Trasimeno Umbrian Wine Region
The Trasimeno Doc wine region is a “hidden gem” of the historic wine regions of Italy. Virtually all the wineries I visited had their own private church, some dating from the 12th century when the winery (a former palace) had been owned by noble families.
Many might know the Trasimeno region for its famous lake, which rivals Lake Como for its size and beauty.
The signature grape of this region is what the locals call “Gamay,” but in reality (and by grape genetics) it is closer to the Grenache grape.
Handled with care by the best producers, this “Trasimeno Gamay” has the ability to transform into a long-lived wine, standing up to new French oak and able to improve with more than a decade of age.
La Querciolana
The first producer I visited in this region is La Querciolana,
Tall Mauro Cavallucci met me at the entrance to the red-brick winery, once the castle of a noble family. Visitors can see the 12TH century church just a few steps away.
More than a winery, La Querciolana is also a residence for couples and families during the summer. Currently, six apartments are available to rent.
As this was my first stop in the region, I was surprised to hear Mauro refer to a particularly full-bodied, oak-aged wine as Gamay. I later found that in this specific region, a variant of Grenache is called Gamay. For clarity, I will refer to it as “Trasimeno Gamay.” La Querciolana produces a number of wines from the local varieties and international varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
From the tasting, it was clear much care had gone into the production of high-quality grapes and solid winemaking. Mauro revealed that the winery is going through the process of organic certification.
La Querciolana Stories
Mauro is a natural storyteller. A memorable story is how he, a former sommelier, arranged for the winery to be purchased by a Monte Carlo physician. Like many, the new owner had the dream of buying a winery in the Italian countryside.
Other memorable stories include reasons why “Gamay” (really a form of Grenache) ended up in Umbria. The more romantic story explains that the new wife of a local nobleman insisted on bringing the vines of her native land. Yet another story suggests “Gamay” was brought to Umbria by Sardinian shepherds. Whichever story you believe, this wine is delicious – especially the oak-aged “Gamay” wines of La Querciolana .
Carini
This friendly, modern-looking winery belies the fact that patriarch Peppino Carini created it in the mid-1880s. The principal business at the time was olive oil and livestock.
Then in the 1970s, descendants Armando and Bruna Carini marketed their products locally. Zooming to the year 2000, the latest generation transformed the established lands into vineyards, olive groves, and wild areas to raise pigs and sheep for meat and milking.
Today the family is behind many agricultural endeavors, including cheese, prosciutto, and, of course, olive oil and wine. They even offer tasting events featuring wines, cheeses, meats, and other products on their sunny lawn.
During my visit, I tasted the wines
Sangiovese, Trasimeno Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Grechetto and Trebbiano. The delicious wines were decidedly well-balanced, with a good concentration of fruit and zesty acidity.
Puciarella
Of course, you’ve dreamed of living a life in a beautiful Italian wine estate. The view from your bedroom window boasts rolling hills. If updated to 2022, it may even include a luxurious swimming pool …
As filmmakers say, let’s “cut” to the gorgeous Puciarella estate
Just viewing this princely estate calls to mind the Mozart opera Marriage of Figaro. A grand mansion. Beautifully decorated rooms. Servants. Excellent cuisine.
And of course, the wine.
Puciarella offers all of this, and more.
On my visit, I was escorted to the vineyards on the top of the hill. In wine terms, this is “prime real estate” for the very best grapes. Even the grand wine estates in California’s Napa Valley would envy these gently rolling hills, along with its variety of soil types.
Now let us consider the mansion. A grand estate. Wouldn’t you love to live here? Experience the wine of your very own chateau, lay by the swimming pool?
Of course.
The great news is that you can rent a room in this grand estate, visit the vineyards, kneel within your private 12th century church (on property), and enjoy the wine.
Lunch with Trasimeno Producers at Restaurant “La Cantina”
Trasimeno is Umbria’s answer to Lake Como, as it boasts a beautiful lake famous within Italy and beyond.
You can’t imagine my excitement as the car quickly approached the lakeside “La Cantina” restaurant. Here I’d be able to view the lake for the first time.
Waiting for me were the producers of the Trasimeno DOC, They were eager to tell me all about their family histories and the stories of their wines.
Each producer spoke one by one, explaining their family histories. To summarize, I will venture to say that virtually all of them had parents – especially mothers – active in the 1960s and 1970s. These were the days leading up to Trasimeno becoming a DOC.
Many of them remembered their mothers in the fields, doing a “man’s work,” while fathers of the era had professions outside of wine.
The Trasimeno DOC wines served at lunch were all quite elegant, marked by fresh acidity from the climate and soil of Trasimeno. They also paired well with the fish from the nearby Trasimeno lake.
Many thanks to members of the Trasimeno DOC and Umbria Region for introducing me to this grand region.
