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UMBRIA

Sportoletti, Rosso,Assisi 2009 **** 18fll Bancroft, Lea & Sandeman

Intense nose, still young anddominated by spicy red andblack fruit. Dry backbonewith juicy black fruit, redcherry, tobacco, sweet spiceand lively acidity. Robust.Drink: 2012-2015.AIc: 14%

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Trophy-winner Filippo Peppucci, who says of hisflagship Sagrantino-based Alter Ego: 'It's a truewine, an expression of our territory'.

Hunt's six of the best from Umbria

Tabarrini, Sagrantino Colle alleMi!.cchie, Montefalco 2004

*****19N/A UK www.tabarrinLcom

Dense nose, with warm mineral notesand hints of tar and chocolate.Complex and impressive dark fruitflavours, mineral character. Marked butcontrol led tannins, rich and powerfulbut accessible, balanced and long.Drink: 2012-2020. AIc: 15%

Cantina Peppucci, Alter Ego,Todi 2006 ***** 18.5f24.95 Secret Cellar

Powerful nose, with earthy forestaromas, plum, herbs and spicy wood.Intense, with obvious alcohol andtannin. Dark fruit flavours com binewith tobacco, oak and spice.Drink: 2012-2018.Alc: 14.5%

For ful! detai!s af UK stockists, see p89

Spreading the wordWhile Umbria now produces some excellent wines,and has the benefit of two unique, loeal grapevarieties, it needs to be more vocal in telling itsstory to wine drinkers. As with many Italian wines,the passion for 'invented' names does little to helpthe consurner make an informed choice. The nameof a grape variety and the word 'Umbria' includedon labeIs could rnake a world of difference.

And although many producers are doing excellentwork individually towards higher quality, thereappears to be a lack of collaboration. The Umbrianpeople are known for being somewhatuncommunicative - even with close neighbours - andthis is no Jess apparent in the wine world. Hopefullyyounger generations will break the mouJd in years tocome, and allow Umbria to build on its rightful placeas a producer of excellent Italian wines. m

Jane Hunt MW is a Regional co-Chair for Italy at theDecanter World Wine Awards

'Maru; newexamples area world awayfrom theneutral sty leaf old-schoolOrvieto'

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originally used to make a sweet red passito (dessertwine) drunk at celebrations, ma inly Easter. Butgradually, produetion has turned to dry redexamples. Arnaldo Caprai was the fi rst estate tofully develop Sagrantino in the 1980s, but itsaward-winning bottles now vie for attention withexcellent examples from Francesco Antano,AntoneIIi, Colpetrone, Villa Monga IIi and Perticaia.

Montefalco is also the base for one of Umbria'smost interesting winemakers, GiampaoloTabarrini. This energetic producer is makingsingle-vineyard Sagrantinos with real terroirexpression, and an equally gaod MontefalcoRosso that includes a hea Ithy dollop of Barbera.His talent further extends to the region's moststrikingwhite variety, Trebbiano Spoletino, withhis wonderfully rich and complex Adarmando. Anancient local eJone of Trebbiano, rnuch researchhas gone into saving and developi ng this historiebut little-known grape. Not to be confused with itsworkhorse namesake, Spoletino produces ripe,pungent wines from producers such as Novelli andPerticaia, as well as Tabarrini.

Further southwest is the stu n n ing cathedra Itown of Orvieto. Now producing white wines af realclass and minerality, the many new examples are aworld away from the neutral style of old-schoolOrvieto. Seek out producers such as AItarocca,Barberani, Palazzone and Decugna no dei Barbi todiscover just how good wines from th is town ean beo

Across the region, other fine producers arebecoming established sources of premium wi nes.

~ Sportoletti, based near Assisi, makes one of Ita ly's;?l best-value red s and, from the shores of Lake.~ Trasimeno, Madrevite is producing excellent wines~ from Rh6ne varieties, ineJuding the brilliantlyi! named Che Syrah Sara. And not forgetting DWWA

Antinori, Castello Dellasata, Cervaro Della Sala2009 ***** 19pts/20f39-f45 Berkmann, Fine &

50 I Italy 2012 • DECANTER

Rare, Majestic, slurp, Swig

Complex tropicai fruit nosewith hints of wood.Impressive weight and

II _ • ..::.....J~ structure, full of flavour,,.,,, sweet and ripe citrus fruits

and pear. Toast y vanillaalongside a distinct hazelnut character.Drink: 2012-2016.Alcohol: 13%

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Terre Margaritelli, Greco diRenabianco, Torgiano 2010

*****18.5f17.99 Laytons

Youthful, clean and intense expressionaf Grechetto, with notes af spicy vanillaand honey. A short period in wood hashelped to temper the crisp acidity.This wine is cornplex, weighty, rlch,ripe and balanced, with intense fruit.Drink: 2012-2016.Alc: 13.5%

Barberani, Classico Secco,Orvieto 2010 ***** 17f7. 50 The Wine Society

Attractive, fresh and clean, with hintsaf white fruit and citrus. Refreshinglycrisp, saft and correct, with an elegantmineral tone and some nuttiness.Drink: 2012.Alc: 12.5%