88 Wine Spectator

"Has a rich nose, with ripe berries and notes of graphite and iodine as well as new wood. Full-bodied and silky, with an intense bead of fruit, well-integrated tannins and a long finish of fruit and mineral. Slightly austere. Best after 2009. 2,000 cases made. –JS" 88 Points - Wine Spectator

"Deep ruby with purple lightning. Sober taste with savour of blackberry bush fruits and aromatic herbs. Matured in barriques of first and second passage." -Winery

VARIETY:
"Sagrantino is an Italian grape variety that is indigenous to the region of Umbria in Central Italy. It is grown primarily in the village of Montefalco and its surrounding areas, with only 250 acres dedicated to the grape in the hands of about 25 producers. With such small production, the wine is not widely known outside of Italy, even though it was granted DOCG status in 1991."

"The grape is one of the most tannic varieties in the world, and creates wines that are inky purple with an almost-black center. The bouquet is one of dark, brooding red fruits with hints of plum, cinnamon, and earth. The Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG requires 100 percent Sagrantino used, with a required 29 months aging before release." -Winery

DOCG:
"For the production of Montefalco Sagrantino, only 100% Sagrantino grapes can be used. This grape must be grown in the Montefalco territory. It has unique characteristics that bear no similarities with any other grape varietal in Italy. Luckily, all efforts to cultivate this grape in other areas of Italy have had indifferent results."

"The production is limited, the bunch itself is very small, and the skins of the grapes are extremely thick. This feature permits partial drying. The wine that is obtained has a very strong structure and an extremely high concentration of polyphenols. This greatly structured wine is obtained just from Sagrantino grapes. Thanks to its extraordinary richness in polyphenols and tannins it is very suitable to long ageing. It thus needs a long finishing in wood first, then in the bottle." Consorzio tutela vini Montefalco