Umbria
Definition - What does Umbria mean?
Umbria is a wine region located in Central Italy. Its annual wine production averages around 26 million gallons. Umbrian wines are mostly made of Chardonnay and blended with Grechetto.
Overall, 60% of its wine production is white with a base of Trebbiano. The largest DOC of the region is Orvieto, that makes 80% of the region's wine.
WineFrog explains Umbria
The wine region of Umbria is located in the heart of Italy's peninsula, surrounded by Tuscany, Lazio and Marche. It is the only region of Italy without a coastline.
The climate is similar to Tuscany, with wet winters, dry summers and plenty of sunshine. Many of the vineyards are planted in terraces for easier maintenance and to prevent erosion.
Within Umbria, there are about a dozen DOC, DOCG and IGT properties. Here are some noteworthy, recognized sub-regions:
- DOCG Montefalco Sagrantino - It is located in the province of Perugia and their main grape is Sagrantino. The red wines made here are dark and bold with significant tannin.
- DOC Montefalco Rosso - This DOC is located in the Sagrantino DOCG zone. Here, they make Sangiovese with 15% Sagrantino. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also permitted.
- Orvieto DOC - As mentioned above, this DOC makes a wine with a blend 40% minimum of Grechetto, Trebbiano and up to 40% from other white grapes. This is a wine which many might replace Pinot Gris with.
