Four Sangiovese wines from Umbria and Tuscany

Time to catch up on some new vintages from some producers that I like.

First up is Lungarotti from Umbria in Italy. Their wine Rubesco is made from mostly Sangiovese grapes and some colorino grapes from the Torgiano area in Umbria. Compared to the 2015 and 2016 vintages  the 2018 vintage has more red berries and less black currant. A very good Sangiovese.

Antonellis Rosso di Montefalco is of the vintage 2012 and I have stored it for five years. The grapes used are 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Montepulciano. In the taste I get a lot of red cherry and some sour cherry with black currants and some tannins. This red wine can handle several years of ageing very well. Still well structured and quite powerful.


For the next two wines we move from Umbria and travel to Tuscany. Forst up is the Cold D'Orcia 2018 Rosso di Montalcino. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. This is a quite a multifaceted wine.  Red cherry and red currants first on the taste followed by blask currants and tannins in the back. Quite a long aftertaste. A very good expression of a Rosso Di Montalcino.

Last up is the Chianti Classico wine from Terreno of the vintage 2017. It is made from Sangiovese grapes and a little Merlot grapes. In the taste I get red cherry, red currant and some violet. Some smooth tannins in the back. Better than the 2013 vintage.

 

Bocale Montefalco Rosso and Villa Poggio Salvi Caspagnolo

Bocale is a producer in Montefalco, Umbria. The Valentini family created the Bocale winery in 2002. This winery produces several different wines such a Sagrantino di Montefalco and Montefalco Rosso. For their Montefalco Rosso the following grapes are used, 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot and 5% Colorino. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2017. The wine is aged in Bottis and Barriques for 12 months before being bottled. In the taste I get black pepper, dark sour cherry, some blackberry and tannins. Very well integrated and the taste is very good. Yet again a wine from Montefalco delivers. And as always I would recommend to visit Umbria, one of the hidden gems of Italy.

The next wine is the wine Caspagnolo from producer Villa Poggio Salvi. This wine is from the Chianti Colli Sienesi. I have tasted one wine from Villa Poggio Salvi earlier and that was their Brunello di Montalcino. So it will be interesting to see how a non Brunello tastes. This is a Chianti wine and the grape composition is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 13,5%. This is a nice light red wine. I get cherry, some strawberry and some tannins in the end. Very good and it looks like Villa Poggio Salvi delivers all across the board.

Two older red wines, Tancredi 2012 and Adanti Sagrantino di Montefalco 2008

Two older red wines from Italy. First is the wine Tancredi from the Sicilian producer Donnafugata. The vintage is 2012 and the ABV is 13,5%. It is made of several grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Nero d'Avola, Tannat and several other varieties. It has been aged 14 months in a barrel before being bottled. The taste is deep and I get leather, oak, black currant and some dark cherry. This is a lovely wine that is very well structured and is complex and elegant. So far Donnafugata has not produced a wine which I have not loved.

The next wine is a Sagrantino di Montefalco from the producer Adanti in Umbria. It is made of 100% Sagrantino grapes. The ABV is 14,5% and the vintage is 2008. It has been aged in casks for two years before being bottled and then it has been aged in the bottle for 10 years before being opened. But still after 12 years of ageing this wine is very strong. A lot of cherry, plum, black currants and some leather tones with strong but balanced tannins at the end. Excellent wine from Adanti

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Ziggurat, Montefalco Rosso from Lunelli

The wine Ziggurat from Tenute Lunelli, which is an Italian wine producer in Italy and they have estates in Tuscany, Trentino and Umbria. Their Umbria estate is called Tenuta Castelbuono and is near Montefalco. Their wine Ziggurat is a Montefalco Rosso and contains 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and the rest 15% is Cabernet and Merlot. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2015. I tasted this wine 18 moths ago and I wrote that I thought that the would become better with a few more years of ageing so let us see how 18 extra months of ageing has treated the wine.
In the taste I still get the black currants, dark cherries and the strong tannins but also some tones of tobacco now and I feel that the various elements of the wine has been better integrated. I wonder how it will be in yet another 18 months? A very good wine with storage capability and interesting to follow this over the years.

Montefalco rosso from Colsanto and Dolcetto d'Ovada from Tachino

One of my favourite wineregions in Italy is Montefalco in Umbria, especially their Montefalco Rosso and the Sagrantino di Montefalco. These wine can be quite strong but balanced by a lot of flavour. This time I am tasting a Montefalco Rosso from a producer that I have never tasted anything from before, the producer is Colsanto. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2014. The grapes used are Sagrantino and Sangiovese. This wine has a lot of red and dark berries on the nose. There is deep structured tannins which linger for a long time and combines well with the dark cherries and black currants in the taste. This is a very good wine which I think that will age well for a couple of more years gaining more complexity. But beware, It is a very strong wine.

Next wine is made from one of the lesser known red grape varieties from Piemonte, namely Dolcetto. The wine is Dolcetto D'Ovada from producer Tachino. The vintage is 2015 and the ABV is 14%. In the taste I get black berries, viol, plum and some black currant. A very nice Dolcetto that shows that Dolcetto is under appreciated grape.

Two red wines from Adanti in Montefalco

Cantina Adanti is a family owned winery near Montefalco in Umbria, Italy. This winery started in the sixties and nowadays they own 40 hectars of land of which 30 is used for vineyards. They make several wines, both red and white wines. When I visited Umbria in 2016 I bought several of their wines typical of the region. One each of their Montefalco Rosso, and Montefalco Rosso Riserva. Both of these winetypes must contain 60-70% Sangiovese, 10-15% Sagrantino and the rest of the grapes can be any red grape variety. For the Montefalco Rosso it must be aged for 18 months before being sold, while for the riserva it has to be stored for 30 months being sold with at least 12 months in wood.

First up is the Montefalco Rosso from 2011. It has an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grape composition: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 5% barbera, 5% merlot, 5% cabernet. This is a rich red wine with some strong tannins. In the taste I have cherries, some earthy notes and rich black currants. Very good but you need some strong food with it.

Next up is the Montefalco Rosso Riserva from 2011 with an ABV of 14,5%. It has the following grapes: 70% sangiovese, 15% sagrantino, 15% merlot. On the nose a lot of cherry. The taste is of dark cherry and some black currant with some plum and some lingering tannins. Very good and feels very elegant. I could have mistaken this for a very good Brunello in a blind tasting. This is a wine which would have been fun to have 12 bottles of and drink one each year just to follow the progress of the wine.

Two very good wines from Cantina Adanti. Both highly recommended.

Three Sangiovese based red wines from Italy

Sangiovese is a fabulous grape and I had the chance to try three red wines that uses the Dangiovese grapes from Tuscany, Umbria and Emila-Romagna.

First out is the Spezieri wine from producer Col d'Orcia in Tuscany. It is a blend of mostly Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2016. From 2013 this wine is organically made. I get red fruits on the nose which is typically for a Sangiovese wine. I get a taste of cherries, black currants and some spiciness. Some tannins in the finish. A good wine.

Next we go to Tuscanys neighbour, namely Umbria. The green heart of Italy. Here we find a Montefalco Rosso from producer Lungarotti. For this wine the grapes Sangiovese, Merlot and Sagrantino is used. Here at least 60-70% Sangiovese must be used and between 10-15% Sagrantino and the rest other grapes. The ABV is 14% and the vintage is 2014. This is a big and powerful wine. Dry and strong tannins with dark sour cherries and earthy notes. Definitely some tobacco in the back. This wine needs food. After tasting it I would give it 2-3 more years of ageing before drinking it. Good now but with a couple of more years of storage I think it will be even better.

Finally we go to Tuscany and Umbrias northern neighbour Emilia-Romagna. Here we find the wine Ora from producer San Patrignano. It is a Romagna Sangiovese superiore from 2015 with and ABV of 14%. This wine contains only 100% Sangiovese. The taste is of dark cherries and black currants with some harsher tannins. This needs more time in storage before it gains it full potential. Like the Montefalco Rosso wine above, good now but will be even better in two years time.

Three Sangiovese from Italy

Three different Sangiovese blends from three different regions in the central Italy wine growing regions. Let's start with the northern most region which is Emilia-Romagna. Here the producer Nespoli makes a Romagna Sangiovse Superiore Riserva wine made of 100% Sangiovese grapes. The vintage is 2013 and the ABV is 13,5%. I find this wine to be very full bodied oaky wine with a taste of tobacco and dark cherries. A very good wine which will become better with a couple of years storage.

Next we move south to Tuscany and the wine la Bestia Governo which are made from the grapes Sangiovese and Colorino. The vintage is 2016 and the ABV is 14%. I get red fruits on the nose and the taste is of red cherries, vanilla and some coffee. A nice rich fruity wine. Almost ripasso like in the style.

The last wine we find in Tuscany's south eastern neighbour Umbria. The Montefalco Rosso from producer Arnaldo Caprai I have tried before but this time it is their new vintage from 2016. It consists of 70% Sangiovese grapes, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. It is strong with cherries with spice and tannins. Almost tastes like the 2015 vintage but I think that this vintage won't get much better with storage, very good to drink right now.

Umbria, the region of good red wines

Umbria in Italy may not be that known but it is a very good wine producing wine region. Beautiful landscapes and the rolling green hills and not so many tourists.

Several of the wines I review here I have tried earlier but there are some new vintages for sale.

First up is a lighter red wine from the producer Lungarotti in Torgiano. It is a Rosso di Torgiano DOC wine consisting of Sangiovese and Colorino grapes. The vintage is 2012 and the ABV is 13,5%.  I get red fruits on the nose. Cherries and black currants in the taste with soft smooth tannins that linger in the mouth. This one is better than the 2015 vintage that I have tried. This is a wine that gains by storing it for a couple of years. A wine that is very good year from year.

Next up is Arnaldo Caprais Rosso di Montefalco of the vintage 2015. Now it has been stored for another year so let's see how it is. The ABV is 2015 it is a combination of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and some Merlot grapes. This wine is strong with cherries, tannins and spices. It could be stored for several more years before drinking. A good wine now and will last for several more years in the cellar. The vintage 2016 is now available to buy.

The third wine is from producer Sportoletti and this wine focuses on the international grape varieties merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. the grape blend is as the following: Merlot 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Cabernet Franc 10%. The name is Villa Fidelia Rosso and the grapes are grown on the Spello and Assisi hills. The ABV is 15%. This is quite a heavy wine. Strong taste with tobacco, dark cherries and black currants. Should be stored a couple of more years before drinking.  After aerating the wine it got smoother and more black currants. This confirms that this wine should be stored for a longer time. A good wine today and will be even better in a few years time.

Two Italian red wines

In this review I will visit Tuscany and Umbria.

Tenute Lunelli is an Italian wine producer in Italy and they have estates in Tuscany, Trentino and Umbria. Their Umbria estate is called Tenuta Castelbuono and is near Montefalco. Their wine Ziggurat is a Montefalco Rosso and contains 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and the rest 15% is Cabernet and Merlot. The ABV is 15% and the vintage is 2015.There is a strong smell of dark fruits In the taste I get dark currants, spices and dark chocolate with strong tannins that integrates well. A good wine that will become better with a few more years of aging.

The last wine is Vernaiolo from producer Rocca della Macie from Tuscany. It is a Chianti wine and contains 85% Sangiovese, 10% Caniola Nero and 5% Merlot. The ABV is 13% and the vintage is 2015. I find it to be a light fruity Chianti with some red fruits and some tannins in the end. The wine for for food when you want an easy drinking wine.

From rock to Montefalco

Rock is a Valpolicella Ripasso from 2015 from ITALIANS. Bought in Germany so a strange producer and also the text on the label is all about rock in various forms. So how does it taste? It is spicy with some liquorice and a lot of tannins. Feels a bit unbalanced and after my trip to Verona I can say that there are much better Ripassos.

I have tried the Montefalco rosso from producer Arnaldo-Caprai earlier. This time it is the vintage 2015 with and ABV of 13%. It is a combination of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and some Merlot grapes. It is aged 12 months in wood and then four months in bottle before being sold.  The taste of dark fruits and cherries and the tannins are in a very good combination. It is an excellent food wine.

Birthday and wine from Montefalco

For my birthday I always try to celebrate with good food and wine. This year I choose wine and food from Italy and especially Umbria. All the wine were from Umbria and from the town of Montefalco. The town Montefalco is famous for their Sagrantino ´grapes that are used in the Montefalco wine. Sagrantino is a grape that is indigenous to Umbria and has a very high tannic level. First up for the evening were the the Montefalco Rosso DOC wine Cocchino from producer Podere Castorani and the vintage 2006. The taste is of spices and richness with huge tannins that are well structured. A very good wine.
Next up were the Sagrantino Di Montefalco DOGC wine from producer Cantina Fratelli Pardi and the vintage 2011. This wine is made with 100% Sagrantino. Like the previous wine one can feel the tannins and in this wine they are even stronger but the tannins are very well structured and the taste goes very well together. One could always store this wine for several years. An excellent wine.
The last wine were the Sagrantino Di Montefalco DOGC passito wine from Cantina Fratelli Pardi from 2010. This passito wine is quite a rarity and is very hard to find outside of Umbria. This wine is spicy, sweet but still a bit tannic and is very interesting. A lovely passito wine that is a must if one can buy it.

And if you happen to be in Umbria. Take the chance to visit Montefalco as it is a lovely small medieval town.

Montefalco Sagrantino by Le Cimate

Montefalco is a lovely small town in Umbria, Italy, which I visited in April 2016. It is worth a visit for several reason. One is that the town has a great view over the plains in central Umbria.

Another is that the town has a lovely mediaeval feel with the small streets.

The reason that I went there is that Montefalco produces several different wines such as Sagrantino Montefalco and Rosso Montefalco.

All around Montefalco one can see wine producers and in the town there are several stores just selling wine from Montefalco. One producer is called Cantina Le Cimate and they produces several different wines and the one that I have found is a bottle of their Montefalco Sagrantino which is from the DOGC Montefalco Sagrantino. This wine is made of 100% Sagrantiono grapes and the wine must be aged for 30 months and at least 12 months is in oak barrels. For the Le Cimate Sagrantino wine it has been stored 24 months in barrels and 12 months in bottle before going for sale.
Sagrantino is a special grape is an Italian grape variety that almost is only grown in the Montefalco area. It is one of the grapes that has the highest tannic levels in the world. So when I was in Assissi in Umbria a waiter warned me that drinking Sagrantiono Montefalco was like eating a lemon.
The Le Cimate wine has an alcohol level of 15% alcohol and is of the vintage 2010. The colour is very dark, almost reddish blue. The smell is strong The taste is of black currants and some liquorice with some more dark berries. It has tannins but they are quite structured and together with strong food it is very good. But be warned, this is not an easy drinking wine. It need some food with the wine. After the food was finished I continued drinking the wine and one could feel the tannins in the mouth. An excellent and lovely wine but not for those who are looking for a light and easy drinking wine.

The wines of Montefalco in Umbria

Umbria is a province in Italy lying east of Tuscany. Umbria reminds me a lot of Tuscany with the food and the nature but still it is very different. For example Umbria is less famous so it is less tourists there and there are some high mountain ranges. Maybe Umbria is most known for the town of Assisi which is the birthplace of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Assisi is a very beautiful place. But maybe to much tourists at some times.
Another very beautiful place in Umbria is Castelluccio near Norcia in Umbria. It is a small village situated at 1350 meter height in the plains of Castelluccio. Pictures cannot describe how beautiful and tranquil this place is.

The food is a bit similar to Tuscan cooking with some big differences. One is the use of black truffles, which is delightful part of the Umbrian kitchen.

The most famous wines of Umbria comes from the small town of Montefalco. This town is quite interesting as it is very medieval and has small narrow winding streets with good view of the surrounding countryside due to the height of 473 meters.

The wine of Montefalco were not much known to me before I visited Umbria. First there is the wine called Rosso di Montefalco which must contain 60-70% Sangiovese with some 10-15% Sagrantino and the winemakers other choice of red grapes. And then the wine must be aged for 18 months. Since Sagrantino has a lot of tannins it makes for a wine with more tannins than the usual wine.
Then there is the Rosso di Montefalco riserva which must be aged for 30 months. This wine is quite rare since the wine producers tend to focus aging for their Sagrantino wine. The Montefalco Sagrantino must contain 100% of Sagrantino and must be aged for at east 30 months. Sagrantino is an indigenous grape to Umbria and is grown primarily around Montefalco. This grape has one of the highest tannic levels in the world and in the restaurant in Assisi the waiter warned us that we would be looking like that we had eating a lemon if we were not used to it.

Back to the wines that I tasted during this trip. Tabarrini Rosso di Montefalco from 2012 were very good.

The first ever Sagrantino di Montefalco that I tasted were a wine from 2011 by Cantina Fratelli Pradi. The waiter warned us and it is strong in tannins but went very well with the strong food. Can be stored for many more years.

At a ristorante in Noria I tasted a Rosso di Montefalco by producer Arnaldo Caprai from 2012. Very good.

For the last evening in Umbria I has the wine Rosso di Montefalco by producer Tenute Delcerro from 2012. Yet again a very good wine.

There is also one more wine from Montefalco that I didn't have the chance to taste and it is a passito wine made from the Sagrantino grape. That will be a thing to be done in the future.

When leaving Umbria I felt a bit sad as I felt really t home there. Leaving Norcia and the beautiful town square. I will be back one day.