This is a landmark wine from Puglia, and in fact, it was one of the first fine wines I tasted from the region many years ago. This was back when I was obsessed with the historic figure of Federico II, to whom the falcon reference in the wine's name is dedicated. Rivera's 2013 Castel del Monte Riserva Il Falcone is a blend of 70% Nero di Troia and 30% Montepulciano, and the wine is aged in a combination of botte grande and barrique for 14 months. Like the other reds from Rivera, it sees a final resting phase in glass-tiled cement vats before its commercial release. Showcasing the austerity and elegance that I would associate with the times of the Holy Roman Emperor (1194-1250), this wine is precise, linear and tight. Federico II was indeed a visionary architect, man of science and falconer sportsman who built the octagonal Castel del Monte after which this wine appellation is named. It deserves a regal dish of roasted game. Some 120,000 bottles were made.

An elegant, medium- to full-bodied red, featuring a lovely, lightly spiced range of wild cherry, iron and loamy earth notes, backed by hints of delicate herb and citrus peel. Fresh and expressive, with fine-grained tannins firming the finish. Nero di Troia and Montepulciano. Drink now through 2025. 4,500 cases made, 200 cases imported.??–AN??Region: Italy / South / Puglia / Castel del Monte Select to Add