Lungarotti, where wine is also a museum experience

Lungarottiwines are born of the slow, meticulous passion for age-old traditions. They are the story of Torgiano, the area that has made Umbrian wine famous throughout the world. It is here, in the 1960s, that Giorgio Lungarotti turned the old family farm into an example of Italian excellence. His inspiration was a love of his home territory and its values. Today, the vineyard is run by sisters Chiara and Teresa whose commitment and innovative spirit have provided a strong impetus. But leading it all is their tremendous dedication to wine. “My favorite moments of the day are those spent in the vineyard,” says Chiara, CEO of the group (photo).

Their Rubesco wine which is matured in barriques for two years, is the winery’s pre-eminent red. Born over 50 years ago, today it is making headway throughout the world together with the company itself which has 250 hectares of vineyards located in Torgiano and Montefalco. Each year, they export more than two million bottles to 50 countries. And foreign markets are increasingly the focus of the company. “But without losing sight of Italy, however,” Chiara is quick to note. Today, nearly half of its turnover, significantly on the rise, is from foreign sales. In addition to established markets, they are gradually adding areas still to be explored, such as China and many of the countries that border on Russia.

But the company’s jewel in the crown is its wine museum, conceived and guided by their mother, Maria Grazia Lungarotti who is lover of art and culture. A treasure chest that contains documents covering 5,000 years of wine history, including the Greeks and Romans and other cultures with symbols connected with wine and a wealth of methods of production and preservation from their eras. A priceless heritage which even The New York Times hailed as the best wine museum. For those who love a good glass of wine, it is an experience not to be missed. (March 2015)