2015 Castello di Montegiove Elicius Orvietano Rosso DOC

Elicius is the surname of Jupiter, a mythological god known as the king of the sky and lightning, and apparently the most powerful god of the Romans (considered as the equivalent of the Greek Zeus). A fun fact is that a long time ago, right where Castello di Montegiove is located, there was a Roman temple dedicated to him. 

Without a doubt, the name Elicius evokes magnificence, and naming the wine like this was definitely not a coincidence. Elicius is the crème de la crème, the “big boy” of Castello di Montegiove, a wine that truly deserves to be honored and praised.

Castello di Montegiove is one of the oldest castles in Umbria and all of Italy. It sits atop a hill that overlooks the borders of Umbria, Tuscany, and Lazio with sweeping views toward Perugia and Orvieto. Founded in the 13th century, this castle has been operating as a family farm since its inception, and in 1780 it became the property of the Marquises Misciattelli family.

Owner and winemaker Lorenzo Misciattelli is a hands-on passionate winemaker who oversees every aspect from the vineyard to the cellar. Lorenzo grew up in Denmark but was raised with extreme love and a sense of belonging to his motherland. In 2002, he decided to move back to Montegiove with his wife Rikke and develop the family’s property. Today, he has managed to position it among the most awarded estates in all of Italy.

Winemaking in the town of Montegiove is not new; the first records of wine in this place, date back more than 700 years. Castello di Montegiove’s vinification area, barrel, and bottling cellar were built prior to the 15th century.

Guided by a philosophy that combines modern winemaking with tradition and culture, Lorenzo and his team thrive to create these wines of bottled history, with maximum quality, and meticulous attention to every detail.

The winery is made up of about 3000 acres, where vines, oak forests, and olive trees bloom in perfect terroir conditions. The 5-acre vineyard is planted with native grapes like Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Sagrantino, Canaiolo, Barbera, and other international ones like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a paradise where free-range cattle craze amidst a wide array of flora and fauna.

Although the vineyards are located in the Orvieto appellation, -known since the Roman era as the best place to make outstanding white wines- they share more similarities to Siena, its Tuscan neighbor, with soils that are much richer in clay and limestone, the perfect terroir for red wines of superb structure and complexity.

The classification Orvietano Rosso DOC is merely due to an administrative location as Montegiove is geologically situated on the “Tuscan nappe.” This translates into amazing quality “Tuscan-esque” wines with a price tag that’s not very Tuscany. Amazing value here, and BHW is the exclusive importer of these exquisite wines.

Aging: 12 months in French oak tonnaux, followed by 12 months in second and third Slavonian oak barrels. 

70% Montepulciano, 30% Sagrantino. Dark garnet red color. Elegant and deep toasted aromas. Very intense on the nose, with notes of plum and cherries. Balanced tannins. An elegant wine with a strong personality. This is the perfect wine to pair with fatty red meats, like ribeye and sirloin steaks, tomato-based pastas, a fireplace, and good friends. Perfect for cellaring too.

~95 Luca Maroni, I Migliori Vini Italiani, Guide to Italy's Best Wines

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