Collection: Umbria

Umbria lies in the middle of Italy, framed by the Appennini on three sides, and is one of the country's smallest regions. It neighbours Toscana and is often overlooked, but here you will find wines with a character all their own. The Tiber and the region's other waterways carry warm currents up from the Mediterranean, while cool breezes from the Appennini temper them. In the western areas there are traces of ancient volcanic activity, including Lake Corbara and Lake Trasimeno, and it is precisely volcanic tufa together with clay- and limestone-rich soil that shapes the expression of the Umbrian wines.

The wine history runs deep. As early as the twelfth century, thick, sweet white wines from Orvieto are described, drunk by the popes at Lake Corbara. Even so, commercial wine production is young. Up until the 1970s it was mostly a matter of local farmhouse wine, and eight of the region's thirteen DOC zones were established after 1980. Today Umbria lies in the lower half among the Italian regions measured by the share of DOC-classified wine, but the quality is on the rise.

Among the red grapes, Sangiovese is the most widespread throughout Umbria, while Sagrantino is native to the Montefalco zone and yields powerful, structured red wines. On the white side, Grechetto stands as the region's finest native grape, and you encounter it both in blends and as a pure varietal. Modern wine projects have also planted international grapes such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is also worth knowing that olives fill more than wine in Umbrian agriculture, and that the region produces a large share of Italy's extra virgin olive oil.

At Copenhagen Wine we carry a selection of wines from Umbria, and the majority naturally comes from this central Italian region. If you want to explore more broadly, you will find Umbria as part of our overall range from Italien. These are wines for you who seek genuine, down-to-earth character a little off the beaten track.