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Montefalco is the head-town of the "Road" of one
of the most famous wines in Umbria; it lays upon a hill facing
over the thousand colours of an exciting landscape made of vineyards, olive
groves, tilled fields and winding hills.
The artistic,
cultural, landscape, wine and gastronomical aspects make Montefalco
one of most important centres in Umbria, among the most visited by
foreign and Italian tourists.
Thanks to its
famous "belvedere" it has been given the nickname of "banister of
Umbria".
The
agricultural tradition of Montefalco gives the tourist, as well as
to the passionate generally, a high quality oil and a precious wine
(including the "Rosso" and the "Sagrantino di Montefalco" as well as
the Grechetto), while the historical textile masterpieces are widely
shown and visible in the town churches and at the San Francesco
Civic Museum. |
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The original
name of the village: "Coccorone" has nothing to do with the present
name. Ever since XI century, Commune and Renaissance institutions
were born here.
It hosted
important historical characters like Federico Barbarossa and
Federico II of Svevia, as well as the Spoleto Dukes.
It is thanks
to Federico II’s presence that Montefalco got its present name, as
he came here for practising hunting with the Falcon Predator. In
1848 the Pope Pio IX named it "city".
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Thanks
to the interviews to the greatest producers and distributors of
"Sagrantino" and "Rosso di Montefalco" you can come to know, as if
it was an almost forced path of "Taste Marketing" for the operators
themselves, that the historical evidences about Montefalco wines are
many; Plinius the Old in his "Naturalis Historiae" writes about
"Itriola" vine as the typical one of the Montefalco land, that is
close to the present Sagrantino; since the vine does not look like
any other else at all, some scientists consider the Sagrantino as a
vine of local origin.
Some others consider this
vine as taken from Minor Asia by San Francesco followers, and the
name should come from the use of the wine during monks’ religious
functions ("sacraments"). However,
Montefalco is said to be tilled with vineyards already in 1088.
In the medieval church of
San Bartholomew in Montefalco, on the outer wall of the apse you can
find some bas-relieves portraying vine-shoots and bunches of
grapes. |
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In 1451, the well known
Florentine painter Benozzo Gozzoli, as he was called by Franciscan monks to
paint the walls of the apse of their church (nowadays it is the
Civic Museum in Montefalco, one
among the most important in Central Italy) painted a red wine bottle
on the Knight from Celano’s dressed table (series of the "Story of
the Life of San Francesco"); maybe he was already referring of
Sagrantino.
During the Renaissance Eve Montefalco wine is already known and
appreciated as a prestigious wine, so much that in 1565 the
Superinten-dent of Perugia’s Fortress Mr.Cipriano Piccolpasso quoted
it in the dossier of the Papal States destined to the Pope.
It can be certainly stated that the Sagrantino
is almost over 400 years old, for in a hand-written document dated
1598 and preserved by the Notary Archive of Assisi there is the
first quotation of Sagrantino grapevine.
In 1622, the Cardinal Boncompagni, Envoy of
Perugia, increased the sentences provided by the Communal Rule:
whoever would cut the Grapevine branches was sentenced to hanging.
In 1800 Mr. Calindri, in his "Geographical,
Historical Statistic of the Papal Lands" quotes Montefalco as a top
place as far as its wines are concerned.
The Sagrantino also is described by the
Ampelographical Committee of Foligno. In 1925, at the Umbria Wine
Show, Montefalco is the most important regional wine centre:
"Montefalco occupies the 1st place in the growing of specialized
vineyards thanks to a medium productivity of 65 quintals per hectare
per year ", that is to confirm how modest are the production data of
the Sagrantino vine.
On October, 30th 1979 the Sagrantino
obtains the D.O.C. acknowledgment and on November, the 5th 1992 the
D.O.C.G. one, by that reaching a fundamental stage for the future
cultural, social and economic development of the this land. Later, a National Centre of Studies about the Italian
Passito Wines was born in Montefalco.
In order to promote the
production of the local species of vine Sagrantino, the Institute of
Arboreal Growings at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Studies of Milano,
working with the Technological Park of Umbria, is developing
a research divided in two topics:
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Application of modern agricultural
techniques in the management of new implantations (research of the
perfect combination among density, graft-holder and growing
style).
A minimum part of grapes destined "Montefalco
Sagrantino" wine production is left for producing "Sagrantino
Passito" wine; the largest quantity is left for the "Sagrantino
Secco" that is improved in wood-barrels for 12 months and cannot be
traded but after 2 years and a half after grape-harvesting time.
The suitable service temperature is estimated as
perfect around 18-20°, perfectly matching roasted meats, game and
seasoned cheese.
The Communes of Bevagna, Giano nell'Umbria, Castel
Ritaldi and Gualdo Cattaneo are also included in the production area
of D.O.C.G. "Montefalco
Sagrantino". | |
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Bevagna
Its name is due to the Roman Mevania. It is a
medieval centre, at the borders of the wide Umbrian valley where the
land, rich in water, is already climbing towards the Martani
mountains.
Bevagna has been first an Umbrian town and then a
rich Roman Municipium, belonging to the Aemilia tribe.
A II century a.C. temple along with the townwalls
and the spa establishment with II century b.C. marine portrayals and
the remainings of the Theatre (I century a.C.) witness the origin of
the ancient Roman Mevania.
Its historical events are linked to with Dukes of
Spoleto, the Trinci from Foligno and the Papal States, which it was
part of since 1439 up to the Constitution of the Italian State
(1860).
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Over the Roman centre the medieval
urban structure had developped. Around Bevagna a forced stop is to
be made at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Anciently Bevagna was
divided into four "Guaite" or "Gaite", that took their name from the
ancient churches and then became four quarters: "Terme", "Rocca",
"Forni" and "Properziano".
The modern "Guaite" (or
"Gaite") represent the main scene of the "Market of the Guaite",
that takes place, through historical reconstructions of ancient
handicraft workings, ancient costumes and "living pictures", in the
last decade of June. | |
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Gualdo
Cattaneo
Gualdo Cattaneo is a
medieval centre placed upon a hill at the Northern slopes of Martani
Mountains, and it is an authentic medieval museum "en plein air".
The village draws its
name from Edoardo Cattaneo, who founded it in 975 after Christ.
It was a Saxon Earl and
during that eve found the village in the middle of a thick wood. The
Fortress has a triangle shape built up between the years 494 and 498
and represents the most importan t historical element of the
village.
It was a will of the Pope
Alexander VI and still nowadays it preserves its original look
unchanged.
A visit in the "Sala del
Torchio" ("Hall of the Press") is enough to understand that the wine
culture is not a recent one here.
The system of the Castles
and Fortresses built up in the Early Middle Age makes Gualdo
Cattaneo and its land a very interesting tourist destination.
The route through the
Castles around Gualdo Cattaneo is exciting and
fascinating. |
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It is a 50
Km long itinerary that winds by passing through 9
fortifications.
These Castles date back
to the XIII century. Among them are Barattano, Ceralto, Cisterna,
Grutti, Pomonte, Pozzo, Saragano, Torri and San Terenziano.
What is commonly and
universally known as the Strüdel in this area takes the name of
"Rocciata", and it happens to suspect that the same pie is the
orginal version of the best known and diffused onebetween Northern
Italy and the neighbouring countries of Austria and German
Switzerland; as to confirm this supposition it could be useful to
think of that Saxon Earl Mr. Edoardo Cattaneo who baptized the
village as Gualdo Cattaneo and maybe took with him some local
gatronomical culture.
Once the filling for this
pie was made using the remainings stored in the larder, above all
what was going to get dry or had not got a good look anymore.
The empty area that you create inside that pie boils
everything inside with the water steam that is produced during the baking;
the presence of sugar makes it candied.
Frascarelli are another
famous traditional product. | |
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Giano dell'Umbria
It is not by chance that the case (genitive or
ablative ...) is as ambiguous as the well known head of the
divinity: the two-faced Janus, that according to the pagan and rural
culture is to represent the passage from year to year (in the month
of January).
After various events, starting as a Roman pagus
along the Flaminia Road at the slopes of Martani Mountains and then
becoming a fortified centre in the feudal eve, Giano
nell/dell'Umbria is under the Spoleto Government since about 1250 up
to the XIX century.
The "Colli Martani" Olive Oil, coming from the area
where Giano dell/nell'Umbria is located, is notoriously good, with a
scent of fruits and herbs, and is a "fruit" of a mix of classic
olives like MORAIOLO and LECCINO with the local cultivar: the
Sanfelice that can be used for preparing cakes, too; it is the case
of the "Gianese" Almonds Pie.
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Castel
Ritaldi
The name of Castel Ritaldi comes from the omonimous
Medieval Castle. There, besides the D.O.C.G. "Montefalco Sagrantino"
also the D.O.C. "Rosso Montefalco" is produced, using Sangiovese and
Sagrantino grapevines.
All wines produced in this area are not less
important than the neighbouring Tuscan ones with a Sangiovese basis.
A comparison can be made with the "Vintage Rosso" above all, aged
for 2 years and a half.
These wines are fruity, full-bodied, with a
noticeable hint of noble tannins and they can be matched with tasty
meat courses and with rich traditional first courses of the local
gastronomy. | |
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Also white wine,
made of Grechetto and Trebbiano vines, is interesting for appetizers
and fish-based first courses. The village lays between Spoleto and
Montefalco, and was part of the ancient land of Nordannia along with
other manors around. The "Palio del Fantasma" (Ghost’s Palio) is an
event arousing curiosity.
It is a historical
commemoration of the arrival of Lucrezia Borgia (who had actually
lived in the castle in 1500) with a parade in period costume; in
this occasion you can taste wine and food local traditional
products, based on truffles and game on the spit in a characteristic
tavern.
Olive Oil is particularly
famous also here, and shows various qualities depending on the
variety of olive trees and of the olives themselves, as well as on
the traditional process of milling and preservation.
Mushrooms and truffles
are of relevant importance as far as gastronomy is concerned.
Especially at Christmas Time, Castel Ritaldi fills in the bakers’
and confectioners’ shop windows with a typical cake: the "Attorta".
The name is due to its spiral shape. |
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Sagrantino wine flavoured
Pheasant
Ingredients : A
pheasant, 1 glassfull of Sagrantino wine, 2 cloves of garlic, 1
branch of Rosemary, enough sage, 2 carrots, 2 stems of chicory, half
an onion, enough capers, enough olive oil, enough salt and enough
pepper.
Preparation: Pluck the
pheasant and clean it as a whole, wash it and dry it by a kitchen
cloth.
Prepare onions and herbs lightly fried in olive oil
along with sage and rosemary.
Let the pheasant get brown for some minutes by
turning it over from time to time, salt it and add wine eventually.
As the wine has dried off move the pheasant in a
baking pan and garnish it by choken carrots and chicory and the
onions with some spoons full of capers. add enough salt and pepper.
Add some spoonful of broth. Move everything in the
oven already hot at 200° C for about half an hour.
During the cooking time verify that the
pheasant will not dry too much. In case it dries add a little broth
more.
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where to eat
where to buy
Ciboviaggiando suggests: