Agri Segretum
Cru HTH
2018
Umbria
Todi DOC
Sagrantino 100%
5 Years
Tonneaux (500L) 100%
Leather, tobacco, cherry liqueur, blackberry.
About
Agri Segretum 2018 Cru HTH
Cru HTH is the most cherished and sentimental of the wines Lorenzo makes. Named after Eileen’s father, whose initials were HTH, this wine is traditional Umbria to it’s core.
Sagrantino is one of the most tannic grapes on the planet and while a lot of producers try to soften that blow with new oak, Lorenzo prefers to let it be unapologetically itself.
Picture a vintage convertible driving through the Umbrian countryside; often annoying and you probably question if it is worth the trouble. When you hit that perfect golden hour ride from your country house to join your friends for apertivo, there is no joy like it and every bit of extra effort is immediately forgotten. CruHTH is that wine because we can count on one hand the producers that show the respect and care to this brawny Umbrian delight which truly has no peers anywhere.
Big, earthy wine for special occasions with your holiday roast.
Pairings
In a Pinch
Rack of lamb.
Deeper Dive
No beating around the bush, Sagrantino is a huge wine.
Fatty animal protein is the launch point for any pairing, and don’t be shy. Have a mushroom gravy with thyme and rosemary your grandmother made? Pour it on the crispy lamb shank. Been wanting to try that grilled cauliflower with Taleggio sauce as a side? Funkier the better. Really think traditional Italian holiday centerpieces here.
We hesitate to say that any wine REQUIRES food but this one does. Even the bravest of palates will have to admit this wine is more enjoyable with hearty accoutrements.
Stand out features: High tannins, elevated acidity, earthy notes.
Pairing Scale
This is a general guide to give you an idea where this wine falls in a spectrum of dish complexities.
Steer Clear
Any seafood will be completely run over by the sheer power of this wine.
Cheeses
Recipe Ideas
Service
Which glasses?
Large Bordeaux glasses will be great for this wine, and all-purpose will work as well.
Should I decant this?
Why "Yes"?
One word – tannin. With Sagrantino being basically the most tannic wine on the planet, it can absolutely overpower every other characteristic of the wine.
Only age and oxygen allow the full breadth of the wine to break through the stout tannic wall.
How long?
Generally you would want to decant a younger wine for longer to help it open up and be cautious of exposing older wines to oxygen for too long. There are always exceptions of course, but this is a pretty good rule to follow.
Serving Temp
The correct serving temperature is important to show a wine’s true potential, but don’t stress over getting the temp exactly right. Use the chart below to try to get in the right ballpark.
Aging
When should I open this?
If a wine has been released by the producer and is available for sale, it means it is ready to drink. Wines don’t necessarily get “better” with age, they just change. Typically, this change involves things like losing fresh fruit flavors in exchange for more savory notes.
The moment you should open the bottle depends on your preference, so it’s more important to understand the evolution and the life span of the bottle than it is to try to time its opening perfectly. (It’s far better to open a bottle too early than too late.)
This bottle should probably be opened between:
2024 – 2050
Vintage
2018
2018 started off cool, yet with a steady amount of rain, which began in the late spring and continued through much of the summer months, slowing vegetative growth. This, coupled with the warmth of July and August, also added a risk of rot among the bunches. In the end, production was down by as much as 30% as producers worked to bring in only healthy fruit.
The dry whites from this vintage offer pretty aromatic profiles and enough acidity to carry them, while the reds, though perfumed and fruity, can often show an unbalanced tannic structure and sometimes a bit of greenness.
Producer
ABOUT US
Almost 20 years ago we launched La Segreta, set on a 90 acre nature preserve in the heart of Umbria. We started by restoring the rustic stone borgo that was already on the property. More recently, we reinvented an historic farmhouse that was just up the road.
Set among olives, jasmine, and lavender, The Farmhouse is a sophisticated mix of modern and traditional with every conceivable convenience. Italian country living at its most private and most genuine. Our village is 10 minutes up the road, your pool is hidden under the almond trees, and sunset from your terrace is picture perfect.
OUR VINEYARDS
We planted our vines in 2008 on a sun-exposed Southwest facing slope at an altitude of 300 meters. We learned about the strong Umbrian sun, the dry wind brought by the scirocco and the mud. Lots of mud. We were helped by our Tuscan agronomist and enologist who were curious to see what the Umbrian soil could produce. Pensioners, village moms, and teenagers hiked into the vineyard with us with buckets and a pair of shears to harvest our crop. That’s how we’ve done it since the start and that’s how we keep doing it.
The hard, mineral-rich Umbrian soil gifted us delicious fruit. We brought it into our cantina and carefully let it develop. We sorted by hand, squeezed the fruit, and let it bubble in the tanks. The juice picked up the natural yeast that has been in the air for generations. We punched down the skins and let them rise again. Our fall was (and still is) a dedicated and delicate play with our grapes.
And then we bottled. Baptized each with names that came from local dialect: Cinino (“Tiny One”), Pottarello (“Little kid”) and Marmocchio(“Rascal”). Seemed like a good fit. We’ve created some delicious wines and are part of the new Todi DOC Appellation. We couldn’t be happier.
Contact
Strada della Mandola, 97 06050 Collazzone (PG) ITALIA
+39 075. 878.9583
+39 335.646.1927
info@agrisegretum.com
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Agri Segretum 2018 Cru HTH
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