Montefalco, A Town In Umbria

Montefalco was the second stop on our tour of three small towns in Umbria: Bevagna, Montefalco and Spello. Montefalco is the centre of the Montefalco di Sagrantino wine producing area, but the small towns of Bevagna, Gualdo Catteneo, Castel Ritardi, Bastardo and Giano dell’Umbria are also within the region. Montefalco is known as the Balcony of Umbria, due to it high elevation, it has incredible views across the surrounding countryside.

Entrance gate to the Umbrian town of Montefalco

Entrance gate to the Umbrian town of Montefalco

The Pardi Winery

Our first stop was at the Pardi winery, located just below the walls of Montefalco. Pardi make an excellent Rosso di Montepulciano (15% Sagrantino, 70% Sangiovese, 7.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7.5% Merlot) and 100% Sagrantino di Montefalco in dry and sweet forms.

The Sagrantino Grape &  Sagrantino di Montefalco

Sagrantino is a grape unique to this area. In its pure form, the wine known as Sagrantino di Montefalco, it makes a powerful, tannic red suitable for drinking with red meat and game,

Montefalco Rosso

Montefalco Rosso is a lighter wine more suited to everyday drinking, Pardi make one one the best that I have tried.

The Trebbiano Spoletino Grape

I was also excited to discover that they are making a white from Trebbiano Spoletino, a grape that was almost forgotten until it was revived by a few local wineries.

Vino Sfuso

If you don’t like spending too much on your wine try a 5 litre container of “vino sfuso”, wine straight from the stainless steel container – exactly the same as the Montefalco Rosso but not aged in oak.

Wines at the Pardi Cantina, Montefalco, Umbria

Wines at the Pardi Cantina, Montefalco, Umbria

Saintly  Montefalco

In addition to Sagrantino wines, the town of Montefalco has eight saints, the remains of at least three of whose saints can be found on display in the town’s churches.

Benozzo Gozzoli’s Frescoes In Montefalco

Benozzo Gozzoli, pupil and collaborator of Fra Angelico decorated the apse of church of San Francesco with a fresco cycle showing the life of Saint Francis.

A scene from the life of St. Francis by Benozzo Gozzoli in Montefalco

A scene from the life of St. Francis by Benozzo Gozzoli in Montefalco

If you have been to the Basilica Of Saint Francis Of Assisi you can compare scenes and see how art changed within 150 years, also note how in the Montefalco frescoes, parallels are drawn between the life of St. Francis takes and that of Jesus, there is a scene where he is born in a stable in the presence of a donkey and an ox.

San Francesco Church In Montefalco

The church of San Francesco is now a museum, the entrance fee is €6 and it’s worth paying to have a look around. In addition to the Benozzo Gozzoli frescoes, look out for a fresco by Perugino and a couple of paintings showing the Madonna driving off the devil with a club.

The main piazza in Montefalco, Umbria

The main piazza in Montefalco, Umbria

Montefalco Is Cool!

Due to the unsettled early spring weather, Montefalco’s altitude made is it much cooler than Bevagna, the town which we had visited earlier in the day. Unfortunately, I had been lulled into leaving my coat in the car by the warm temperatures in Bevagna, it’s amazing what a difference a few hundred metres in altitude can make.