Umbria, Montefalco's Sagrantino Museum opens.

In Montefalco (Perugia), following restoration and set-up work, the new Sagrantino Museum, located inside the San Francesco Museum Complex, opened its doors on Saturday, April 20. This new space is dedicated to the narration of the intertwining of wine, territory and wine culture, with a special focus on Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, the grape variety that gives its name to the wine produced exclusively in the hills of Montefalco and partly in the municipalities of Bevagna, Castel Ritaldi, Giano dell’Umbria and Gualdo Cattaneo.

A visit to the Sagrantino Museum spans topics such as the vine, wine, territory, tradition and culture. The tour begins in the old Franciscan cellars, where objects from the local farming tradition are displayed, thanks to the collaboration of Professor Luigi Gambacurta and Giulia Rotoloni, and then extends to the present day. Visitors can immerse themselves in the region’s wine-growing history among vineyards and rural villages, already masterfully portrayed by Benozzo Gozzoli in 1452 in his frescoes decorating the apse of the church of San Francesco, now a rare example of a Renaissance pictorial cycle and a valuable historical document on Montefalco’s agricultural and urban landscape. Along the way, 18th- and 19th-century materials related to winemaking and grape processing in the cellar are on display, accompanied by documents, photographs and explanatory videos. The Sagrantino Museum thus aims to be a gateway to the discovery of the territory and its historical and cultural roots.

In Umbria, few wines are able to embody the concept of terroir as well as Montefalco Sagrantino, an indigenous variety of this region. The Sagrantino Museum therefore aims to strengthen the link of this grape variety with the territory of “La Strada del Sagrantino,” offering a deeply representative experience that aims to enhance the entire socio-economic system of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Montefalco. In addition to Sagrantino, other wines from these lands are in fact celebrated, including Montefalco Rosso DOC, Montefalco Grechetto DOC and Trebbiano Spoletino DOC Montefalco, the latter of which has become one of the most sought-after wines nationwide. These wines remain etched in the heart as they embody love, dedication, intelligence and perseverance.

Inside the museum, a tactile, ever-changing landscape comes to life, one that over the centuries has inspired the works of artists such as Benozzo Gozzoli, Perugino and Pinturicchio. It is an area rich in beauty to be explored step by step, between the towns of Montefalco, Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi and Giano dell’Umbria. The Museum of Sagrantino is therefore proposed as a meeting place between business, culture and territory, allowing visitors to savor the authenticity of the nature of this land.

of Sagrantino

Sagrantino

The Sagrantino Museum is the result of a synergy between the public and private sectors: in fact, it is promoted by the Municipality of Montefalco with the support of the Region of Umbria and the collaboration of the Consorzio Tutela Vini Montefalco and La Strada del Sagrantino; the extension works were carried out thanks to POR FESR 2007-2013, Activity 2.2.2. and PAR FSC 2007-2013. Action 3.5.2°. Financial Redefinition Regional Program referred to in D.G.R. n.126/2010, n.848/2011 and n.35/2012, the direction of the works is by architect Bruno Gori, the setting up by Tractis by Stefano Mosconi in collaboration with architect Michele Giuseppe Onali and the contents by Maggioli Cultura e Turismo.

“That of the Sagrantino Museum,” explains Councillor for Tourism Daniela Settimi, “was a project in which the municipal administration worked carefully and judiciously to return to the San Francesco Museum Complex a space dedicated to Sagrantino capable of illustrating its long history. An emotional tale made of testimonies of the territory, evocative images and videos that will immerse the visitor in the enthralling atmosphere of the history of our Sagrantino, undisputed king of the territory. It was a great team effort that involved the Technical Office of the Municipality of Montefalco, the manager Maggioli Cultura e Turismo, with in particular the Museum manager Serena Marianelli, architect Gori, the Strada del Sagrantino, the Consorzio Tutela Vini Montefalco and the Associazione Studio e Ricerca delle Tradizioni Popolari Umbre Marco Gambacurta to whom we owe heartfelt thanks for the support and care of the spaces dedicated to the Franciscan cellars.”

“Sagrantino,” adds Serena Marinelli, head of the San Francesco Museum Complex in Montefalco, “is our princely product that, over time, has been able to position the territory of Montefalco and the entire Sagrantino area at an international level. Having already had the section dedicated to the ancient Franciscan cellars since 2006, we wanted with this museum to tell the story of this vine and what it is today, how important it is for the territory and how much it identifies it. Sagrantino is not just a great wine, but a product that tells the story, the tradition, the beauty of this land, and we want to return this key to the visitor.”

Umbria, Montefalco's Sagrantino Museum opens.

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