Falesco Merlot Umbria 2012
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Pair this wine with choucroute, harissa-based sauces, lamb tagines, or massaman curry.
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2010-
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The Famiglia Cotarella legacy began in 1920 with Antonio and Domenico Cotarella, grape growers in the small village of Monterubiaglio, Umbria. In 1979, Domenico’s sons Renzo & Riccardo founded Falesco, a company with a clear mission: to resurrect the ancient 'micro-varieties' of Lazio and Umbria that had become virtually extinct and to elevate Umbria’s status as a respected winemaking region. In 2017, Renzo & Riccardo placed the future of their company in the capable hands of their daughters, Dominga, Marta & Enrica. The 'sisters,' as they are fondly known, took the reins with integrity and passion, rebranding the family's estate to "Famiglia Cotarella." Today, the philosophy of Famiglia Cotarella is to illustrate the importance of family and sense of place in everything they do, from grape growing, to vinification, marketing, research, innovation and philanthropy.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Centered upon the lush Apennine Range in the center if the Italian peninsula, Umbria is one of the few completely landlocked regions in Italy. It’s star red grape variety, Sagrantino, finds its mecca around the striking, hilltop village of Montefalco. The resulting wine, Sagrantino di Montefalco, is an age-worthy, brawny, brambly red, bursting with jammy, blackberry fruit and earthy, pine forest aromas. By law this classified wine has to be aged over three years before it can be released from the winery and Sagrantino often needs a good 5-10 more years in bottle before it reaches its peak. Incidentally these wines often fall under the radar in the scene of high-end, age-begging, Italian reds, giving them an almost cult-classic appeal. They are undoubtedly worth the wait!
Rosso di Montefalco, on the other had, is composed mainly of Sangiovese and is a more fruit-driven, quaffable wine to enjoy while waiting for the Sagrantinos to mellow out.
Among its green mountains, perched upon a high cliff in the province of Terni, sits the town of Orvieto. Orvieto, the wine, is a blend of at least 60% Trebbiano in combination with Grechetto, with the possible addition of other local white varieties. Orvieto is the center of Umbria’s white wine production—and anchor of the region’s entire wine scene—producing over two thirds of Umbria’s wine. A great Orvieto will have clean aromas and flavors of green apple, melon and citrus, and have a crisp, mineral-dominant finish.