About Barbara
Barbara lives in Perugia, the capital city of the region of Umbria, the green heart of Italy. Her favourite occupation is to share her passion and knowledge of Umbria’s food, wine and cultural heritage.Barbara holds an Italian Sommelier Diploma, as well as the Slow Food movement’s Certification on Wine Culture. Nowadays, she is a member of the Slow Food movement and a writer for the Italian Slow Wine Guide. Barbara combines her passion for food, wine and travel to create been and organize unique itineraries in Umbria that will satisfy the most discerning wine and food enthusiast.
Interview with Barbara:
When did you discover your passion for wine?
My passion for wine emerged while working at a famous wine bar called “Il Bacco Felice” in Umbria during my university years, in my early 20s. The owner, a seasoned food and wine expert was able to pass me his passion and knowledge of the Umbrian wines and specialties.
What are your key highlights of the Umbria wine region?
I have several highlights, and among them:
- The Sagrantino territory with its only five villages where it is allowed to grow the unique, native grapes;
- The charming and historical area of Orvieto, where wine has been produced for over 2.500 years;
- The wines from the Trasimeno lake with its amazing landscape where a few local farmers work extensively in producing a high quality wine;
- The Torgiano area where the Torgiano Red Reserve is produced. Today, this wine is the second certified DOCG in Umbria, while it was the very first one in the late 60s.
When are the best times to visit Umbria?
The best time to visit Umbria is between the months of April and October.
Do you have a personal favourite winery in the region and if so why?
Not really. All the wineries in Umbria produce excellent wines. The only thing that really matters to me and makes a difference must be found in the people managing a certain winery. In fact, I prefer wineries whose owners and employees are kind and genuine.
What is a traditional local wine and food pairing dish?
- Sagrantino wine with a wild board dish
- Sagrantino Passito wine with dry cookies, such as Tozzetti Orvieto classico wine with eggs and truffles Montefalco red wine with truffle tagliatelle Montefalco red wine with salami, cheeses and bruschette
Finally, which wine region in the world would you like to visit next?
Paso Robles, Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley in California, and Burgundy in France. Also would like to visit the wine regions of Spain, Austria and Switzerland.