A PORTRAIT OF THE WINERY

What a delight! There is no other way to express the impression you get when you arrive at San Lorenzo Vecchio di Rapecchiano, the tiny hamlet embraced by this deeply alluring estate. Located on the southern slopes of Mount Subasio, between Spello and Foligno, it features all of Umbria’s most authentic characteristics gathered together in a natural microcosm of a single four-hundred-hectare vineyard. The growing of wine grapes began here more than six hundred years ago: “Die 20 mensis maii 1375 Petrucciorus vendidit quinque staria di terre vineate posite in contrada Rapecchiani, comitatus Spelli…et res monasterii de Sancti Laurentii”, whereas the winery has “only” been around since the 1500s. Apart from the vineyard, it also boasts splendid olive trees and centuries-old woodlands that were once owned by the noble families of the village. The current proprietors, the De Luca family, bought the estate in 1969 and soon embarked on a revolutionary process of planting new vines which were carefully tended to produce the best quality of wine.

THE VINEYARD AND TERROIR

The particular characteristics of the area include a higher than normal altitude (between 500 and 650 metres above sea level) and a cool microclimate with noteworthy thermal excursions that give the traditional vines highly original characteristics and make it an ideal terrain for experiments that would not be able to be conducted in other areas

THE GRAPE VARIETIES GROWN

The estate grows many varietals: the black grapes include sagrantino, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, ciliegiolo, montepulciano and sangiovese; while the whites are sauvignon, riesling, grechetto and trebbiano.

WINES

Their appellation wines obviously includes the DOCG Montefalco Sagrantino, which is aged for 18 months in barriques and then at least a year in the bottle. It is a powerful wine with a fine progression, its flavour deep and full of impact. They also make an aSSiSi roSSo DOC, which is the origin of Silenzio, a pure merlot that is soft and aromatic with just the right amount of tension and acidic verve.