Falesco Merlot Umbria 2007
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Parker
Robert
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Unfiltered to preserve its rich aromas of red fruit and spice, this Merlot is deep ruby red in color. The aromas of blackberry, tobacco and vanilla linger on the long and pleasant finish. Recommended with spicy dishes and sauces. A favorite with lamb.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Merlot, on the other hand, is just plain delicious. The wine possesses notable depth and inner sweetness, with waves of dark fruit, chocolate, spices and French oak that flow from its full-bodied, richly-textured frame. This bottling reveals terrific complexity and harmony, particularly in this price range. Riccardo Cotarella is known for his work with Merlot, and the wine is proof of his mastery with the grape.
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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.
When asked to name common Italian red grapes, most wine drinkers would probably begin with Sangiovese and continue with various other indigenous varieties. But Merlot (along with several other international varieties) has a significant presence in Italy, with over 60,000 acres planted. Granted, much of this is everyday quaffing wine grown in the northeast by producers taking advantage of the vine’s prolific nature, especially in the Veneto and Friuli.
But through much of the country the wine is grown with more care and used predominantly as a blending agent, thereby adding a certain soft, fleshy appeal to a great many reds. Of course, this practice is often not mentioned on labels. In Tuscany, Merlot appears in a wide variety of blends, as well as sometimes in Chianti Classico. In fact, Italian Merlot reaches its greatest heights in the coastal Tuscan region of Maremma. Here it appears in blends and – spectacularly – in 100% varietal expressions like Masseto, L’Apparita and Messorio. Italian Merlots such as these boast the power, concentration and complexity seen in the finest examples from Bordeaux’s Right Bank.