2010 Còlpetrone Sagrantino di Montefalco 750 ml

A Cabernet-Lover’s Hedonistic Italian Red

I am not exaggerating when I say that today presents an extraordinary opportunity to secure one of the most powerfully concentrated wines on planet earth: the 2010 Còlpetrone Montefalco Sagrantino. After building the initial wine list at Oenotri in downtown Napa, I would recommend this Sagrantino to lovers of powerful Cabernet with extremely positive results. With immense proportions of power and muscularity, anchored by a rich core of warm dark fruit, leather, dusty red earth, smoked meat and saddle leather play their role amongst its assertive structure. 

The Sagrantino grape boasts the highest levels of beneficial polyphenol-antioxidants of any red wine grape that I am aware of. And the landlocked province of Umbria has the warm growing season necessary to achieve the physiological ripeness of the grape’s polyphenolic tannins. However, this wine does have a very polished richness that is interwoven within its muscular frame.

In July of 2016, James Suckling dropped a 93-point score when he tasted this wine. “I like the aromas of almonds, dried fruits and mushrooms that follow through to a full body,” he wrote, adding, “lots of shaved-chocolate character too. Long, flavorful finish. A polished sagrantino. Give it a year or two to soften.”

Well, it’s been a couple of years and this wine is just starting to hit stride! I just don’t know of any wine richer or more powerful, from any grape, that delivers this much quality at this price. What’s especially impressive is that it’s not as if the wine is purely muscle — it has an equally impressive array of aromatics and secondary flavors that make this Còlpetrone an absolute steal.

Sur Lucero MS

Master Sommelier