Dear lovers of the good life, of Italy, cooking and wine, welcome to Umbria! This region is famous for its wine production and it bubbles, fizzes, tingles. For many, Umbria is still an unexplored territory, and that’s why we have put together this vibrant wine tour in the green heart of Italy, so come and enjoy it and don’t hesitate to take a few bottles home with you! The particularly attractive program for an unforgettable time in Umbria is the following with two possible different locations: the Castle of Titignano and Borgo Petroro:

Daily program when in Titignano

Day #1

Arrival, check in and welcome aperitif/lunch at Titignano. In the afternoon wine tasting of Tenuta di Salviano’s wines in house at Titignano. Dinner in Titignano.

Day #2

In the morning wine tasting session by Decugnano dei Barbi, visit to the stunning Etruscan cellars where their spumante is produced and buffet in an ancient church which is part of the property; in the afternoon wine tasting by Barberani, leader in the area and in the whole central Italy for its organic wines and traditional production methods. Gourmet dinner by Paolo Trippini (JDR, Jeune Restaurateurs d’Europe) or Lorenzo Polegri by Casa Polegri (according to availability).

Day #3

In the morning visit to Orvieto, independent lunch; in the afternoon wine tasting by Falesco (Cotarella brothers). Dinner in Titignano.

Day #4

Transfer to station or airport

Daily program when in Borgo Petroro

Day #1

Arrival, check in and welcome aperitif/lunch at Borgo Petroro. In the afternoon an introduction to local wines by our sommelier Stefano Borelli. Dinner by Locanda Petreia.

Day #2

In the morning wine tasting by Tenuta di Salviano and lunch/buffet in the luxurious hall of a renovated building from the X century; in the afternoon wine tasting by Barberani. Gourmet dinner by Paolo Trippini (Jeune Restaurateur d’Europe) or Lorenzo Polegri (according to availability).

Day #3

In the morning visit to Todi, independent lunch; in the afternoon wine tasting by Villa Sobrano. Dinner by Locanda Petreia.

Day #4

Transfer to station or airport

Titignano

Titignano is a castle on the Lake of Corbara, bull by the French family Montmartre around 1230. Through the centuries it became a farm and then it stayed quite abandoned for decades, until the Corsini family decided to give it his prestige back, turning it into a modern winery, restaurant and resort. At the present day, Titignano, which is part of the Tenuta di Salviano estate, is a pretty refined structure hosting more than 200 guests, having a restaurant famous in the whole center of Italy and producing top wines from the more than 300 hectares of vineyard it possesses and manages. From Orvieto Classico Superiore to the Lago di Corbara DOC reds till a gorgeous Spumante made of 100% Pinot Noir, Salviano’s wines represent a strong reality of this territory which is now confirmed as international referral point.

Borgo Petroro

Borgo Petroro lies in all its charm in the Umbrian hills, with their silver-shaded olive groves, just a short walk away from the town of Todi. It is a new Country Relais located in the castle with the same name, an authentic medieval manor or more appropriately a fortified hamlet, which was originally founded as a “Castrum” in Ancient Roman times. By the end of the 13th century, Borgo Petroro Castle had grown strong enough to protect the surrounding area and neighbouring villas. At the entrance of the manor, on its majestic arched door, a stone eagle, the emblem of the city of Todi, welcomes its patrons.

Decugnano dei Barbi

In 1973 Claudio Barbi (unfortunately recently passed) found this property completely abandoned and just fell in love with it. He didn’t know that those yards were already producing wine for Orvieto’s church back in 1212! So he started producing wine again and it was immediately a success. The “torroir” is ideal for the production of very precious vines, like Trebbiano, Falanghina, Pinot Noir. Decugnano dei Barbi holds the very best Orvieto Classico Superiore in 2 different versions, plus a red that’s completely new and surprising. They were also the first to produce the very first classic method “millesimato” (spumante) in Umbria and also the very first “muffa nobile (muffato). The wine tasting will take place after the visit to their splendid underground cellars in a stunning chapel, completely made ready to experience their wines and a royal buffet composed of local cheese and cold cuts plus some local recipes.

Barberani

In 1961 Luigi Barberani founded his estate, located on the Orvieto-Todi road within the hills above Lake Corbara, where the River Tiber flows. This is the oldest and most prestigious production area of Orvieto wine, which is known as “Classico”. The estate spans more than 100 hectares in total, 55 hectares of which are covered by specialised vineyards on hillsides with the unique microclimate of the Lake Corbara area. Barberani has an multi-awarded series of bottles, spanning from whites to reds, and embraced biological production with un uncanny scientific approach. After the visit to their stunning vineyards, situated in spots with an incredible view on the lake, we’re gonna have a wine tasting, accompanied by local cheese and cold cuts and fresh white bread. These are the bottles we’re gonna experience:

• Castagnolo Orvieto Doc Classico Superiore Bianco
• Luigi e Giovanna Orvieto Doc Classico Superiore Bianco
• Polvento Umbria IGT Rosso
• Calcaia Orvieto Doc Classico Superiore, Muffa Nobile Bianco Dolce

Falesco, Famiglia Cotarella

The bond between the Cotarellas and the wine world originates in the Sixties, when Antonio and Domenico Cotarella, grape-growers in Monterubiaglio, built the first winery to produce their own wine. The brothers Renzo and Riccardo Cotarella found the Wine Company Falesco in Montefiascone, in northern Latium, with the aim of recovering the old vine varieties in that area. After many years of experimentation and study on the Roscetto vine variety, the production of Poggio dei Gelsi starts. It is a selection of EST!EST!!EST!!! which has given back its luster to a territory and a wine which had been unjustly forgotten. The focus on a peculiar Merlot clone results in Montiano, which has won great acclaim since its release as one of the greatest and most innovative Italian reds, standing out for its elegance, precious aromas, great concentration and structure. The passionate research, started twenty years back around the Roscetto variety, culminates with the advent of Ferentano, a wine which best expresses the potential and the richness of these grapes and this territory. Falesco increases its assets with the acquisition of Marciliano Estate, about 260 hectares, lying on a wonderful hill south of Orvieto in the municipalities of Montecchio and Baschi. The grapes to produce Marciliano come from these vineyards and right there, on this territory in Umbria, the new Winery has been built. In 2016 Dominga, Marta and Enrica, Riccardo and Renzo Cotarella’s daughters take over officially the company leadership. The whole brand architecture, featuring now the name “Famiglia”, is restyled to mark the generational handover. Intrecci, the High-Quality Service Academy is inaugurated on December 17th, with the goal to train new experts in welcoming, able to combine the excellent preparation, great managerial skills with an essential share of warmth and empathy. In 2018 Tellus Farm, a structure entirely dedicated to children and their families, is born. It is a place where it is possible to restore the contact with nature in all its expressions, from the didactic garden to the direct contact with animals, sensory laboratories and outdoor sports.

Civitella del Lago

Hamlet built inside a castle back around 1100, with a prominent position on the Lake of Corbara. The stunning view is not the only attraction here. Besides the beauty of the castle and the small houses and alleys, there’s a museum that’s unique in the world: Ovo Pinto, the biggest collection ever of painted eggs coming from all over the world thanks to an international festival taking place in Easter, which is the prolongation till nowadays of one of the most rooted traditions of the area. Civitella del Lago was once called Civitella de’ Pazzi (literally the hamlet of the fools) because of the Pazzi family (the ones who attempted murdering Lorenzo de’ Medici, famous lord of Florence in the Renaissance) being placed here in exile.

Paolo Trippini

Civitella del Lago is home to the top chef Paolo Trippini and his family. His dad started a restaurant just outside the village in the 70s and suddenly it became a referral point in the area for genuine local food. Paolo developed the family tradition under the supervision of Gianfranco Vissani, one of the world’s top chefs ever, also born and raised in Civitella del Lago. And now he runs the restaurant here and travel the whole country and the world to give cooking shows and classes and to cook for the most important events. He’s JRE member and will stun us with his innovative elaboration of local tradition and ingredients, all paired with the best local wines.

Lorenzo Polegri

Lorenzo Polegri, the unique and true Italian FarmerChef, with over 30 years of experience in classic and avant-garde Italian cuisine. His name is linked to the restaurant and cooking school “Zeppelin” of Orvieto. One of the best known and esteemed culinary arts professionals in the USA and Canada. He has collaborated and collaborates with institutions such as The James Beard Foundation, The American Culinary Federation, The Italian Canadian Foundation, The White House, The United Nations, Harvard University. Lorenzo is in charge of cooking and gastronomy classes at Casa Segreta (now Casa Polegri), hosting gourmand enthusiasts and students from major U.S. cooking schools: The Art Institutes of America, Le Cordon Bleu, Johnson & Wales, The Culinary Institute of America, Este Universidad, Bristol Community College, The French Culinary Institute, The Culinary Institute of Arizona, The International Culinary Institute at Myrtle Beach, and many more.

Cantina Villa Sobrano

The vaulted brick ceilings, the large stone walls, the underground passages, the ancient barrel cellar. In every corner of Cantina Villa Sobrano you can breathe history, and each of its wines is the expression of a unique environment both for the terroir and for the conformation of the cellar itself. Its basement position, in fact, with walls over one meter thick, favors natural thermal insulation, keeping the temperature and humidity levels almost constant throughout the year. A condition entirely to the benefit of the wines which, refining inside both in steel and in old French oak barriques and tonneau, are the result of a winemaking process as spontaneous as possible. The ancient origins and its particular position make Villa Sobrano a company of considerable historical and architectural interest, as well as wine. The winery, located in Todi, in Umbria, is located inside a castle dating back to the thirteenth century, which has undergone many transformations over time. An impregnable military fortress until the sixteenth century, Sobrano subsequently became, between the mid-seventeenth and mid-eighteenth century, a noble villa of the Todi aristocracy with the noble Fredi family, succeeding various and illustrious families, up to the Palmucci family, which since the mid-nineteenth century is still the owner. The vineyards of Cantina Villa Sobrano extend around the ancient castle for about 14 hectares, in an area of excellence, capable of giving wines of extraordinary quality. On a hilly area with optimal climatic and pedological characteristics, the Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco and Grechetto di Todi small bunch varieties are grown: a native vine, already grown in the family vineyards and currently replanted as a Palmucci selection. All work in the vineyards – harvesting, pruning, tying, topping, planting and cleaning – is carried out strictly by hand. A hard work, made up of perseverance and dedication, which at each harvest is amply rewarded with healthy and ripe grapes, with exceptional aromas and flavors, which we transform annually into fine and highly satisfying wines.