Cantina Peppucci in Todi (Umbria), Italy

Posted by Rowena Dumlao - Giardina 10/06/2017

Cantina Peppucci in Todi (Umbria), Italy

The wines of Cantina Peppucci stem from the yearning of parents to raise their children well in the countryside of Umbria to commune with nature. It was in the late eighties when Piero Peppucci and his wife Luisa Giontella bought the Monastery of Sant'Antimo, an abandoned 13th-century Benedictine monastery in the middle of the countryside of Todi. Years of big work progressed in restoring it to be the ideal place that they can could finally call home. But building didn't stop there because in the year 2000, they started to acquire the land around their house to plant the three native grape vines Grechetto di Todi, Sagrantino and Sangiovese along with international varieties Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Their mission was to produce wine just like the old occupants of the monastery used to do hundreds of years ago.

At present, the children of Luisa and Piero are grown up and helping with the operations of the winery. While Luisa functions as the agronomist with the consultation of renowned agronomist and enologist Lorenzo Landi, Filippo takes care of the commercial side of the business.

At an elevation of about 450 meters above sea level with 13 hectares of vineyards of both autocthonous and international grapes, the Peppucci family produces six notable wines that are regarded well in the enological world all of which I had the pleasure to try with the guidance of Filippo one splendid morning in Umbria.

Montorsolo Grechetto di Todi DOC 2016 is a straw yellow white wine with greenish highlights that expresses well the varietal characteristics and the terroir. It's a very pleasant and persistent fresh white wine with lots of fruit and flowers to the nose and palate.

I Rovi Grechetto di Todi DOC Superiore 2014 is a full-bodied white wine that was aged in French barriques with complex characteristics with nuances of honey and tropical fruits.

Petroro 4 Todi Rosso DOC 2015 is a ruby red Sangiovese with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It was the first wine produced by Peppucci in 2005. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, it preserves a pleasant freshness.

Giovanni Umbria Rosso IGT 2010 is a full-bodied rich ruby colored Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This label is dedicated to Filippo's first born son Giovanni and its first vintage was 2008. Aged in French barriques for a period of 10 to 12 months, it lends complexities in the nose and palate, nuances of balsamic and chocolate.

L'Altro Io Rosso Umbria IGT 2009 is Peppucci's Sagrantino with a little bit of Merlot with less aggressive tannins that Sagrantino is known for. Full-bodied with deep granite color, it gives off complex aromas and flavors with nuances of tobacco, oak, chocolate, smoke and dark fruit jam. Aged in French barriques for 12 to 14 months then in bottles for another 18 to 24 months.

L'Altro Io Passito Rosso Umbria IGT 2011 is made with Sagrantino grapes that were left to dry naturally on wooden mats for about a month. They are then aged in French barriques for about 12 months then left in bottles for another 6 to 8 months before commercialization. Jammy, sweet and aromatic with nuances of dried fruits.

The aim is to produce wines that are an authentic expression of this beautiful land, where the altitude, the frame of the forests, the stony soil, the wind never stops blowing, the sun that takes the vines from sunrise to sunset , can really give rise to higher class wines.

- Cantina Peppucci