Cantine Pardi: the Sagrantino you don’t expect, between tradition and modernity

Journey into the Sagrantino of the Pardi Brothers, in between previous and present, to find the various souls of this excellent Italian red

Umbria, the green heart of Italy, is well-known for its stunning landscapes, great food, its lovely middle ages towns and, naturally, for the production of top quality red wines, consisting of the renowned Sagrantino.

2 words about Sagrantino

Sagrantino, in addition to a red wine, is very first and primary a native Umbrian vine cultivated for centuries on the hills of the Montefalco location, in specific in the towns of Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi and Giano, in the province of Perugia. It is generally utilized in the production of 2 rather various red wines: Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG and Montefalco Rosso DOC. Both are defined by a wide variety of fragrances and fragrances, that make tasting appealing. In the very first, the grape range is vinified in pureness and generally reveals itself in a more requiring and intricate method. It remains in truth a structured, effective red white wine, with tannins that are hard to tame, which provides its finest after numerous years. The 2nd, nevertheless, is a more instant and gastronomic red wine, where the particular notes of the Sagrantino grapes are moistened by the existence of high portions of Sangiovese and other vines.

New: the current modification in the requirements likewise adds to enhancing the highly determining and territorial character of the vine, which from now on will enable the usage of the name “Umbria” and will define in more information the production locations for both Montefalco and for Sagrantino.

The history of the Pardi Brothers: enthusiasm for red wine for generations

Amongst the many wineries present in the location, the Fratelli Pardi business sticks out, a little family-run company that for generations has actually committed itself with enthusiasm and devotion to the production of high quality red wines.

Established method back in 1919 by the 3 Pardi bros, Alfredo, Francesco and Alberto, the business started by marketing red wines, in specific dessert red wines, and after that proceeded to the direct production of oil and red wine, vinifying grapes from both owned and third-party land. Currently a point of recommendation for the whole area in the past, in 1925 the Pardi bros got the silver medal from the Minister for National Economy at the Umbro-Sabina Oils and Red wines exhibit for their red table red wines.

In 1949 the creators’ kids chose to close the cellar and discovered Tessitura Pardi. Nevertheless, the understanding obtained in the red wine sector was not lost thanks to Rio Pardi, Alberto’s boy, who continued to produce little amounts of Sagrantino Passito for individual usage. In 2002 the great-grandchildren chose to refurbish the structure in Via Giovanni Pascoli in Montefalco, with the goal of restoring their great-grandparents’ cellar and maintaining the valuable household custom on the planet of red wine.

Today the Fratelli Pardi winery is handled by a group of young lovers, such as Alberto Mario Pardi, the oenologist who follows the production, happily nicknamed Junior, who draws experience and abilities from the household history, improving it with a more modern-day and ingenious vision common of the brand-new generations.

The business crosses 11 hectares divided into 5 unique vineyards and produces around 55,000 bottles, that include numerous recommendations consisting of Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG, Montefalco Rosso DOC, Sagrantino and Montefalco Grechetto DOC.

An interest that separates the Pardi business is the uncommon place: the cellar, the just one situated within the town of Montefalco, situated on the ground flooring of the San Marco healthcare facility. An unusual place that can be discussed by taking a look at the past: the healthcare facility remained in truth initially part of an abbey with underground cellars, utilized to rest red wine.

The approach: sustainability, biodiversity and regard for the environment

The approach behind the Pardi Business has actually stayed the like the creators: “great grapes to make great red wine” and is revealed through an extensive connection in between the land and the vineyard. The objective of the winery is to produce determining red wines that reveal the typicality of the grape range, the area and the vintage, adjusted to the tastes of the most modern-day customers, keeping sophistication and tidiness, balance and above all drinkability. Amongst the primary factors of the high quality level of the red wines we discover the terroir, the positioning of the vineyards, situated in the most appropriate locations, and the care of the vineyard, cultivated with an extensive regard for the environment, following sustainable and biodynamic farming practices for maintain soil health and biodiversity.

The difficulty of zoning and choosing various soil types

The brand-new generation is likewise focusing greatly on zoning, to provide unique and special items on the marketplace, which are really various from each other. After years of research study and experimentation, a “microzonation” has actually been executed which enables us to finest reveal the capacity of each kind of soil and to reveal the intricacy and various aspects of this excellent Umbrian vine. In this method the grapes originating from comparable soils or from “single vineyards” circulation into unique labels, produced with various production designs, which are revealed in particular organoleptic attributes. What provides it that unique touch is the various nature and structure of the subsoil, which varies from clay (common of the Montefalco location) to soils comprised of silt, sand and skeleton. All elements that provide the red wine a distinct character, abundant in subtleties and depth. A course of experimentation and options that started to flourish in 2014.

The concept of a Sagrantino in a more modern-day secret and the cellar’s options

The brand-new Sagrantino by Fratelli Pardi is more defined by the option of vinification, which concentrates on really brief macerations, less than 6 days, in order to provide the best color contribution and have less aggressive and abundant tannins. This is followed by alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless-steel, to continue the improvement for 18 months in French and Slavonian oak barrels, followed by 9-12 months in steel. The bottled red wine stays, a minimum of, for 6 to 8 months in the cellar. The preferred goal is to provide the marketplace a more enjoyable and instant Sagrantino, drinkable without always waiting on long aging times.

Sagrantino vertical: a journey in between previous and present

The tasting of various vintages of Sagrantino throughout the discussion made in November 2023 at the Liberty Dining Establishment in Milan – the very first vertical arranged outside the business – was a chance to understand the distinctions, peculiarities, intricacy and evolutionary capacity of among the excellent Italian reds.

An excursus in between previous and present, moving from the covering strength of the delicious 2006 to the fresh and appealing character of 2018 and 2019, which show the outcomes of the work done on zoning. Each vintage is various from the other and informs its own story, exciting really various organoleptic feelings, with a clear modification of speed from 2014 onwards. A tasting journey that likewise enables you to completely comprehend and value the brand-new stylistic method.

Sagrantino DOCG– Fratelli Pardi– Classic 2006

A Sagrantino that completely reveals the excellent household custom bied far from generation to generation and affirms to the aging capacity of the vine. Deep garnet red coat that betrays its age by fading into orange reflections. Extreme and definitive olfactory effect of red fruit in alcohol, cherries, blackberries, blueberries and completely ripe plums, harmoniously linked with spicy tips of cocoa, liquorice and cinchona bark. A distinct balsamic note includes intricacy, while earthy tips, with memories of humus and dried mushrooms, integrate with heavenly echoes that finish an abundant olfactory image. The sip is round and covering and the tannins, still well specified, are soft and well incorporated within a structure that stays effective.

Sagrantino DOCG– Fratelli Pardi– 2014 vintage

Deep and extreme ruby color color defined by a thick and compact texture. It provides a fine, broad, intricate olfactory spectrum, albeit less extreme than the previous one. The nose is seduced by subtleties of ripe fruit, mainly blackberry jam, sub-ripe plums with tips of black cherries in alcohol, which pave the way to an interesting hot path. Cloves, nutmeg and touches of pepper are followed by tips of tobacco, coffee, liquorice, cocoa and balsamic notes. On the taste buds the strong tannic part is well specified, while a dynamic level of acidity makes the sip fresh and enjoyable, welcoming you to go back to the tasting. Consistent epilogue with recommendations to notes of undergrowth and spices. A white wine whose sophistication, balance and tidiness are valued, which still provides itself to more advancement.

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG– Fratelli Pardi– 2018 vintage

This appealing Sagrantino di Montefalco from the Fratelli Pardi 2019 classic combines strong character with skill and olfactory and gustatory tidiness. It has a dynamic intense ruby red colour. The aromatic variety exposes improved ideas of dark fruits, such as blackberry, blueberry, black cherry. This is followed by spicy touches with tips of pepper and licorice, integrated with balsamic notes with tips of tobacco. On the sip, a dynamic freshness integrates with the tannic and tasty charge. A white wine that is currently enjoyable on the taste buds, in spite of the still abundant tannins, and which can still progress gradually, providing stunning feelings. In the glass you can plainly see the modification of speed compared to previous vintages.

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG– Fratelli Pardi– 2019 vintage

A white wine which, although still young, exposes an interesting evolutionary capacity and remains in connection with the previous vintage. Extremely stunning ruby red that turns towards purple, on the nose it verifies red fruits, spices and balsamic tips, while on the taste buds the tannins are still dynamic and are accompanied by a lively freshness. Excellent determination.

To finish the summary of the business, 3 red wines with an extremely more gastronomic character were coupled with the specials prepared by Chef Andrea Provenzani of the Liberty Dining establishment: the 2022 vintage Spoletino Trebbiano Doc Gewurztraminer, the 2021 vintage Montefalco Rosso Doc and the 2022 Riserva, which likewise validate the high qualitative quality of the other Fratelli Pardi items.

For info

Cantina Fratelli PardiVia Giovanni Pascoli 7/9– Montefalco (PG) Tel. 07442379023

www.cantinapardi.it