Col di Betto Umbria

Raffaele Chierico in his vineyards

Col di Betto Winery Umbria

Raffaele Chierico, just 27, is quickly emerging as the fresh face of Umbria.

His Col di Betto vineyard thrives in the gorgeous green expanse of the D.O.C. territory called “Trasimeno’s hills.”

In 2000, Raffaele’s father bought this land to plant vineyards. This allowed the young Raffaele to grow up with the vines.

After a stint of missionary work in Bolivia, Raffaele learned English as a server in England. Then he settled down to his true profession: making wine.

Yet Raffaele does not just make the wine, as a winemaker. He’s also out in the vineyards pruning the vines, Or in his car speaking to Umbria-area restaurants, convincing them to purchase the wine. Even meeting journalists to tell the story of his vines.

Raffaele Chierico, just 27, is quickly emerging as the new face of Umbria.

His Col di Betto vineyard thrives in the gorgeous green expanse of the D.O.C. territory called “Trasimeno’s hills.”

In 2000, Raffaele’s father bought this land to plant vineyards, allowing the young Raffaele to grow up with the Italian vines.

After a stint of missionary work in Bolivia and learning English as a server in England, Raffaele settled down to his true profession: making wine.

Yet Raffaele does not just make the wine, as a winemaker. He’s also out in the vineyards pruning the vines, in his car speaking to Umbria-area restaurants to purchase the wine, and meeting journalists to tell the story of his vines.

Local Umbria Grapes

Because Raffaele does not yet have a tasting room, we met at a neighboring winery so he could showcase his four wines.

The white wine, Verzellino, is made from the Umbria white grape, Vermentino. The unoaked wine exudes a rich texture and elegance, characterized by refined aromas and flavors of citrus and refreshing acidity.

The red wines (made from varying proportions of Sangiovese, Merlot, “Trasimeno Gamay,” Merlot) come in three quality levels, depending on the location of the vineyard and maturation techniques.

All the red wines displayed the tart cherry flavors of the region, characterized by an excellent balance between the bright acidity and concentrated fruit.

The Col di Betto Wine Tasting

The entry-level Allegro wine revealed fresh, concentrated morello cherry flavors, perfect as an everyday pizza or pasta wine. The Terre Del Cardinale, named for the noble family who owned the vineyard land centuries earlier. This wine boasted more concentrated fruit and emerges as a perfect restaurant wine to pair with meat.

My favorite was the “E” (standing for Etrusco, name of the indigenous people) made with 100% Gamay del Trasimeno D.O.C.. This wine enjoys the flavor of the wild cherry of the area, called visciola, and has a delicious richness.

It’s important to mention that what the Umbrians call “Gamay” is actually a form of Syrah. Legend claims it was brought to the region by Sardinian shepherds or a Spanish queen, depending on the story you choose to believe.

Visiting the Col di Betto Vineyards

After the tasting, Raffaele proudly drove me to his vineyards. I loved the look of the healthy rolling hills and the view of the lake from the top of the vineyard. Also at the top of the hill were two small buildings he aims to rebuild into a shop and living quarters. The shop will sell wine, as well as the bread he plans to produce from his cereal crops.

Quite a pleasure to listen to Raffaele discuss his view of life (“wine and bread are a vehicle to reunite people”) and his plans for the future.

Marisa Dvari