Montefalco, an attractive hill town in central Umbria not far from Spoleto, makes very good Sangiovese, and the 2001 Montefalco Rosso maintains the reputation is has already established. The aromas of red currants, black cherries, and violets are unmistakably those of high class Sangiovese, as is the vigor and freshness, the firm structure, the focused fruit, and the light tannins which add definition and focus on the palate. Drink: 2005-2012. One of the greatest pleasures in my professional life over the past fifteen years has been the discovery of the wines of Marco Caprai and, through him, the tremendous potential of Sagrantino, at the time a totally unknown grape which no one, even in the wildest stretch of his imagination, could have ever considered a variety capable of giving some of Italy’s greatest wines. Some of Italy’s most important professionals work here, Leonardo Valenti of the University of Milan in the vineyards, Attilio Pagli in the cellars, but, in the last analysis, it is the owner who counts, the man - a very young one at the time – who decided he wanted to make great wine and put the capital and energy to work to realize the dream. Importer: Villa Italia, San Francisco, CA; tel. (650) 873-6060