Lungarotti

Giorgio Lungarotti is remembered as the man who put Umbria on the world’s wine map by proving that fine reds for aging could be produced at Torgiano in the hills along the Tiber river south of Perugia. He showed visionary zeal in creating the red and white wines that in 1968 earned Torgiano one of Italy’s Earlist DOCs. In 1990, Torgiano Rosso riserva was elevated to DOCGs, a personal tribute to Lungarotti’s aristocratic Rubesco from the vineyard of Monticchio. Today the winery is run by his stepdaughter Teresa and daughter Chiara, who direct winemaking and vineyard operations. Teresa points out the Rubesco Riserva from Sangiovese and canaiolo, is sold after aging in a short time in wood and many years in bottle. She lauds Giorgio Lungarotti’s far-slightness in keeping ample stocks from good vintages to sell later, “because he knew that the wine needed aging to reach complete harmony” Rubesco Monticchio and the prestigious IGT known as San Giorgio rank among Italy’s best values in aged white. “its curious how we’ve actually been criticized for our low prices by people who say they undermine prestige,” says Teresa. “Well. We believe that wine should be affordable, whether it be a novella from the latest harvest or a great vintage red.” From 260 hectares of family vineyards and 40 hectares under supervision, Lungarotti makes about 2.5 million bottles of wine a year divided among 20 types, including a range of DOC Torgiano: non reserve red Rubesco and white Torre di Giano Il Pino and varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The list of IGT takes in Il Vessillo, and Giubilante. Torgiano has become a tourist mecca with the museums created by Giorgios wife Maria Grazia that house Italy’s finest collections of art and culture of wine and olive oil, and the Lungarrotti hotel and restaurant Le Tre Vaselle.