Umbria

DOC for white wine in the border region between the two regions of Imbria and Latium in Italy. The zone has a total vineyard area of 2.800 hectares, and includes the communes of Allerona, Alviano, Baschi, Castel Giorgio, Castel Viscardo, Fabro, Ficulle, Guardea, Montecchio, Montegabbione, Monteleone d´Orvieto, Orvieto and Porano in the province of Terni (Umbria), as well as the communes of Bagnoregio, Castiglione in Teverina, Civitella d´Agliano, Graffignano and Lubriano in the province of Viterbo (Latium). Wet weather in autumn produces fog, which in turn encourages the development of botrytis on grapes. Wine was first grown in this area by the Etruscans, and the wines from Orviato had a legendary reputation in medieval times. The artists Pinturicchio and Signorelli demanded rations of this gold-coloured sweet wine as part of their payment for their work in the Sistine Chapel, as well as in the cathedral of Orvieto. Pope Gregory XIV. (1535-1591) also held this wine in very high regard, and ordered in his last will that his body should be washed with the wine before being burried. The standard version of the wine was sweet right up to the Second World War, and was bottle in the typical straw-covered Pulcinella bottle. The historical vineyard sites are located mainly in the immediate vicinity of the town of Orvieto, which is located on a volcanic table-shaped mountainabove the Paglia river. The Orvieto Classico area has a total vineyard area of around 1.500 hectares lies in the middle of the zone, on both banks of the Paglia river as well as on the shores of Lake Corbara. An application for DOCG status is pending. The typical characteristic of the wine is its harmonious, slightly bitter and piquant bouquet. It is a blend made from Procanico = Trebbiano Toscano (40-60%), Verdello (15-25%), Drupeggio = Canaiolo Bianco and/or Malvasia Toscana (up to 45%), as well as optionally from other permitted white varieties (up to 15%). Wines sourced from the core zone may also state the designation Classico on the label. If the wine has a minimum alcohol content of 12% vol. it may be called a Superiore. All the wines are made in Secco, Abboccato, Amabile and Dolce versions. Well-known producers include Antinori, Barberani, Bigi, La Carraia, Decugnano dei Barbi, Palazzone, Tenuta le Velette and Vitivinicola Colli Orvietani.