Madonna Alta Montefalco Sagrantino

Maybe on the downslope. Very monotone, just dark stewed fruit without the acid necessary to balance it.

Macerated for 3-4 weeks with the skins in 10,000-liter French oak vats. Half of the wine is aged in barriques (15% new), half in large botti casks. Aged for 24 months in oak, bottled and aged for another year in bottles. 15% alcohol. Extracted, fully opaque black cherry color. Dry and somewhat restrained nose with aromas of licorice, ripe dark forest fruits, some plummy tones, a little bit of exotic spices and light boysenberry tones. The wine is dense, ripe …

Excellent even fruit. Low acid and low tannins. Very easy to drink, but did not produce strong memories. Went well with food.

My first Sagrantino, and I'm in love! Big and brooding, this wine can be summed up as amazingly complex, red fruit, and chewy even at 9 years old. Nose is powerful with sweet spices, floral notes, cherries, plum, berries, leather, cigar box, and a bit of leafiness. Palate is big with tannins and texture that never seem to end. Black licorice, bacon fat, tar, cigarette ash, tahini, dark chocolate, and fresh espresso round this out. Exceedingly long and spicy finish. …

Dark red in color,full bodied and very intense wine to drink. I allowed about 1 1/2 hours to decant. Very strong tannins, a pleasant bitterness. Dark fruits, fruit cake/spice and nice finish. I'm still getting familiar with Sagrantino's. I very much enjoyed this wine and look forward to exploring more of the Sagrantino di Montefalco!

Decanted an hour and it needs it. Full of rich fruit and a touch of acidity. Not for the faint of heart.

Lots of fruits and spices. Still very potent year.

Medium dark with thin garnet rim; rose, dried cherry, fresh with good acid, no oak, but very drying tannins. Still very young, but I'm confused as to when Sagrantino is ever ready.

Sweet black cherry, wet clay, iron; mouth filling, huge tannins but not heavy; black truffles, bitter chocolate, tons of acidity too with yummy asphalt. Excellent. WA says "pretty", "subdued", "refined", "sleek", and "approachable" in one review, which seems totally off base.

Roasted dark red fruit, herbs, coffee, dry clay mineral. Some sappy juiciness to this dense, dark, dry wine. Cherry tart acidity, grippy dark streak of minerals, iron, bitter chocolate. Sleek and racy. Definitely cellarable. *+

Classical Europe : A harmonious wine with good juicy dark cherry and cassis fruit, a good amount of acidity and pleasant bitterness. Full bodied. Now already nice, but will improve the next few years.