t is the northernmost grape-growing district in Umbria, extending from Perugia up into the Upper Tiber Valley (Altotiberini), which provides the denomination its name. Vines are cultivated on the slopes of the hills lining both banks of the river. The vineyards enjoy fine expositions and their grapes yield an interesting series of wines that all appear under the Colli Altotiberini Denominazione di Origine Controllata label.
In this district, as in all the rest of Umbria, cultivation of the vine goes back to the time of the Etruscans, as the splendidly shaped and decorated containers used in the serving of wine that have been found in large number in ancient necropolises clearly demonstrate. While grape-growing and winemaking have an extremely long history in Umbria, detailed citations go back only to the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, Andrea Bacci, a papal physician, provided precise and detailed information in his De naturali vinorum historia on the nature of the Umbrian wines and their production areas. Bacci considered the Upper Tiber Valley one of the best vitivinicultural districts in Umbria and all of the experts are agreed with him in recognizing it as a "land of great wines."
This page was written by Stefano Milioni. Background image and most photos in this section courtesy of Giuliano Bugialli, all right reserved (see Copyright and Credits).
t is the northernmost grape-growing district in Umbria, extending from Perugia up into the Upper Tiber Valley (Altotiberini), which provides the denomination its name. Vines are cultivated on the slopes of the hills lining both banks of the river. The vineyards enjoy fine expositions and their grapes yield an interesting series of wines that all appear under the Colli Altotiberini Denominazione di Origine Controllata label.