Day Trips from Rome {Discovering Umbria + Wine Tasting near Todi}

Last week, after three days of gray skies and relentless drizzle the sun came back and I hopped on a train with two good pals and headed to Umbria for the day.

I have spent a lot of time in the countryside near Todi thanks to the always hospitable Elizabeth and Domenico. But here’s the thing. I almost never leave the comfortable confines of their country idyll. I drink morning coffee and catch upon Facebook on the stone patio looking out towards Todi. I lounge by the pool catching up on my never-ending to read list. Looking out towards Todi. I have only gone to the hilltop town twice in all of my visits.

Thankfully Diana organized an activity with Discovering Umbria where all I had to do was show up at Termini train station at the appointed hour.

Alessandra  and Leonardo met us at the Orvieto train station and we wound through one of the prettiest drives in Umbria, past lake Corbara, olive groves and vineyards explaining the long history of the region and it’s wine production.

We arrived at Roccafiori and all of us gasped in unison at the view out over the green Umbrian hills the spring sunshine scenting the flowering rosemary with it’s warmth.

We toured the state of the art facility that takes advantage of traditional Umbrian knowledge and landscape and the modern know-how from Italy’s far reaching region the Alto-Adige. We saw the stainless steel tanks with computer temperature control that the grapes are gravity fed into so as to lessen the stress on the fruit and moved to dim oak barred filled room where x wines are aged. The distribution room was busy backing tall boxes to be shipped all over the world.

Then it was time for the one of the best parts of the day, the wine tasting part. We started with a light, fresh rosato that tasted of summer sunshine. We sampled savory prosciutto, sausage, salami, and translucent wisps of lardo all made with the farms very special Cinta Senese pigs. As we moved onto the estates whites Fiordaliso, made with it’s passion flower note and the crisper Fiorifiore, there was sliced of warm, just barely toasted Umbrian bread slathered with the estate’s green grassy scented love oil. The red wines were next and were spicy and rich and perfectly paired with the snacks. 

As we sat around the table, We talked about the ancient origins of Grechetto a wine that was talked about by Pliney the Elder and the devastating olive oil season this past year. We learned about the passion that Umbrian have for their food and traditions and the land that creates it all.

After the wine and delicious snacks we needed a walk so he visited the very adorable Cinta Senese pigs who were quite disappointed by our empty handed arrival. We had a look at the spa, restaurant and rooms at the nearby hotel, all of us plotting an overnight girls getaway.

The next stop was the town of Todi for a relaxing tour of this important Umbrian hill town. We walked along the road that runs alongside an Etruscan wall, we visited the rare Renaissance church in this mostly Medieval town and earned that the towering cypress tree at the edge of cities walls was planted in honor of Garibaldi over a century ago. Leonardo shared some bawdy humor found on the facade of the Franciscan Church of San Fortunato and we soaked up the very welcomed spring sunshine in the piazza over coffee and local raisin studded cookies.

Even though we felt like were a world away from our everyday lives in Rome it was time to get back on the train in Orvieto and with a click of our heels we were home in Rome before sunset.

I think this year I will suggest we add wine tasting and gelato in the piazza to the summer in the country activities. In between patio and pool lounging of course.

You can arrange for a wine experience like this or chose from a variety of other special Umbrian experiences too. Contact Discovering Umbria and start planning your getaway.