Amelia

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The zone lies in the south-western part of Umbria and displays two distinct facies: marine sediments to the south-west and continental lacustrine sediments in the Terni plain to the north-east.
• In a small area of just over 5 km² between Lugnano in Teverina and Giove, volcanic soils are present consisting of stratified tuffs alternating with pumice, ash, and lapilli, correlatable with those of Orvieto.
• The lacustrine soils to the north-east of the calcareous ridges are predominantly sandy-clayey, with occasional brackish facies, and belong to the deposits of the ancient Tiberine lake.
• The vineyards are situated at elevations ranging from 50 to 400 metres above sea level, with slopes varying from 1% to 16%.
• The area is the warmest in Umbria, with an Amerine-Winkler bioclimatic index averaging between 1,800 and 2,000 degree-days, while autumn rainfall accounts for approximately 35% of the annual total.

• Virgil, in the Georgics, records that farmers in the area of Amelia were accustomed to tying vine shoots with willow withies, attesting to viticulture in the region since Roman times.
• The appellation was recognised as DOC Colli Amerini in 1989 and subsequently renamed DOC Amelia, with an expanded production specification, by decree of 16/12/2010.
• In 1886 Paolano Manassei described the vines of the hills of the Ternano as trained on dead supports, on large pergolas, or in espalier rows, while the vines on the plain were trained on living supports of elms or field maples.
• In 1930 the Provincial Council of the Corporate Economy of Terni described new plantings as rows trained in the Guyot system on three wires, citing among the cultivated varieties Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Biancone, and Montepulciano.

• The red wines display a ruby-red colour with violet highlights in young wines, shading towards garnet red with orange hints in more aged wines.
• Vin Santo has an amber-yellow colour resulting from ageing, while Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice ranges from deep pink to pale pink; both styles show a flavour profile from dry to sweet, harmonious and velvety.
• Across all wine types, floral and fruity aromas typical of the base grape varieties are found, which in more aged wines give way to spiced or phenolic notes associated with wood.
• On the palate, all wines show normal acidity, barely perceptible bitterness, and low astringency, with a good structure that contributes to their gustatory balance.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A0835