On the Road with the Grape Guy

Montefalco Sangrantino DOCG (2025 Tasting)

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(June 2025) ... Now, let's look at the big guns: Montefalco Sagrantino. This is what we are all here for. The wine that made the region famous (or vice versa). As mentioned in my previous report on the Reds, the Anteprima for Sagrantino is coming quickly (earlier than the previous year - end of April) - so it is time to look at the wines from last year, before I start looking at the wines from this year. This is broken into two tastings - the Sagrantino (2017-2020) and the new vintage (2021).

This year I added a little "personal aside" to my notes. These were spur of the moment comments that I wrote at the time of the tasting. After going through all the wines in each category, I took a few minutes to look over my scores and notes and assess the wines / the vintage / and my feelings for the direction of the wine style.

Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG

BETTER PLUS
                
Bocale 2020 Montefalco Sagrantino 
- Supple and ripe, very easy across the palate while still having those big tannins and acidity - might be his best to date: black cherry, plum and sweet balsamic.
    
            
BETTER
                
Antonelli 2019 Molino Dell'attone - Montefalco Sagrantino    
Montioni 2019 Ma.Gia - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Montioni 2020 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Perticaia 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Romanelli 2019 Medeo - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Terre De La Custodia 2020 Maior - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Valdangius 2019 Fortunato - Montefalco Sagrantino 
- Coffee bean, plum, vanilla, wood smoke, ripe tannins, big hit of acidity; this was my second favourite of the Sagrantinos.

                
GOOD PLUS                

Cesarini-Sartori 2020 Villarode - Montefalco Sagrantino    
Cocco Ilaria 2018 Phonsano - Montefalco Sagrantino        
La Fonte 2019 Collepoppo - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Le Cimate 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Scacciadiavoli 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Tenuta Bellafonte 2018 Collenottolo - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Tenute Baldo 2020 Preda Del Falco - Montefalco Sagrantino
Tenute Lunelli-Carapace 2017 Carapace Lunga Attesa - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Tenute Lunelli-Carapace 2020 Carapace - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Terre Di San Felice 2020 Montefalco Sagrantino      

                
GOOD                

Antonelli 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Antonelli 2019 Chiusa Di Pannone - Montefalco Sagrantino    
Briziarelli 2020 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Goretti - Fattoria Le Mura Saracene 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Moretti Omero 2017 Vignalunga - Montefalco Sagrantino
Moretti Omero 2020 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Tenuta Di Saragano 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Terre De' Trinci 2019 Ugolino - Montefalco Sagrantino        
Terre De' Trinci 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino        
Terre Di San Felice 2020 Vinum Dei - Montefalco Sagrantino    
Tudernum 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino        

Personal Aside: A mixed bag of stuff here - but there are so many good-to-better ones it is hard to argue this wine is on the cusp of having a day; very few wines didn’t make this list. As always, it depends on the producer and what they are trying to accomplish.    

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2021 Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG

BETTER PLUS        

Tenute Baldo 2021 Preda Del Falco - Montefalco Sagrantino 

        
BETTER        

Agricola Mevante 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino    
Antonelli 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino    
Terre De' Trinci 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino    

        
GOOD PLUS        

Lungarotti 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino    
Montioni 2021 Ma.Gia - Montefalco Sagrantino    
Scacciadiavoli 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino    
Tenute Lunelli-Carapace 2021 Carapace - Montefalco Sagrantino 

        
GOOD        

Bocale 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino    
Montioni 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino    
        

Personal Aside: The 2021 vintage seems fairly solid with a few missteps along the way - but for the most part these are good wines that should age well in the cellar; some have potential as early drinkers as well. Not so much 20-year wines as a ten-year wine. I doubt Sagrantino will get to the point where it is "drink now" - but if we could make it 5-7 I think we would be in a sweet spot – and they are getting closer to achieving this.

Montefalco Rosso e Rosso Riserva (2025 Tasting)

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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(June 2025) ... Now, let's look at the red wines of Montefalco ... the Anteprima for the Sagrantino is coming quickly (earlier than the previous year) - so it is time to look at the wines from last year, before I start looking at the wines from this year. Not only as a reminder, but a refresher of the vintage. These are the Rosso and the Riservas ... I have my thoughts about both styles and these will appear in my notes at the bottom of each category.

This year I added a little "personal aside" to my notes. These were spur of the moment comments that I wrote at the time of the tasting, after going through all the wines in that category.

MONTEFALCO ROSSO DOC

BETTER PLUS ... 

Cocco Ilaria 2020 Camorata - Montefalco Rosso    
(65% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)

Tenuta Alzatura 2022 Montefalco Rosso 
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)    

BETTER ...

Arnaldo Caprai 2023 Montefalco Rosso    
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)
Arnaldo Caprai 2022 Vigna Flaminia Maremmana - Montefalco Rosso 
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Canaiolo)
Bocale 2022 Montefalco Rosso     
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot, 5% Colorino)
Colle Ciocco 2021 Montefalco Rosso 
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)
Di Filippo 2022 Montefalco Rosso     
(60% Sangiovese, 30% Barbera, 10% Sagrantino)    
La Fonte 2020 Collefreddo - Montefalco Rosso 
(60% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 20% Merlot)    
Le Cimate 2022 Montefalco Rosso 
(60% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 10% Tannat, 10% Refosco Dal Peduncolo Rosso)
Montioni 2021 Montefalco Rosso 
(65% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 15% Sagrantino)
Moretti Omero 2022 Montefalco Rosso     
(70% Sangiovese, 25% Sagrantino, 5% Altri Vitigni A Bacca Rossa)
Romanelli 2021 Capo De Casa - Montefalco Rosso    
(65% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 15% Sagrantino)
Tenuta Bellafonte 2022 Pomontino - Montefalco Rosso     
(80% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino)
Tenuta Di Saragano 2019 Montefalco Rosso     
(60% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot, 10% Montepulciano D'abruzzo)

GOOD PLUS

Briziarelli 2022 Montefalco Rosso     
(60% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, 10 % Sagrantino)
Goretti - Fattoria Le Mura Saracene 2022 Montefalco Rosso 
(65% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 15% Sagrantino)
Tenute Baldo 2022 Volo Del Falco - Montefalco Rosso     
(85% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino)
Tenute Lunelli-Carapace 2023 Ziggurat - Montefalco Rosso 
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot E Cabernet)
Tudernum 2022 Montefalco Rosso    
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)

GOOD

Benedetti&Grigi 2022 Attunis - Montefalco Rosso    
(70% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot)
Colpetrone 2022 Montefalco Rosso 
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)
Dionigi 2020 Montefalco Rosso 
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)
Scacciadiavoli 2023 Montefalco Rosso     
(65% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 15% Sagrantino)
Terre De' Trinci 2022 Montefalco Rosso     
(65% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 15% Sagrantino)
Valdangius 2021 Pippinello - Montefalco Rosso 
(65% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon)

Personal Aside: These are the wines that keep the lights on and the furnace / air running. These wines make the world go round, so you'd better at least have a good one. The betters (and above) of these are juicy, have great acidity and make you want to come back for another glass and another and another. I can't stress how important these wines are, and the ones that impress are the ones you keep craving - ever after the last sip. Some that had a slight "accidental" chill (meaning they saw the inside of the fridge due to someone thinking they were a white wine) were even better. We, as wine drinkers and lovers, should not be afraid to pull this trick more often.

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MONTEFALCO ROSSO RISERVA DOC

BETTER PLUS

Tenuta Di Saragano 2018 Montefalco Rosso Riserva 
(60% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 20% Merlot)

BETTER

Perticaia 2019 Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(75% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 5% Cabernet Franc)
Romanelli 2019 Molinetta - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(80% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino)
Tenuta Bellafonte 2021 Maesta' 4 Chiavi - Montefalco Rosso Riserva 
(80% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino)
Tenute Baldo 2019 Remigrante - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(80% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino)
Valdangius 2020 Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(80% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino)

GOOD PLUS

Arnaldo Caprai 2022 Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot)
Briziarelli 2022 Rosso Mattone - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(80% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino)
Moretti Omero 2021 Facciatosta - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(75% Sangiovese, 25% Sagrantino)
Terre De' Trinci 2021 Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(65% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 15% Sagrantino)

GOOD

Antonelli 2021 Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(80% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino)
Cesarini-Sartori 2020 Ripenere - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(60% Sangiovese, 16% Merlot, 15% Sagrantino, 9% Cabernet)
Di Filippo 2021 Sallustio - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(60% Sangiovese, 25% Barbera, 15% Sagrantino)
Fongoli 2018 Serpullo - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(60% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 20% Montepulciano)
Tenute Lunelli-Carapace 2021 Lampante - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Merlot E Cabernet)
Terre De La Custodia 2018 Rubium - Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(70% Sangiovese, 20% Sagrantino, 10% Merlot)
Terre Di San Felice 2020 Montefalco Rosso Riserva
(70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 10% Sagrantino)

Personal Aside: Due to the 38 degree heat, on the day of tasting, the Riservas were kept cold with a little chill; the good news is this showed different aspects of these wines. Look, chill brings up the fruit, which is great, but over-oaked is still over-oaked and when that chill hits the wood, it's like licking a popsicle stick and biting down - sends a chill down your spine. Reserves still need balance. The ones scored, had it in varying degrees.