Umbria

Situated southeast of Montefalco in Giano dell’Umbria, Azienda Agraria Moretti Omero is owned and run by Omero Moretti. The region is small, but in the space of 10 years the number of vineyards has gone from 30 to 62. The origins of the property go back to just after the first World War, when in 1925 Moretti’s grandfather Domenico emigrated from Switzerland, using his savings to buy his first olive grove. Omero fell in love with farming after receiving his first tractor in 1972 and joined the family business, eventually bringing his wife Daniela and two daughters, Lucia and Giusy, into the fold. Today, the 32 ha estate has over 4500 olive trees and 38,000 vines (11 ha).
In 1992, the estate adopted organic viticulture. In 1997, he planted vines and four years later crafted his first vintage of Sagrantino. Omero Moretti was the second winery in Umbria to be certified organic. In 2005, Moretti began a project with the University of Perugia, working with two selected strains, one of Sagrantino and one of Malvasia, respectively, maintained at the University.
Moretti produces two whites: Grechetto and Nessuno, a blend of Grechetto and Malvasia. The estate also produces four reds: Terre di Giano, a blend of Sangiovese-Ciliegiolo-Merlot, Montefalco Rosso, Sagrantino, and Sagrantino Passito. Traditionally made in a sweet style (Passito), winemakers started to produce Sagrantino in a dry style in the late 1980’s.

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Type: Young white

Grape Varieties: 100% Grechetto

Vines: Spurred cordon, 20 years old

Vine Density: 6,000 vines per hectare.

Yield: 60 hl/Ha (8 tons).

Soil: Clay and calcareous soil

Harvest: Hand-harvested during the first half of September.

Viticulture: Certified organic since 1992

Vinification: The grapes are carefully crushed and pressed. The fresh must is statically clarified at low temperatures and fermented at a controlled temperature of 20°C in steel tanks. Natural decantation in steel.

Tasting Notes: White fruits, slightly vegetal with mineral hints. Fresh and well balanced with almond finish. 100% vegan!

Food Pairings: Seafood such as cod, poultry.

Sulfites: 50 mg/lt.

Serving Temperature: 10-12°C (50-54 °F)

Cellaring: 3 years

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Type: Young and elegant white

Grape Varieties: 75% Grechetto, 25% Malvasia

Vines: Spurred cordon, 20 years old

Vine Density: 6,000 vines per hectare

Yield: 60 hl/Ha (8 tons)

Soil: Clay and calcareous soil

Viticulture: Certified organic since 1992

Harvest: Hand-harvested during the first half of September.

Vinification: The grapes are carefully crushed and pressed. The fresh must is statically clarified at low temperatures and fermented at a controlled temperature of 20°C in steel tanks. Natural decantation in steel.

Tasting Notes: Bright gold color. White peach and mango. Notes of white flowers such as chamomile, acacia and freesia. Also hints of sage. Smooth and persistent. 100% vegan!

Food Pairings: Good as an aperitif and with hors d’oeuvres; try it with sushi.

Sulfites: 50 mg/lt.

Serving Temperature: 10-12°C (50-54 °F)

Cellaring: 4 years

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Overview: Ciliegiolo is an indigenous grape from Umbria, named after cherries because of its color. The poppies on the label are a reminder of Moretti’s dedication to the protection of biodiversity. When you see bright red, wild poppies in a field you can be almost certain that it is free of chemicals.

Soil: Silt loam

Grape Blend: 90% Ciliegiolo, 10% Sangiovese

Pruning Method: Spurred cordon

Average Age of the Vines: 15 years old

Vine Density: 6,500 vines per hectare

Yield: 80 hl/Ha (10 tons)

Viticulture: Certified organic since 1992.

Harvest: Harvested by hand in the month of September.

Vinification: Indigenous yeast, fermentation in steel, 15 days maceration on the skins. No use of isinglass, albumin, or casein during vinification.

Aging: 2 months in French oak tonneaux.

Tasting Notes: Vibrant ruby red. Notes of red cherries and raspberries on the nose. Fresh on the palate, with smooth tannins and an aftertaste of cherries.

Food Pairings: Gnocchi, fresh cheeses, cold cuts, pizza.

Serving Temperature: 16-18°C (60-65 °F)

Cellaring: 5 years

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Type: Full bodied red

Grape Varieties: 70% Sangiovese, 25% Sagrantino, 5% other red varieties

Vines: Spurred cordon, 15 and 30 years old

Vine Density: 6,000 vines per hectare

Yield: 60 hl/ha (8 tons)

Soil: Clay

Exposition: South for Sangiovese and northeast for Sagrantino

Viticulture: Certified organic since 1992

Harvest: Hand-harvested from the end of September to the first week of October.

Vinification: 15 days fermentation, 15 days maceration, 6 months on light lees. Bâtonnage.

Aging: 12 months in French oak tonneaux.

Tasting Notes: Fresh and firm core of wild berries, violet flowers. Good structure and tannins, spicy and fruity aftertaste. 100% vegan!

Food Pairings: First courses with meat sauces, roasted or grilled red meats, aged cheeses, prosciutto.

Sulfites: 40 mg/lt

Residual Sugar: 6 g/lt

Serving Temperature: 16-18°C (60-65 °F)

Cellaring: 15 years

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Grape Variety: 100% Spoletino

Pruning Method: Double cordon spur

Average Age of the Vines: 15 years old

Plant Density: 6,000 vines/hectare

Soil: Clay loam

Exposition: South-facing

Harvest: Hand-harvested in mid-October

Vinification: The grapes are carefully crushed and pressed. The fresh must is statically clarified at low temperatures and fermented at a controlled temperature of 20°C in steel tanks. Natural cold stabilization outside in steel tanks due to the cold winter winds from Sibillini mountains range.

Food Pairings: Great with grilled fish.

Serving Temperature: 10-12°C (50-54 °F)

Type: Full bodied red

Grape Varieties: 100% Sagrantino

Vines: Spurred cordon, 30 years old

Vine Density: 5,000 vines per hectare

Yield: 25 hl/Ha (4 tons)

Altitude: 400 to 450 meters above sea level

Soil: Clay

Exposition: Northeast

Viticulture: Certified organic since 1992

Harvest: Hand-harvested at the beginning of October.

Vinification: 15 days fermentation, 20 days maceration, 6 months on light lees, bâtonnage.

Aging: 12 months in French oak tonneaux and a minimum of 4 months in the bottle.

Tasting Notes: Vibrant ruby red. Small wild berries, characteristic hints of blackberry. Balsamic notes. Elegant and powerful. Berries and spices in the long finish. 100% vegan!

Food Pairings: Porchetta, roasted lamb, wild game

Sulfites: 40 mg/lt

Residual Sugar: 5 g/lt

Serving Temperature: 18°C (65 °F)

Cellaring: 20 years

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Grape Varieties: 100% Sagrantino

Training: Spurred cordon

Average Age of the Vines: 30 years old

Plant Density: 5,000 vines/ha

Yield: 25 hl/ha (4 tons)

Average Altitude: 400-450 meters above sea level

Soil: Clay

Exposure: Northeast

Harvest: Hand-harvested in mid October

Vinification: Indigenous yeast; 15 days fermentation; 20 days maceration; 6 months on light lees. Bâtonnage.

Aging: 24 months in French oak tonneaux and a minimum of 6 months in the bottle.

Tasting Notes: Full bodied red.  Ripe plum, blackberry jam, backed up with clove and cocoo. Complex and rich. Persistent and nice on the dry finish.

Food Pairings: Lamb stew, Peking duck, roast lamb

Sulfites: 40 mg/lt.

Serving Temperature: 18°C (65 °F)

Cellaring: 20 years

Production: 660 bottles.  Only produced in the greatest vintages, such as 2006, 2010, and 2012.

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Overview: Loving family traditions led the winemakers at Omero Moretti to rediscover this ancient method: “Sui Lieviti ”. This is how the winemaker’s grandparents made sparkling wine.

Soil: Clay and calcareous soil

Grape Varieties: 47% Spoletino, 33% Grechetto, 16% Malvasia di Candia, 4% Moscato

Training: Spurred cordon

Average Age of the Vines: 5 – 15 years old

Plant Density: 4,000 vines per hectare

Yield: 50 hl/ha (8 tons)

Harvest: Hand-harvested in mid-September

Vinification: Indigenous yeast, 3 months in steel, natural decantation. The wine is not filtered.  Yeasts are added in the bottle for the second fermentation.

Tasting Notes: Fragrant aromas of yellow fruit, such as apple and apricot.  This wine finishes with hints of orange-blossom. Balanced effervescence (frizzante in Italian).

Food Pairings: Excellent as an aperitif with prosciutto, aged cheeses, and pizza.

Sulfites: 50 mg/lt

Serving Temperature: 8°C (46 °F)

Cellaring: 4 years

Olive Varieties: Moraiolo, Frantoio, Leccino, San Felice (this one is an autochthonous cultivar from Giano dell’Umbria).

Altitude: About 450 meters above sea level

Soil: Clay and stony

First Planting: 1985

Cultivation: Hand pruning, soil treatment with pruning leftovers and organic fertilizer.

Harvest: Mechanical harvest the first week of October.  Healthy olives are placed in large crates and quickly carried to the frantoio, or oil mill, to be cold pressed.

Acidity: 0.2% at bottling

Peroxide Number: 7.20 at bottling

Food Pairings: Perfect for bruschetta and when drizzled on vegetables and fish.

Tasting Notes: Green color with golden tinges.  Notes of wild herbs and artichoke.  Medium piquancy.

Storage Temperature: 10-14°C

Bottle Size: 500 ml