Valentino Valentini

AZIENDA AGRICOLA BOCALE

map credit: Wine Folly

Valentino Valentini (pictured top) is the owner & winemaker at Azienda Agricola Bocale, a small, family-owned estate in the Montefalco region of Umbria. With Tuscany to the northwest and Lazio (Rome) to the southwest, Umbria can get overlooked, which is part of its charm. It's not a tourist destination. It's just quiet, lovely, central Italy doing its thing.

Montefalco is a medieval hilltop village about 45 minutes southeast of Perugia, the capital of Umbria. The vineyards of DOC Montefalco surround the village. Umbrian cuisine (which of course compliments its wonderful wines) is known for its amazing pork salumi & prosciutto, truffles, lentils, olives and sheep's milk cheeses with an emphasis on simple recipes & fresh ingredients.

Azienda Agricola Bocale, is located 6 kms to the southeast of Montefalco. Below is a short video of Valentino greeting our wine club members and telling them about his winery & wines which we featured in one of our wine clubs in early 2021.

As Valentino emphasizes, the winery has a strong environmental focus. The vineyards are managed using natural grass regeneration techniques and organic & mineral fertilizers (no chemicals or herbicides). The wines are all natural with fermentation using exclusively natural yeasts, and the the wine is produced without microfiltration and thermal stabilization. The wines are certified vegan. And, the energy used for the entire estate comes from solar panels.

The estate covers 10 hectares of land of which 6 hectares are vineyards. Annual production is 35,000 bottles. To put that in perspective, that's approx. 50 pallets of wine, so pretty small. Valentino works the estate with his family, producing Trebbiano Spoletino (from Spoleto), Montefalco Rosso, Montefalco Sagrantino, Montefalco Sagrantino Ennio (special cuvée named after Valentino’s father), Montefalco Sagrantino Passito (a dessert wine), Grappa di Sagrantino, and extra virgin olive oil.

The Wines of Umbria

MONTEFALCO SAGRANTINO

Sagrantino (estate grapes pictured with his dad, Ennio) is native to the Montefalco region and is known for being a highly-structured grape (code for dry as a bone!!) which makes it great for aging.

Remember that Valentino only uses natural enzymes (maceration of at least 40 days) and the wine does not undergo any kind of stabilization or filtration. He says the presence of sediments should be considered a guarantee of authenticity! The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 24 months and in bottles for other 12 months before release. Valentino says that you can age this wine for at least 15-20 years... so mark you calendars to drink his 2016 vintage (available to taste on (Friday, March 7 — details below) by 2036!

Tasting notes: Deep ruby red in color. Aromas of blackberries, currants with notes of herbal Mediterranean shrubland, spice and vanilla. This wine is dry, so give it a several hours open (or decant) before dinner. Enjoy with gnocchi in Sagrantino wine sauce, roasts and grilled gamey meats, pasta with truffles (pictured) or other flavorful mushrooms, aged cheeses.

MONTEFALCO ROSSO

Montefalco Rosso is a typical Umbrian wine, but unlike Sagrantino, it's intended to be enjoyed fresh and young. It's a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% other grapes. Aged 12 months in barrel and 6 months in bottle before release. Violets and fruity notes on the nose (ripe cherry, blue & black berries) with spicy notes. Soft, easy tannins and medium-body make it a pleasant sipper, but great with food as well: pasta dishes, soup with legumes, red meat, roasted poultry, salumi & cheeses.

TREBBIANO SPOLETINO

This white grape is indigenous to the area. Valentino vinifies it in stainless steel, so no oak. Wonderful (and typical) citrus aromas with an undertone of peach & pine and a complex spiciness that develops with age. It's a fresh and flavorful wine with a note of salinity on the finish. Perfect food wine. Valentino suggests: vegetables soup, risotto with saffron, white truffles, baked chicken, salmon dishes and fresh cheeses.

Meet Valentino & Taste his Wines

Friday, March 7 (4:30-7pm)

Visit with Valentino and taste his wines including the 3 above, a passito (dessert wine) & more. We are excited to host him and meet him in person (after his great wine club video 4 years ago). Hope you can join.

Cheers,
Julie & Jens, co-owners
Portalis Wine Shop