Orvieto Classico Secco DOC
Vineyards have been cultivated in Umbria, “the green heart of Italy” and a crossroads between the north and the south, between the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas, since Etruscan times.
When we speak of Orvieto, we think of a beautiful walled city built on a tuffstone mound by the Etruscans, and known in the Roman era as Urbs Vetus (old city) - but also of the prized white Umbrian wine of which Bigi has been a leading producer for many years.
Alkohol: 12,5 %
Barva: bledě žlutá
Cukr: suché
Země: Itálie
Oblast: Umbrie
Objem: 0,75 l
The Bigi winery began life in a former Franciscan monastery, the ancient La Trinità in Orvieto, which had been confiscated by the Italian government in 1870. To improve production methods, in 1972 Bigi moved to the modern cellars in Ponte Giulio, a district not far from old Orvieto.
The current centre of operations vaunts a production capacity of 30,000 hectolitres, with cutting-edge winemaking equipment, and a large barrel and barrique aging cellar: modern production demands meet centuries-old tradition.
The winery’s own 145 hectares under vine are located in the “classic” area, the oldest DOC Orvieto district, with 70% given over to white berries, and located on hilly terrain of altitudes between 150 and 450 metres, basically all clay.
Inspired by the potential offered by its territory, over the years Bigi has reached truly enviable results.Thanks to its capable winemakers and the broad availability of vineyards, the company has diversified its product range, with some interesting monovarietal and blended reds based on Umbria’s Sangiovese grapes, standing alongside the greatest whites like Orvieto Classico, Grechetto and Est!Est!!Est!!!
The Winemaker Paolo Nardo
Born in 1978, in Portogruaro (Venice), he studied for a degree in Viticulture and Oenology at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Udine.
His professional training embraces all the cultivation aspects of grape production and winemaking, in some of the best vineyard country around Italy, from Sicily to Umbria and Tuscany, where he was able to gain significant experience in the grape-growing and processing for white and sparkling wines, and in the barrel and barrique ageing of reds. Since 2017, Paolo Nardo has been at the helm of the Bigi, Orvieto’s most traditional and venerable cellar, famous for its production of white wines but also known for its Sangiovese reds.
Orvieto wine has been celebrated since antiquity, above all in Rome, where it was plentiful in the homes of prelates and during banquets held by Vatican nobility.
A long story woven with lovely anecdotes, like that of Pinturicchio, who in 1496 signed the contract to fresco the Santa Maria Maggiore chapel and demanded to be supplied with “vin d’Orvieto quantum libuerit” – “as much Orvieto wine as he could drink” – while he worked!
Orvieto’s modern story, on the other hand, is closely linked to the foundation of the Casa Vinicola Luigi Bigi winery in 1880. The business acumen of the founder Luigi Bigi meant this classic wine began its journey around the globe, becoming popular and famous.