I guess the topic tells all the necessary information. However, I guess a small introduction to the subject might be in order.
This was a tasting of ten Montefalco Sagrantinos - and those who are unfamiliar with this thick-skinned variety, Sagrantino is considered to be some of the most tannic varieties cultivated. You really don’t find this variety grown outside the region of Umbria (next to Tuscany in the central Italy) and generally it is thought that the best expression of the variety is Montefalco Sagrantino (known as Sagrantino di Montefalco until 2009), an appellation that requires the wine to be 100% varietal Sagrantino.
As opposed to the normally more red-fruited, sour-cherry driven style of many Italian reds, Sagrantino’s typical flavor profile is much darker-toned, the fruit spectrum often covering flavors like blueberries, bilberries, plums and boysenberries; any cherry notes tend to be from the sweeter, darker-toned black cherry end. Many producers use smaller barrels and new oak to tame down the formidable tannins of the wines, but just as in Barolo and Barbaresco, traditionalists use large oak botti to age the wines and rely on longer aging in oak to soften up the tannins instead of new oak.
One might think that a big, hearty red wine brimming with tannins, extraction and - quite often - acidity would make very ageworthy wines. However, my experience with Sagrantino has often shown this to be - somewhat counterintuitively - untrue. While Sagrantino can easily age and evolve a decade or two, I’ve found that the wines are not as capable of aging as I would’ve thought. For some reason the fruit department seems to quite often give up much earlier than the tannic structure does, resulting in wines that tend to get old, savory and even pruney with still tons of unresolved tannins. The more I drink older Sagrantinos, the more I think I should just drink them sooner and just fully embrace their ridiculous, in-your-face tannins along with their vibrant, expressive fruit flavors. They still do benefit from some aging, but I’d say the sweet spot is after five or maybe ten years rather than fifteen or twenty.
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2018 Rocca di Fabbri Montefalco Sagrantino - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
100% Sagrantino from vineyards planted in 1999, 2002 and 2004. Macerated with the skins in 5000-liter stainless steel tanks for three weeks. Aged for 12 months in stainless steel tanks and 18 months in oak (70% botti, 30% barriques). 15% alcohol.
Youthful, luminous black cherry color that permits rather little light through. The nose feels sweet, sunny and quite fruit-forward with quite youthful aromas of ripe black cherries, some elderberry tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light sweetly-spiced oak notes of cloves and exotic spices, a hint of balsamic VA and a touch of blueberry juice. The wine feels dry, firm and quite chewy yet not particularly heavy on the palate with a moderately full body and quite savory flavors of juicy dark fruits, some meaty notes of roasted game, light black cherry tones, a little bit of toasty spice and woody oak, dried-fruit hints of raisins or dried figs and a youthful touch of sweet blueberry. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The overall feel is pretty structured yet not particularly tough with the moderately high acidity and ample yet surprisingly ripe and supple tannins. The finish is long, somewhat warm and moderately grippy with a ripe, sweetly-fruited aftertaste of juicy black cherries and succulent dark plums, some savory notes of exotic spices, a little bit of dried figs, light elderberry tones, a sweeter hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of balsamic VA.
A rather modern but also enjoyable balanced and tasty Sagrantino that never comes across as too polished, ponderous or predictable. The wine feels very enjoyable already now, but seeing how youthful and almost primary the wine is, I can imagine the wine can evolve effortlessly for at least a handful of years more. Based on the rather solar style of the wine, 2018 was most likely a rather warm vintage in Montefalco and it does show in the wine. However, there is enough structure here to keep the wine in balance and lend it freshness. A nice wine.
(89 points) -
2017 Tenute Lunelli Montefalco Sagrantino Carapace Tenuta Castelbuono - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
100% organically farmed Sagrantino. Cold-soaked prior to the fermentation for 30 hours. Macerated with the skins for 2-3 weeks. Aged for 24 months in large botti casks. 15% alcohol.
Very deep, moderately youthful and slightly translucent blackish-red color with a light blueish hue. The nose feels sweet, fragrant and quite youthful with almost primary aromas of ripe red cherries and blueberries, some perfumed floral tones, a little bit of boysenberry or blackberry jam, light nuances of pipe tobacco, a hint of licorice root and a touch of estery primary character. The wine feels concentrated, firm and rather chewy on the palate with a rather full body and quite intense, ripe and subtly sweet-toned flavors of black cherries and ripe red plums, some licorice root, light blackberry tones, a little bit of pouch tobacco, a hint of raw cocoa powder and a touch of savory wood spice. The assertive tannins feel ample and quite drying, but not aggressive, and the acidity feels rather high, both contributing to the impressive structural feel of the wine. The lengthy finish is juicy, quite noticeably grippy and slightly sweet-toned with a little bit of alcohol warmth and an intense aftertaste of boysenberries and ripe black cherries, some juicy red plum tones, a little bit of savory spice, light floral notes of violets, a hint of licorice root and a touch of tobacco.
A very impressive, stern and balanced Sagrantino with a lot of vibrant, concentrated fruit and a lot of structure to back it up. The wine is pretty enjoyable already, if paired with a dish hearty enough to tame all those tannins - otherwise I'd rather let the wine age for another 5-10 years, just to let the primary fruit flavors disappear and the tannins to resolve. Most likely the wine can at least keep - if not improve - for a few decades, so one doesn't need to hurry with this one. This is great stuff that will reward patient cellaring.
(92 points) -
2014 Scacciadiavoli Montefalco Sagrantino - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
100% Sagrantino. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 3-4 weeks in 10 000-liter French oak vats. Aged in old 3000-liter botti casks, tonneaux and barriques (a small portion renewed annually) for 18 months. 14,5% alcohol.
Dense and rather opaque blackish-red color with an evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels surprisingly restrained, somewhat evolved and a bit earthy with somewhat lackluster aromas of wizened dark berries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of tobacco, light woody notes of savory old oak, a hint of leather and a touch of dried dark fruits. The wine feels firm, dry and somewhat austere on the palate with a medium body and slightly understated flavors of chokeberries and fresh dark plums, some leathery tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light nuances of pouch tobacco, a hint of earth and a ferrous touch of blood. The overall feel is enjoyably structure-driven with the high acidity and tough, grippy tannins. The finish is firm, dry and grippy with a dry, slightly reticent aftertaste of ripe sour cherries and brambly black raspberries, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of gravelly earth, light notes of leather, a sanguine hint of iron and a touch of savory wood. The rather high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the aftertaste.
I sort of enjoyed the wine's austere, dead-serious and very structure-driven style, but seeing how understated the fruit department was here - and knowing how great Scacciadiavoli Sagrantinos can be when they're good - the wine was sort of a let-down. The flavors felt both quite underwhelming and surprisingly evolved for the age, which makes me wonder if 2014 was a poor vintage in Umbria as well. The tough, unyielding structure would call for another 10 to 15 years of aging, but the fruit department feels like it is quite close to its peak now and most likely won't hold on for much longer. The wine just can't be aged for long enough for the structure to resolve. While an enjoyably rustic and VERY structure-driven wine in its own right, it is a bit unbalanced as a whole. This wine does nothing but encourages me to keep my distance from Italian 2014 reds.
(85 points) -
2014 Adanti Montefalco Sagrantino Arquata - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
100% Sagrantino from multiple parcels in Bevagna and Montefalco. Fermented and macerated with the skins in stainless steel tanks for 21 to 24 days. Aged in 3000-liter botti casks and tonneaux for 30 months. 14% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent black cherry color. A bit restrained but also quite fragrant and attractive nose with aromas of boysenberries and blackberries, some perfumed floral notes of violets, a little bit of savory spice, light smoky notes of roasted game, a hint of licorice root, a touch of cigar and a whiff of gravelly minerality. The wine feels firm, dry and somewhat extracted yet not particularly heavy on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of meaty umami and ripe forest fruits, some licorice root, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light evolved nuances of leather, game and tobacco, a hint of fresh dark plum and a smoky touch of toasty oak spice. The acidity feels pretty high and at first the tannins come across as quite ripe and gentle, lending balanced sense of firmness to the mouthfeel. However, they do pile up quite noticeably on the gums, making the wine feel more grippy after a little while, even if the overall tannic structure is on a bit easier side for a Sagrantino. The finish is dry, balanced and moderately grippy with a savory aftertaste of juicy dark berries and fresh red plums, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light licorice root tones, a crunchy hint of crowberries and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The fruitier notes disappear quite quickly, but the savory non-fruit flavors remain on the palate for quite some time.
I get a feeling that the wine is maybe lacking a bit in intensity and structure due to the 2014 vintage, but still this wine feels both more expressive and more approachable than the 2014 Scacciadiavoli Sagrantino that was tasted at the same time. This wine is not big on character, but the pieces are there and the overall balance is pretty much on point. The wine doesn't feel like a youngster anymore, but it doesn't feel particularly aged, either; I'd say the wine will at least keep - if not age - for another 10-15 years. A pleasant and not particularly showy but instead quite classically styled Sagrantino. Drink or keep.
(90 points) -
2012 Cesarini Sartori - Signae Amedeo - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
The flagship wine of Cantina Signae, made with selected Sagrantino grapes sourced from vineyards totaling 15 hectares. Released after a total of 7 years of aging in stainless steel tanks, oak barrels and bottles. Bottle #592 of total 1332 bottles. 15% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and quite opaque black cherry color. The brooding nose feels evolved, sunny and rather sweet-toned with aromas of prunes and raisins, some boozy alcohol tones, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light sweetly-spiced nuances of vanilla and cloves, lifted hints of balsamico and nail polish and a touch of cherry marmalade. The wine feels big, extracted and chewy on the palate with a full body and bold, powerful flavors of ripe black cherries and dried figs, some balsamic volatile notes, a little bit of toasty mocha oak, light evolved nuances of raisins and wizened sour cherries, mulled wine hints of vanilla, cloves and cinnamon and a touch of dusty wood. The high alcohol lends some obvious heat to the palate. The overall feel is quite tough and muscular, thanks to the rather high acidity and quite assertive, extracted and grippy tannins. The finish is rich, tannic and quite mouth-filling with a long, ripe aftertaste of wizened cherries and dried figs, some balsamic tones, a little bit of strawberry jam, light raisiny tones, toasty hints of cloves and cocoa and a touch of dusty wood. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a rather warm note.
Just like you could expect from the heavy wanker bottle, this is a modern blockbuster take on Sagrantino. Fortunately, it packs quite a bit of structure, which helps a lot in keeping the wine firm and balanced despite its noticeable ripeness, rather prominent oak and sweet-toned fruit flavors. Based on the somewhat evolved dried-fruit flavors, it feels like the wine is closing in on its plateau of maturity. However, if the wine could lose some of its sweet and oaky mulled wine flavors of vanilla, cloves and cinnamon, and resolve its tannic structure a bit, it could come across as a bit better than how it is now. As a whole, this didn't leave a particularly memorable impression, no matter how "impressively" big the wine (or its huge bottle) is.
(86 points) -
2011 Perticaia Montefalco Sagrantino - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
Macerated with the skins for at least 20 days. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux, blended together and aged for a further 12 months in stainless steel and finally another 12 months in bottles. 14,5% alcohol.
Dark, slightly translucent blackish-red color with an evolved dried-blood hue. The nose feels sweetish, but more spicy rather than fruity with more prominent aromas of baking spices, licorice, some pipe tobacco and a little bit of asphalt, showing lighter nuances of strawberries and cherry marmalade, hints of boysenberries and raspberry jam and a floral whiff of violets in the background. The wine feels dry, dense and quite sinewy on the palate with a medium body and intense, moderately spicy flavors of ripe dark plums and juicy strawberries, some licorice, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light gamey tones and blood, sweeter hints of wizened dark berries and blueberry juice and a touch of chocolate nibs. At first the overall feel is surprisingly soft and round with the medium acidity and seemingly mellow tannins; however, suddenly the tannins just smack your mouth like a grippy tsunami, turning the wine into a very tough and heavily tannic piece. The finish is dry, more spicy than fruity and noticeably grippy with a somewhat umami-driven aftertaste of meat and game, some savory woody tones, a little bit of licorice, light sweeter notes of ripe plums and wizened black cherries, a hint of tobacco and a touch of strawberry. The ample tannins make the wine end on a very grippy note.
I actually quite enjoyed the tough, heavily tannic nature of the wine - and especially how it attacked on the backbeat. However, apart from that, the wine leaves a rather unimpressive impression. The acidity feels a bit too modest, the fruit is lacking some definition, the overall feel could be more vibrant and intense instead of just noticeably spicy, and so forth. The pieces are there, but not necessarily in the right places. This was a decent effort, but didn't really win me over.
(87 points) -
2011 Fattoria Colsanto Montefalco Sagrantino - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
100% Sagrantino. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 2 weeks in 10 000-liter botti (70%) and stainless steel (30%). Aged botti casks for 15 months followed by stainless steel for 12 months. 15% alcohol.
Clear, luminous and moderately translucent black cherry color. The nose feels fragrant and fine-tuned with attractive aromas of blackberries, some dusty old wood, a little bit of dried dates, light evolved notes of beef consommé and hoi sin, a hint of wizened sour cherry and a touch of old leather. The wine feels dry, dense and slightly evolved on the palate with a full body and quite powerful flavors of wizened black cherries and old leather, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of earthy spice, light tertiary notes of meaty umami and consommé, a hint of juicy dark plum and a touch of hoi sin. The overall feel is quite muscular and structure-driven, thanks to the rather high acidity and grippy yet not tough or angular tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat warm and quite grippy with a long, bold aftertaste of wizened black cherries and meaty umami, some juicy plummy tones, a little bit of meat stew, light leathery tones, a hint of earthy spices and a perfumed touch of dried flowers. The tannins and the high alcohol makes the wine end on a rather warm and quite grippy note.
A tasty and enjoyably evolved Sagrantino that shows some age, but isn't at its plateau of maturity yet. The wine isn't tough or aggressive anymore, but doesn't come across as soft or gentle either - not by a long shot. I'd say the wine is going to reach its peak in the next handful of years and will stay there for another 5-10 years. Despite its rather prominent alcohol, this is pretty balanced and classically styled stuff in its genre. Drink or keep.
(91 points) -
2010 Còlpetrone Montefalco Sagrantino - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
Aged for 12 months in French barriques and 6 months in bottles before release. 14,5% alcohol.
Moderately translucent cherry-red color with an evolved blood-red hue. The nose feels quite intense and youthful for its age with fruit-forward aromas of blueberries and elderberry juice, some fresh cherry tones, a little bit of blackberry jam, light oaky tones of savory wood spice and cloves, a hint of pipe tobacco and a cooling whiff of medicinal herbs. The wine feels dry, firm and quite sinewy on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of ripe black cherries and dark plums, some blackberry tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light oaky nuances of savory wood spice and vanilla, a hint of sweet, toasty mocha character and a developed touch of meaty umami. The acidity feels quite high and the ample, ripe tannins slowly pile up on the gums, making the wine feel more grippy than it initially did. The finish is juicy, quite grippy and somewhat warm with a long and still quite youthful aftertaste of boysenberries and blueberries, some plummy tones, a little bit of wizened cherry and light evolved notes of meaty umami, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of pipe tobacco.
A fine, balanced and still surprisingly youthful Sagrantino that shows good sense of intensity and harmony. While obviously quite tannic, the wine doesn't come across as too tough or grippy, but instead just firm and enjoyably structure-driven. If the wine has seen new oak during its élevage, it doesn't really show - the emphasis is very much on the vibrant, dark-toned Sagrantino fruit. Although the wine is very enjoyable at the moment, I'd say there is still room for additional improvement, based on the relatively youthful nature of the wine. Drink or keep.
(93 points) -
2010 Arnaldo-Caprai Montefalco Sagrantino Collepiano - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
Aged for 22 months in French oak barriques and another 6 months in bottles before release. 14,5% alcohol.
Deep, slightly translucent blackish-red color. Sweetish, somewhat restrained and quite dark-toned nose with aromas of sunny black cherries and sweet plummy fruit, some balsamic notes of VA, a little bit of alcohol heat, light blueberry tones, oaky hints of vanilla and toasted wood and a touch of fragrant Indian spices. The wine feels rich, extracted and quite chewy on the palate with a full body and ripe yet not particularly sweet-toned flavors of juicy dark fruits and sour cherry bitterness, some boysenberry tones, a little bit of meaty umami, light blueberry nuances, toasty oak hints of bittersweet dark chocolate, savory wood and licorice and a touch of peppery spice. The high alcohol lends a little bit of heat to the palate. The overall feel is pretty firm and structured, thanks to the rather high acidity and ample yet quite powdery tannins that slowly coat the whole palate, gradually turning the overall feel of the wine from firm yet quite supple to moderately grippy. The noticeably lengthy finish is dry, quite grippy and a bit warm with an intense aftertaste of fresh black cherries and wizened blueberries, some ripe plummy tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light meaty notes of umami, toasty hints of vanilla and dark chocolate and a touch of licorice.
A balanced, firm and harmonious Sagrantino, ie. a textbook Arnaldo-Caprai. Although the oaky notes are still a bit too much to the fore for my preference, I must admit the wine is also remarkably youthful for its age - which also explains why the flavors don't seem that integrated at the moment. However, I can imagine the wine must've seemed more polished and oaky in its youth, so most likely this is just a work in progress. If you don't mind some oak tones, this wine is in a great shape now - the fruit is still very youthful, yet not primary, and the tannins are very much to the fore, yet the wine doesn't feel too tough or aggressive at any moment. Good stuff now and will only get better - if one just has enough patience to wait for another dozen years. A fine example of modern Sagrantino. And seeing how the bottle we tasted in late 2020 was so tertiary - even old - I can easily conclude that this bottle was how the wine is supposed to be, and that earlier bottle was just prematurely evolved.
(92 points) -
2006 Falesco Montefalco Sagrantino Rc2 - Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Sagrantino (15.2.2023)
The wine is named after two "RC's": the winemaker Riccardo Cotarella, and his grandson, Riccardo Chiasso. The fruit is first cold-soaked prior to fermentation, then fermented and macerated with the skins in stainless steel tanks for two weeks. The wine is aged for 24 months in new oak barrels. Bottle #1698 of total 6700. 14% alcohol.
Rather opaque and quite evolved black cherry color with a tertiary syrupy-brown core. The nose feels noticeably aged with somewhat oxidative aromas of soy sauce and meat stew, some mushroomy funk, a little bit of wizened cherries, light nutty notes of rancio, a hint of dried dates and a touch of beef jerky. The wine feels old, silky and quite oxidative on the palate with a full body and tired flavors of soy sauce and nutty rancio, some pruney notes, a little bit of meat stew, light sweeter nuances of raisins and a hint of cherry marmalade. The wine feels quite soft and supple at first with its modest acidity and fine-grained, powdery tannins, but slowly the tannins grow in intensity, coating the palate and turning the wine noticeably tough and grippy. The finish is tired, tertiary and medium in length with a slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of raisins and beef jerky, some soy sauce, a little bit of cherry marmalade, light nutty notes of rancio, a hint of dried dates and a touch of nutty rancio. The ample tannins make the wine finish on a quite grippy note.
For some reason many people thought this was hands down the best wine of the evening. I strongly suspect these people hadn't tasted a wine past its peak before (granted, they weren't wine people), because to me, this wine was not obviously in a sound condition anymore. The little fruit there was left here was pruney and raisiny and the overall taste was dominated by tired, anonymous oxidative flavors. If the wine weren't so tannic, it would've been pretty much impossible to identify the wine as Sagrantino, because there weren't any varietal flavors left here. Many people who have tasted these RC2 wines have said they will be superb once they age, but to me they've always felt awkward and clumsy examples of very modern Sagrantino where the emphasis is on ripe fruit and heavy-handed new oak, not on varietal flavors or balanced acidity. I've always wondered if they are truly capable of aging gracefully - and based on this one data point, they don't seem to be. Quite a flop, I must say. I would've marked the wine as "defective/oxidized", but since all the other attendees claimed the wine was not only in great shape, but was also the best Sagrantino they've tasted, I'm going to score the wine instead.
(64 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
