For the city of Orvieto, wine is an important resource, a distinctive peculiarity that has continued uninterruptedly over the centuries, as evidenced by archeology, art, history, craftsmanship and literature, so much so that the production of Quality Orvieto has been appreciated and celebrated over time by poets, popes, artists and travellers.
The Orvieto wine, which was also full-bodied black from the beginning, was produced everywhere. Large and flourishing vineyards were located on the same cliff, in gardens of religious cohabitation of the nobles and numerous gardeners direct growers in the city since the beginning of free municipality. So much so that the area of Piazza Cahen up to beyond the church of the Servants of Mary was called “Vigna Grande,” and behind the Cathedral, there was a large area planted with vines.
It should be noted that long before the rows, the vines were cultivated in tree-lined practice spread throughout Etruria, which cultivated the vine married to live support trees, such as elms, olive trees and oaks.
The DOC Orvieto wine obtained the recognition of the Controlled Designation of Origin on 7 August 1971.
The golden and semi-sweet style of Orvieto Abboccato, once appreciated by popes and members of the royal family, is still produced for local consumption. Some producers elaborate excellent versions from overripe grapes attacked by the noble rot, Botrytis cinerea, which gives it unique characteristics of concentration and elegance.
Orvieto DOC is undoubtedly the most famous wine of Umbria and central Italy and accounts for 80% of the region’s vineyard area.
The vineyards that produce Orvieto wine are planted on both sides of the Paglia river that flows throughout the city of Orvieto in the direction of the Tiber river. The tuffaceous soils and the rocky substrate so characteristic of the area not only contribute to the quality of the local terroir but are also suitable for the excavation of cellars for the conservation of wine.
The Orvieto DOC appellation has a classic sub-area, located around the city of Orvieto itself and which extends slightly to the east including the area around Lake Corbara. Its western border follows the regional border with Lazio a few kilometres away. The wines produced here can be labelled as Orvieto Classico.
The Orvieto DOC denomination is reserved exclusively for white wine. It covers sweet and dry types, available in basic or superior versions.
The wines are made from a combination of Procanico (Trebbiano Toscano) and Grechetto, which together represent at least 60% of the mass.
The remaining 40% can be made up of any combination of other white varieties, provided they are authorized within the province of Viterbo, for example, Canaiolo Bianco and Malvasia Toscana.
The wines of Orvieto have followed market trends and today Orvieto is a dry wine, with a peach scent, with a clean, fresh profile and moderate acidity. Moreover, the musts obtained are very sugary, rich in glycerin which gives the wine a particular “greasiness” with a concentration of all the aromatic components.
This wine pairs well with fish appetizers, seafood soups, boiled shellfish and fish in general but also with baked white meats and young cheeses, dry and fresh pastries.
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Ospitalità Italiana is an official certification from Unioncamere, Italy’s federation of local Chambers of Commerce and Industry, that tells you that the food you are enjoying is unquestionably Italian: products are authentic, ingredients genuine and recipes true to the thousand year history of Italian cuisine.
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