paolo, the eleventh generation—and the team on the ground, including Daniele.

The idea was to craft a Sagrantino that remained unmistakably powerful but achieved an unusual balance, with tannins that were structured yet polished enough to make the wine enjoyable well before its tenth birthday.

The grapes come from older vineyards directly in front of the winery, with ideal exposure and a proven match between Sagrantino and site. Bunches are hand‑selected and harvested into small 15‑kilogram crates, then fermented in stainless steel with selected yeasts to keep the fruit focused and clean.

After fermentation, Exubera spends around 18 months in barriques and tonneaux, followed by years of bottle aging—up to five in some releases—before it reaches the market. On the estate’s own technical notes, the 2018 is described as an “intense ruby” wine that explodes with ripe red fruits and field violets, layered with eucalyptus, licorice, white pepper and cinnamon, warm and enveloping on the palate with a powerful but harmonious tannic weave and a long, elegant finish.

Tasting it with Daniele, I could see why they call Exubera their “rock” Sagrantino: it has the amplitude and swagger you expect from the grape, but the edges are smoothed just enough that you find yourself going back to the glass rather than taking notes on its tannins.

It is also, as Daniele joked, the perfect wine for Jean Paolo, who loves the 1950s and drives classic cars in a leather jacket—Exubera feels like a Sagrantino that might have a vintage soundtrack and chrome trim if it could.

What struck me most about Terre de la Custodia is how naturally all these layers fit together: centuries of farming that began with olive trees, a thoroughly modern winery entrusted to a star consultant like Riccardo Cotarella, a range that runs from fresh, stainless‑steel Spoletino to a barrique‑aged Sagrantino built to last.

Sitting there with Daniele, the Assisi mountains hazy in the distance and rows of vines descending from the hill like green terraces, the project felt like the logical next chapter in a very long Umbrian story. One where the land itself remains the protagonist.

Marisa DVari

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