Montefalco Rosso and Riserva Report
11 Mar 2025- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(June 2024) ... Time to turn the attention to the red wines, Montefalco's bread and butter. We start with the base model wines and over the course of the next week I'll release the Sangrantino report and the Annata for 2020 report (along with some other treats) ... but first, let's look at the Rossos and the Riservas.
Rossos I have long been a big fan - this year is no different; but I had some harsh words last year for the Riservas - did they step it up? Or are we looking at the death knell for long ageing? Read below:
Montefalco Rosso DOC …
For the most part, I love these wines; they are the winemaker's playground, the sandbox, if you will. This year the wines were served with a little chill, which made them more enticing and more exciting to taste, and ultimately drink. If you are not putting a chill on your reds you are missing out completely. Montefalco blends are primarily Sangiovese and have a percentage of Sagrantino – though they are not allowed to mention it on the bottle. WTF.
Arnaldo Caprai 2021 Vigna Flaminia Maremmana - Montefalco Rosso - Better+
Tabarrini 2019 Boccatone - Montefalco Rosso - Better+ 
Arnaldo Caprai 2022 Montefalco Rosso - Better
Benedetti&Grigi 2021 Attunis - Montefalco Rosso - Better
Bocale 2021 Montefalco Rosso - Better
Briziarelli 2022 Montefalco Rosso - Better
Tenute Lunelli / Tenuta Castelbuono 2022 Ziggurat - Montefalco Rosso - Better
Tudernum 2021 Fidenzio - Montefalco Rosso - Better
Colpetrone 2021 Montefalco Rosso - Good+
Dionigi 2020 Montefalco Rosso - Good+
La Veneranda 2021 Montefalco Rosso - Good+
Romanelli 2020 Capo De Casa - Montefalco Rosso - Good+
Scacciadiavoli 2022 Montefalco Rosso - Good+
Terre Di San Felice 2021 Montefalco Rosso - Good+
Antonelli 2021 Montefalco Rosso - Good
Colle Ciocco 2020 Montefalco Rosso - Good
Di Filippo 2022 Montefalco Rosso - Good
Fattoria Colsanto 2020 Montefalco Rosso - Good
Le Cimate 2021 Montefalco Rosso - Good
Tenuta Alzatura 2021 Montefalco Rosso - Good
Tenuta Di Saragano 2018 Montefalco Rosso – Good
Montefalco Rosso Riserva DOC ...
Last year I threw a little shade onto the Riserva wines, telling winemakers it was a style that should be abandoned … unlike in this year’s white report, where I gave an ultimatum for the white blends category – to me the Riservas were already in the grave.
Talk about a phoenix rising from the ashes. This year, 18 wines were tasted (one more than last year) and 8 wines were scored (one more than last year) – but none received an “ok” – this time “good” was the lowest score – a marked improvement. Seems winemakers stepped up and made me re-notice this category. The impressive part is that wood seems to be a background player – a seasoning if you will – and in most of the “better” wines fruit was front and centre and remained at the core of these wines.
Good job. Now, can they keep it up remains the questions? I’ll let you know after the 2025 edition of A Montefalco. But I sure do hope so.
Romanelli 2019 Molinetta - Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Better+ 
Arnaldo Caprai 2021 Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Better
Cesarini-Sartori 2020 Ripenere - Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Better
Dionigi 2019 Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Better
Tenute Baldo 2019 Re Migrante - Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Better
Terre De’ Trinci 2020 Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Better
Briziarelli 2021 Rosso Matone - Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Good
Tenute Lunelli / Tenuta Castelbuono 2021 Lampante - Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Good
