(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.