Plani Arche is in the heart of Umbria, named for the shrine marking the spot where St Francis of Assisi gave his sermon to the birds. Roberto DiFilippo and Elena Pompeii work organically in their vineyards, till with horse drawn ploughs, and employ geese to defend the grapes from hungry foxes. We’ve selected two of their wines for our newsletter this month, this Montefalco Rosso is a blend of Sangiovese with the stubbornly local Sagrantino variety, the backbone of Umbria’s most structured red wines. The aromas are deep set and persistent: blackcurrant, leather and sandalwood, plum and graphite and pepper. On the palate, the wine is sternly structured and full bodied, with rough cut tannins, dense packed blackberries and currants and iron-rich soil. There’s a hum of acidity running around and through all this structural weight that keeps all these aromas and flavors vivid and alert. Pour this wine next to a Pappardelle al Cinghiale or a rich stew full of root vegetables.