Montefalco Sagrantino D.O.C.G. Red Dry Wine Sagrantino 2012 1.5L / Lungarotti

Type of wine: red wine rich in polyphenols suitable for long aging.

Grape varietals: 100% Sagrantino obtained from massal selection and harvested mid-September. Pruning: double spurred cordon; planting density: 5000 vines/hectare; yield: 4 tonnes/hectare.

Soil Type: Southwest exposure, loose with sandy-clayey texture, limestone subsoil, not very deep Vinification: stainless steel fermentation with skin maceration for 28 days. Wood aging for 12 months in barrique and 2-ton casks. Light filtering and 2 years refining in bottle before release.

Colour: deep ruby red with violet nuances.

Bouquet: ample and complex, it immediately expresses an ample range of red fruit (black cherry, bilberry) with elegant notes of cocoa and sweet spices; very long and harmonious scents

Flavour: powerful structure with good concentration and freshness of fruit; fragrant acidity and dense, mature tannins; long-lasting finish.

Alcohol by volume: 15.5%

Consumption: if properly stored, it has long aging potential; serve at 16-18° (61-64°F) C in large stem glass. Since the wine has undergone light filtration before bottling, it can present some sediment.

Food affinities: perfect match with red meat roasts, suckling pig, game, dishes “alla ghiotta” guinea-hen in civet, stewed venison, sharp cheeses, Umbrian-style squab.

Focus: Sagrantino is one of the varietals with the highest polyphenol content in the world. Thus, it has a strong antioxidant effect when consumed in moderation

Anecdotes: it seems that the name Sagrantino was given by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia after his precious sacred falcon was saved with a medicine based on Montefalco wine (which at the time was still called Coccorone). Over the centuries, the grape continued to be cultivated in the gardens of the Montefalco monasteries which allowed it to survive the phylloxera epidemic that in the early 20th century destroyed vineyards in Umbria and all over Italy.

Label: view of the winery at Turrita di Montefalco with its 20 hectares surrounding the winery. In the foreground is the falcon, symbol of the town where falconry, the passion of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, who often stopped there, was a great tradition.