Lungarotti San Giorgio 2016 (Umbria) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this lovely "Super Umbrian" that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on September 5 as a Flagship Exclusive. Wines featured as Flagship Exclusives are available in limited quantities at select LCBO outlets across Ontario - click the 5-digit product code below to find a location with bottles available closest to you.

Cantine Giorgio Lungarotti was founded in the 1960's in Torgiano, the heart and birthplace of Umbrian wine. Lungarotti became a major driving force for new opportunities in the region - with wine as the centrepiece. Today, the 250 hectares of vineyards are run by sisters Chiara Lungarotti & Teresa Severini who have implemented innovative cultivation techniques based on sustainability and respect for the environment.

This red wine bears the signature of founder Giorgio Lungarotti, whose continuous desire to experiment led him to try Cabernet Sauvignon in Umbria. He introduced Cabernet Sauvignon in Umbria in the late 1950's to early 1960's, and it was still an uncommon varietal in the mid-1970's.

The Lungarotti San Giorgio was first created in 1977 and is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, becoming one of the first great wines to blend these two varietals and known as Super Umbrian. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for this wine come from a vineyard with a medium mix of pebbles and mostly limestone on a tufa subsoil, while the Sangiovese is from the Monticchio Vineyard that has clay layers alternating with sandy fringes in the lower part of the hillside. It was aged in barriques for 12 months, followed by at least 1 year in bottle.

The current bottling of the San Giorgio label depicts Saint George and the Dragon, from the famous painting by Raffaello displayed in the Gallerie degli Uffizi (a museum I visited many years ago), paying homage to the traditional feast of Saint George when propitiatory bonfires are still lit in the Torgiano vineyards with cuttings from the winter vine pruning.

Tasting Note:

LUNGAROTTI SAN GIORGIO 2016 - IGT Umbria Rosso, Italy (#62877) (XD) - $51.95
A 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, this Super Umbrian has a medium-high intensity nose that needs some coaxing, but reveals pretty and complex aromas of red cherry, baking spice, clove, and savoury earthy notes with touches of dried spice and floral. The full-bodied, structured palate has cherry, clove, oak spice, earthy, and mocha chocolate flavours with touches of dried floral and berry tones. Tannins are fine-grained, textured, and quite drying, while acids are very good. Savoury and earthy on the long, juicy finish. You could open this now, but this will be great in 2-3 years and drink well until at least the end of the decade. Score: 90+ pts

A few bottles from Lungarotti are available through LCBO, while others can be purchased via their Agent - Profile Wine Group.