Germanic descendants of the Tili family have been farming the hills of Assisi since the 12th century. They came to the area after fighting for the Holy Roman Emperor Federico Barbarossa's conquest of northern Italy. Afterward, Frederic I granted the soldier rights to grow olives and grapes which continued through successive generations. In 1978 the Tili Vini Family Organic Winery was formed.
The vineyards are composed of medium-textured calcareous soils, poor in organic matter, but rich in skeleton and mineral salts. The porous soil and lack of groundwater enrich the organoleptic content of the grapes with particular saline components.
The winery produces Assisi DOC and Umbria IGT certified organic wines. In fact, the Tili family was instrumental in petitioning for the creation of the Assisi DOC, granted in 1997.
Our tour of Assisi included a side trip to Tili Vini and the tasting experience was exceptional. Their new tasting room overlooks the Umbrian valley and provides a comfortable setting to sample their wines. And during this tasting, they paired a lunch of local cheeses and charcuterie with half a dozen generous pours of wine. 
Their Assisi DOC Grechetto is delicious, full-bodied, stone fruit and pineapple. The unoaked Assisi DOC Pinot Noir was also highly appreciated with its easy yet noticeable tannins and juicy cherries. By far the most impressive was the 2012 Assisi DOC Sacreterre, 100% Sagrantino. The tannins had developed into a velvety chewy texture full of dark fruit and chocolate. Exceptional. And besides the Grechetto, Matthew's other favorite was the Muffa Reale, a late harvest dessert wine gushing forth stone and tropical fruits.Don't miss out on this winery if visiting Umbria or Assisi. Cheers.
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