Wino Facts: Tuscany
Capital: Florence
Native Grape: Numerous, including Sangiovese
Wino Factoid: It’s said that the Ancient Etruscans started their winemaking and study of grapes as far back as the 8th Century BC!
Wino Facts: Umbria
Capital: Perugia
Native Grape: Sangratino
Wino Factoid: The origin of the Sangratino grape is a mystery–some say Franciscan Friars brought it to the region, others say the Saracens, nevertheless, it was nearly wiped out of existence in the 1960’s.
Today is part two of our virtual wine tastings. With the focus on two of the four wines we’ll be serving during our Women & Wine event: The New Faces at the Old Vineyards. We’ll be flying to famed Tuscany, and ending in the home base for i Ricchi’s food, Umbira.
Tuscany’s winemaking is famous for its chianti–with hilly soils and a perfect climate, wild vines grew all across the region.
Tuscany has one of the most notable wine regions, and is home to a wide range of wines, from chianti, montepulciano and even the sweet Vin Santo. Going back to the 8th century BC, Tuscany certainly knows what they’re doing!
In the historical Tuscan region, we find the Gaja family with their Promis wine.
This wine was created to represent hope, commitment and the promise of good things to come. The grapes are grown in rich dark soils, a perfect environment. Find hints of espresso, candied cherry and rum cake.
Cabernet is to John Wayne, as Nebbiolo is to Marcello Mastroianni. Cabernet has a strong personality, open, easily understood and dominating. If Cabernet were a man, he would do his duty every night in the bedroom, but always in the same way. Nebbiolo, on the other hand, would be the brooding, quiet man in the corner, harder to understand but infinitely more complex. – Angelo Gaja on Nebbiolo
Flying to Umbira, we see that the grapes for the Sangratino Di Montefalco wine have been grown for centuries.
Scored as one of the top five montefalco wines, expect a melange of tastes, starting with the aroma of blue flowers and black fruit, while finishing with creamy cherry, white pepper and blackberry.
This wine has been one of the more sought-after wines from the region. With a dark ruby color, if aged, the wine develops a distinct garnet “edge”.
Expect tannins, and a firm, yet refined experience.