A PORTRAIT OF THE WINERY

This is one of the most fascinating wineries of the district. It was founded in 1984 by Pietro Vitali and is one of the historical cantinas of Montefalco. Its symbol, present on all the labels, is the imperious 14th century fortress in which it is housed and which gave the winery its name. The ancient fortress encloses the naturally perfect ambiences in which wine should be made. The temperature within is constant, it is quiet and peaceful with an ideal humidity factor. The environment here is a rare mix of austerity and fascination. The vineyards of the winery spread out all around this marvel and benefit from ideal terrain, perfect for ripening the fruits of the vine. The love the men and women who work here have for their trade and their healthy respect for the past and traditional methods does the rest. Pietro’s daughters, Roberta and Simona, run the business with a natural talent that only those who have been brought up breathing the air of the wine cellar possess. It is a guarantee for today that looks to the future with determination.

THE VINEYARD AND TERROIR

The estate’s 60 hectares are all planted with vines and surround the cantina on a hillside that gradually slopes in the direction of Spoleto.

THE GRAPE VARIETIES GROWN

Apart from sagrantino, the district’s most important varietal to which a full fifteen hectares are dedicated, Rocca di Fabbri also grows a large amount of sangiovese, followed by montepulciano, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Their white grape varieties are grechetto, chardonnay and trebbiano.

WINES

Their Montefalco Sagrantino is made with perfectly ripe grapes which, after crushing, macerate in their skins in temperaturecontrolled conditions for about 20 days. Fermentation and the first aging process take place in steel vats, followed for many months by further refinement surrounded by wood (mostly large oak barrels, but also some barriques). The result is an austere and classic wine distinguished by its silky flavour. Their Montefalco roSSo is an assemblage of sangiovese, sagrantino and montepulciano, and when blended to make their riServa, the montepulciano grapes are substituted by merlot. Mention must also be made of their excellent Montefalco Sagrantino PaSSito and grechetto dei colli Martani.