Agri Segretum
Marmocchio
2018
Umbria
Todi DOC
Sangiovese Grosso 85%
Sagrantino 15%
Tonneaux 18 Months
Bottle 15 Months
Dark cherry, leather, herbs, plum.
About
Agri Segretum 2018 Marmocchio
Marmocchio translates to “rascal” in Italian and we couldn’t think of a better suited name for this wine.
No doubt this is a hefty effort but is suprisingly light on it’s feet. Perfectly suited for winter weekend dinner gatherings in front of the fireplace. Powerful yet graceful, familiar yet somehow entirely new.
As more and more winemakers lean into modern techniques to make the traditional wines more approachable sooner, Marmocchio instead uses ancient techniques to naturally extract elegance that many don’t have the patience to do.
Marmocchio is Umbria in a bottle; a little rough around the edges at first but in the never ending search for authenticity, holds the warming charm of a simpler time.
Saturday night wine to go with grilled meat or hearty pastas.
Full bodied with lots of dark fruit and earth.
Pairings
In a Pinch
Grilled pork.
Deeper Dive
Predominanlty Sangiovese Grosso, the aromatics billow out of the glass in a way you might not expect.
Typically used for the legendary Brunello di Montalcino and defined by thick skins that take require time to age properly, Lorenzo deftly zigs where others zag.
Most every other winemaker on the planet would look to blending mates to soften the wine. Here, complemented by a resolute spine of Sagrantino the Sangiovese is actually manipulated to be the elegant, expressive majority. As such enjoy Marmocchio with a hearty ragu, porchetta or bistecca alla Florentina.
Stand out features: Full body, aromatics, 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
Delicate flavors such as flaky white fish will be overpowered by the tanning and acidity 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"?
Made entirely from two grapes that are best shown with extended age, Marmocchio begs for some time to express itself. The tannins will soften and delightful tertiary notes emerge.
This is not a wine you have to worry about losing with too much air within 10 years so maybe put it in the decanter when you start cooking and appreciate the evolution over a few hours.
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 – 2030
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 Marmocchio
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