16
Mar
2025
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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(June 2024) ... It is always a mixed bag in this tasting – what I have learned is that wine is really about two things: the vintage and the winemaker: good wines can be made by good winemakers despite the year.
In a good vintage, a good winemaker knows to stay out of the way, allow the fruit to express itself and only intervene when necessary.
In a troublesome vintage, a good winemaker knows it’s his job to shepherd these wines through the trouble spots and with each vintage learns how to handle things now and also for the future.
Bottom Line: Good wines can be made by good winemakers despite the year. And there are plenty of both making up this list.
Antonelli 2019 Molino dell’Attone - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Arnaldo Caprai 2020 Collepiano - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Benedetti & Grigi 2018 Dioniso - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Bocale 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Colle Ciocco 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Di Filippo 2019 Etnico - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
La Veneranda 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Moretti Omero 2017 Vignalunga - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Tabarrini 2018 Colle Grimaldesco - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better 
Tenuta Bellafonte 2017 Collenottolo - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Tenute Lunelli / Tenuta Castelbuono 2019 Carapace - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Better
Agricola Mevante 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Antonelli 2019 Chiusa di Pannone - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Arnaldo Caprai 2020 Collepiano - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Colpetrone 2018 O’ di Colpetrone - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Fattoria Colsanto 2015 Montarone - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Fongoli 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
La Fonte 2018 Collepoppo - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Le Thadee 2018 Carlo Re - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Moretti Omero 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Romanelli 2019 Medeo - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Tabarrini 2018 Colle alle Macchie - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Tenuta di Saragano 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Tenute Lunelli / Tenuta Castelbuono 2017 Carapace Lunga Attesa - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Terre de la Custodia 2017 Exubera - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Terre di San Felice 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Valdangus 2018 Fortunato - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good+
Antonelli 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Arnaldo Caprai 2020 25 Anni - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Briziarelli 2018 Vitruvio - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Cocco Ilaria 2017 Phonsano - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Cocco Ilaria 2018 Phonsano - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Di Filippo 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Le Cimate 2015 Donna Giulia - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Le Cimate 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Montioni 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Romanelli 2019 Terra Cupa - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Tabarrini 2018 Campo alla Cerqua - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Tenuta Alzatura 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
Terre di San Felice 2019 Vinum dei - Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG - Good
13
Mar
2025
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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(June 2024) ... Nothing beats a comparative tasting. And while most regions do it to see if their wines can compete on an international level. Montefalco knows they have world-class wine, so that is not their metric for comparison. Today, the question is about tannin - their strength and position in the mouth. Where do you feel them, and do Montefalco / Sagrantino tannins hit differently than wines from other places in the world?
Not a typical topic of comparison - but when you have, what many consider, the most tannic grape; it's good to see where you sit with other regions and how they are perceived and tasted.
About & Speculation: Montefalco got its DOCG designation in 1999 - for the wines made with 100% Sagrantino. Vineyards of the area lie primarily between 200 and 450 m above sea level. Sagrantino is also a late-ripener (late-October) – it needs a long growing season. The four designated growing areas are: Bevagna, Gualdo Cattaneo, Giano Dell'Umbria and Castle Ritaldi; and while I mentioned them here - they do not, as of writing, appear on bottle labels ... If I were a betting man, my speculation would be the following: we just might be looking at the future potential "cru" system of Montefalco, or at least the sub-appellations. Many other regions around Italy are already doing it or are in the progress of doing it; so why not Montefalco? Time will tell.
10 wines were poured blind - the questions: where do the tannins attack? And when to drink them? Let’s taste …
The Wines Tasted …
Scacciadiavoli 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria)
A 20 day maceration ... Tannins attack the top of the palate, but are well-integrated. Drink now
Bocale 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria)
A 40 days maceration ... Tannins seem to be all over the mouth, but come across as lush, fine and chalky. Drink or Hold (3-7 yrs)
E. Guigal 2018 Chateau D'Ampuis (France)
A 20 day maceration (Syrah) ... Tannins are juicy and velvety, attacks the middle of the tongue. Wine comes across both dense and youthful. Hold
Franchetti 2021 Passopisciaro (Sicily)
A 20 day maceration (Cesanese) ... Tannins are subtle, smooth, silky and savoury – they attach to the lips, which is an interesting place to find tannins. Drink now
Antonelli 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria)
A 20 day maceration ... Tannins sit middle of the tongue. Wine has medium acidity, but the high alcohol content is perceived, bringing an unbalanced nature to the wine. Reserve Judgement
Messorio 2019 Le Macchiole (Tuscany)
A 20 day maceration (Merlot) ... Tannins grab at the tongue, but yet seem creamy, smooth and thick. Hold
Chateau Montrose 2021 Grand Cru Classe (France)
A 20 day maceration (Blend) ... Tannins are green and woody. As my January trip to Bordeaux proved, 2021 was not a great year for Bordeaux wines. Drink now
Tenute Lunelli 2016 Carapace Lunga Attesa (Umbria)
A 40 days maceration ... Tannins attack a multitude of places: lips, teeth, tongue, and although the wine is dry there is an element of sweet fruit. This one is good for short term aging. Drink or Hold
Ridge Vineyards 2019 Lytton Estate - Petite Sirah (California)
A 20 day maceration (Petit Sirah) ... Tannins in this wine are fine, firm, juicy and well-integrate; there is plenty of subtlety on the tongue. Drink or Hold
Colpetrone 2015 Memoira - Montefalco Sagrantino (Umbria)
A 15 day maceration ... Tannins are refined and soft with some minerality mid-palate and well-integrated on the finish – the tongue gets the majority of the tannin-effect. Drink or Hold
