It's Time for Wine: Umbria Top Launches a Wine Shop Tour

Discover the excellence of winemaking in the green heart of Italy up close: this is the spirit of “ It's Time for Wine ” and “ Passiti, fortified wines and noble molds towards the stars ,” a series of tastings dedicated to promoting quality Umbrian wines directly on their territory, designed to introduce the Umbrian public to regional wine products.

" In order to support the consumption of Umbrian wines and raise awareness of the region's denominations, typologies, and varieties, we cannot ignore local efforts, " comments Umbria Top coordinator Gioia Bacoccoli . " There's still much to discover about the world of regional wine, and with the support of Umbrian professionals and a keen eye on the younger generations, we're constantly working to ensure that every Umbrian consumer can be an ambassador for their favorite wine ."

"It's Time for Wine" is now in its third edition, featuring a calendar of events hosted at six Umbrian wine shops. This traveling event, organized in collaboration with MTV Umbria, offers in-depth information, storytelling, and tastings. This year, starting October 20th and running through November 16th , the six wine shops will once again host a promotional and informational corner featuring four to five wines from the 25 participating Umbria Top member companies .

The wines will be available to wine shop customers throughout the week for free tastings and samplings, curated by the winemaker. Each week will conclude with a guided tasting led by food and wine critic Antonio Boco , who will explain the wines, their terroirs, and their distinctive characteristics. The producers will be present, explaining the uniqueness of their products and the quality they champion.

In addition, this year's new event is "Passiti, fortified wines and noble molds towards the stars," a two-part experiential journey celebrating the excellence of Umbrian sweet, passito, and fortified wines, paired with exclusive creations by fellow Umbrian Michelin-starred chefs Luca Vissani of Casa Vissani and Giulio Gigli of Ristorante UNE . The chefs will create a five-course menu designed to enhance the pairing of Umbrian sweet, passito, and molded wines throughout the meal, according to their own concept and style. The pairing wines will be provided by Umbria Top member wineries. The evenings will be hosted by food and wine journalist Francesca Granelli .

The events are organized under the umbrella of Umbria Wine Academy , a format created by Umbria Top that took shape in 2024 and is increasingly taking shape as an educational tool to be implemented through various activities, both locally and nationally and internationally, for information and education on quality Umbrian wine with a view to promoting informed and cultural wine consumption.

Below is the schedule :

The tour will kick off on Thursday, October 23rd at Casa Vissani, a restaurant led by Michelin-starred chef Luca Vissani, son of the celebrated Gianfranco Vissani, on the shores of Lake Corbara, between Orvieto and Todi, and will continue with a series of weekly appointments at various wine bars throughout the region.

From 20 to 26 October, the initiative will stop on the shores of Lake Trasimeno, starting on Friday 24 October with the evening in Castiglione del Lago dedicated to Trebbiano Spoletino and its DOCs, with tastings at the Enoteca Il Cantinone , signed by Colle Uncinano, Antonelli, Perticaia and Scacciadiavoli .

In the same week, Sangiovese and its denominations will be the protagonists at the Emporio Vini e Specialità in Amelia, where on Saturday 25 October there will be tastings of labels from the Lungarotti, Il Botto, Duca della Corgna and Di Filippo wineries.

The following week, from October 27th to November 2nd, it will be the turn of the Enoteca La Loggia in Orvieto, which on Thursday October 30th will host an evening entirely dedicated to Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, with wines from Terre de la Custodia, Cesarini Sartori, Fongoli and Tudernum .

From November 3rd to 9th, the spotlight will shift to Foligno and Perugia, where on Friday November 7th the Enoteca Giò will host an event dedicated to regional denominations which also include rosés from native grape varieties with the proposals of Madrevite (Gamay), Castel d'Alfiolo (Dolcetto), Terra Sapori Umbri (Sangiovese) and Terre Margaritelli .

In the same week, the Enoteca Bernetti in Foligno will offer its tasting evening on Saturday 8 November, featuring Ciliegiolo in the DOC and IGT Umbrian wines from the Ruffo della Scaletta, Pomario, Leonardo Bussoletti and Cantina Giovannini companies.

From November 10th to 16th, the event will be held in Terni, at the Le Clos Wine Shop and Educational Center , where on Friday November 14th a tasting will take place dedicated to the denominations that include Grechetti, with labels from Montevibiano, Roccafiore, Cardèto and Tenuta Freddano .

The autumn season concludes on a high note on Thursday, November 27th with the second Michelin-starred event at the UNE restaurant (Capodacqua, in the province of Perugia).

Events at the wine shops begin at 6:00 PM. Reservations are required. Reservations can be made by contacting the individual wine shops. Dinners at Michelin-starred restaurants can be booked on the restaurants' websites or by contacting them. UmbriaTop's initiatives are part of the initiatives promoting certified Umbrian products promoted by the UmbriaTop Wines Cooperative as part of the CSR Umbria 2023-2027 measure – intervention SRG10 "Promotion of Quality Products."