In Montefalco, one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of Italy”, the Sagrantino Museum was inaugurated in April 2024 within the stunning Museum Complex of Saint Francis. It is dedicated to the history and production of a regional wine excellence: the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG.

The journey begins in the ancient Franciscan cellars dating back to medieval times and continues to the present day, telling the story of the grape’s deep connection with the land.

A multisensory experience

The museum visit offers a sensory journey that stimulates sight, hearing, and smell, immersing visitors in wine culture. Photographic materials, audiovisuals, and local testimonies introduce five key themes: grape variety, wine, culture, land, and tradition.

The exhibition unfolds from the Franciscan cellars, where tools and objects of the local winemaking tradition like wine presses and cabinets are kept, continuing through the wine tradition among vineyards and nearby villages, up to the presentation of objects from the 18th and 19th centuries from various production phases.

Besides Sagrantino, the museum also celebrates other local wines at the heart of Umbrian winemaking tradition, such as Montefalco Rosso DOC, Montefalco Grechetto DOC, and Trebbiano Spoletino DOC.

Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG: a symbol of land and tradition

The showpiece of the exhibit is the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, produced exclusively on the hills of Montefalco and neighboring towns of Bevagna, Castel Ritaldi, Giano dell’Umbria, and Gualdo Cattaneo. This robust and long-lived wine, made from an indigenous grape variety, embodies the essence of the Umbrian terroir. Its grapes, grown in a very limited production area, slowly ripen under the Umbrian sun.

Sagrantino, with its intensity and complexity, is perfect to accompany roasts and cured meats, while the passito version beautifully pairs with traditional desserts and aged cheeses.

A landscape of stunning beauty and culture

The Sagrantino Museum aims to celebrate not only the renowned wine but also the landscape and culture of the region. The hills of Montefalco are of untouched beauty. The vineyards and historical villages that dot them provide scenery that has inspired artists like Benozzo Gozzoli, Perugino, and Pinturicchio. Visiting the museum allows rediscovering this landscape through the eyes of these great masters, who depicted rural life and the natural beauty of Umbria in their frescoes.

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For more information on opening hours, please visit the Sagrantino Museum website.