News Gualdo Cattaneo

An itinerary among the zones of production of the prince of the wines: His Excellency '' The Sagrantino ''

The Road of Sagrantino is a circuit that connects Gualdo Cattaneo to the other four zones of the production of the magnificent wine, this means the territory that understands the communes of Bevagna, Castel Ritaldi, Giano dell'Umbria and Montefalco. The nectar got by the famous vine is so known that doesn't need presentation. Beginning from 1992, year when it has conquered the recognition of Denomination of Checked Origin and Guaranteed wine (DOCG), its national and international success doesn't have practically known standstills. The great public has quickly learned to appreciate its best qualities and the Sagrantino quickly imposed to the attention as one of the best national wine realities.   Identikit of the Sagrantino   There are two typologies of Sagrantino, the Sagrantino of Montefalco (or Montefalco Sagrantino, these the two admitted wordings) '' dry '' and '' passito ''. The typology '' dry '' have features of intense ruby colour from the purplish reflexes that are transformed in pomegranate with the refinement. The perfumes that are emitted by the bottle remember those some blackberry of bramble. With the typology '' passito '' it increases the consistence and the alcohol of the wine acquiring a typical taste.   Here following we introduce the cards of the two typologies, drawn out directly from the article 6 of the disciplinary that controls its production:   The wine " Montefalco Sagrantino dry '', to the action of the emission to the consumption, it has to answer to the followings features:   " - colour: red intense ruby, sometimes with purplish reflexes and with tendencies to the pomegranate with the aging;  " - odour: delicate, characteristic that remembers some blackberries of bramble; " - taste: dry, harmonic; " - alcoholic title minimum total volume: 13%;  " - minimum total acidity: 5 for thousand;  " - extract dry clean minimum: 26 for thousand.

The wine " Montefalco Sagrantino passito '', to the action of the emission to the consumption, it has to answer to the followings features:   " - colour: red intense ruby, sometimes with purplish reflexes and with tendencies to the pomegranate with the ageing;  " - odour: delicate, characteristic that remembers some blackberries of bramble; " - taste: , harmonic, pleasant;  " - alcoholic title minimum total volume: 14,5%;  " - minimum sugary residue: 3O g/ls;  " - minimum total acidity: 5 for thousand;  " - extract dry clean minimum: 30 for thousand.

As can be noticed by the technical schedule, one of the distinctive features of the Sagrantino of Montefalco is the elevated percentage of '' dry extract '', or the quantity of material that would stay in the glass, once made evaporated the whole liquid. Such element makes it a wine of great body and from the prestigious and imposing structure, contributing to increase its importance. It's more diffused the typology of wine '' dry '', being the '' Sagrantino of Montefalco passito '' reserved to few estimators, also because of the small production. The Sagrantino passito is gotten leaving the grapes to fade above of the wood hurdles. This technique has found an exceptional answer in the clusters of the vine Sagrantino, able to fade for of months without beginning the process of deacaying, maintaining in the meantime intact the sugary component of the grapes.   The Sagrantino is considered an autochthonous vine, this means typical of the place in which is cultivated, and not transplanted (at least in the last centuries). In according to the most accredited tradition, it was brought in Italy in medieval age from the Franciscan monks, who already appreciated fully its features, using it as a prestigious drink to be offered to the most illustrious guests.  

Combining  

The '' Sagrantino of Montefalco passito '' is an excellent '' meditation wine ''. This means that it can be tasted without the necessity to associate it to the food. It's often said that the best combining for a good wine is a good company. This is surely true in general, but particularly the Sagrantino passito is lent more than every other to accompany long and pleasant evenings, trails among friends or in sweet company. Another definition that contributes to identify the character of the wine is in fact that of '' seduction wine ''. Even though scientific evidences haven't show with absolute certainty its aphrodisiac potential, it is absolutely true that its presence guarantees a prone atmosphere to the romanticism.   The foods that better marry the Sagrantino passito are all the confectionery preparations of non raised pasta, and particularly the tarts of blackberries jam or other red fruit. This in respect to the fundamental principle of the combining food-wine, which categorically prescribes that to the sweet taste of the food is associated a sweet wine. If very aged it is also excellent with cheeses especially with a very spicy pecorino.   In its dry typology the Sagrantino is associated to the game and cheeses of hard pasta.   But an experience that cannot miss in the repertoire of the lovers of the good wine is to cross the Road of Sagrantino, visiting the hills that entertain the vines and the landscapes associated to the cultivation of the precious nectar, all places of history and from the fascinating past. The grapes of the Sagrantino mature placed side by side to the boundaries of marvellous strengthened suburbs, to the sun of the green Umbrian hills, where the most famous artists have caught the spirit of the panorama frescoing marvellous medieval churches. All this contributes to increase the charm and the suggestion that the wine cellars of the artisans of the wine emit, often offering to the visitors the opportunity to gather the spirit of the wine tasting a glass directly dripped by the barrel. The most greater part of the producers have done of the job their fortune, proud of their own results and available to make participate of their own emotions everyone is prepared to listen to their voice. The culture of the wine born from the respect of the rules that the nature imposes, which is not helped neither exasperated in its cycles and in its results. All the excellent results that the Sagrantino has reached have been gotten favouring the biological cycles of the vine, which has found in the territory of Gualdo Cattaneo and Montefalco and outskirts a fertile environment of maturation. Earth, air, water and sun, in partnership to the kind hand of the man and his passion constitute the good possible combination among the elements to deliver a nectar to the whole world worthy of the gods, fortunately accessible to the men.