At the Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia event in Miami, I tasted a lot of the usual suspects.
Plenty of Prosecco, bubbly and fun. Especially notable was the BiancaVigna Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore Brut. It was fresh and tart and a brilliant way of introducing my palate to the wines that would come. Those wines included the blushy Tenuta Viglione rosé out of Puglia, the color of a draping bridesmaid’s dress, and the Fontanavecchia ‘BjondoRe’ Falanghina del Sannio, one of my favorite whites and a serious value (under $20 a bottle!). I tasted Chianti and Brunello. Nothing was bad.
What surprised me, however, and what I continue to think about, was an Umbrian red, the Montefalco Sagrantino from Cantina Scacciadiavoli, a winery whose name means “cast out the devils.” The place is named for a 19th century exorcist who lived in the small village bordering the vineyard. Iacopo Pambuffetti told me that the exorcist used wine to release humans from the demons that possessed them.
“The church couldn’t help. The religion couldn’t help,” he said. “But the grapes? They worked.”
After tasting the wine, I believe.
What Have I Been Missing from Umbria?
When I think of Umbrian wines, I think about Trebbiano and Grechetto. I take myself back to those delicious days of sipping Orvieto Classico in my favorite trattorie and osterie throughout Panicale, Assisi, Gubbio, and Perugia. Umbria was the first place in Italy that I actually lived for several months. It’s special to me, and when I think about its wine, I think about white wine.
Iacopo had me try their spumante first, a happy rosé that is enjoyable to sip. He wanted me to see the color, so he rinsed my tasting glass thoroughly before pouring. The bubbles were soft, the taste was crisp, and I would have been happy stopping there. But then into the glass went the Sagrantino and I couldn’t believe I was drinking such a big red. From Umbria.
“I know,” he shrugged when I shared my pleasant surprise.
It’s dry and complex, and if I close my eyes with a sip of this beauty, I imagine myself barefoot and wandering through the forests that might surround the winery. That’s what is in my mouth with the blackberries and the hint of olive; a sense of the woods. Of the earth. It clicks into place with my wanderlust. This wine is tannic and the color is dark. It’s not too oaky.
I’m here to report that this is a wine that is flying way under the radar, and that’s fine. I tasted another Sagrantino a few tables over, and Enrico Trevisanato, a distributor, told me he has a hard time selling it to Florida customers. But that does not bother him. “They want their Barolo. Their Super Tuscans,” he said. “It’s not for everyone.”
Probably true. But, if you’re thinking about inviting me out for a glass or a bottle sometime soon, guess what I’ll be looking for? And if we’re eating, I think it would go well with a deep bowl of pasta or meat on the grill.
The Event
The Gambero Rosso wine event was full of industry experts mulling around with noses in glasses and a lot to say about what they were drinking and selling. Pasta and pizza were served as snacks and I’m not ashamed to admit I had seconds of the rigatoni with the slow-cooked pork. Sanctuary MiMo hosted us, a gorgeous space in the middle of historic Miami, surrounded by galleries. On the way in, I passed working artists hanging canvases.
The wine was art, too. Celebrated and admired by importers, retailers, consultants, and writers like me, looking for a good story to tell.
Cin cin.
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