The 2010 Montefalco Sagrantino Sacer is dark and imposing in the glass. An air of crushed rocks gives way to balsamic spice, tobacco, plum sauce and hints of camphor. On the palate, this is like pure silk and deeply textural, gaining tension through mineral-tinged red berries and a bite of grippy tannins that saturate over time. Hints of dark chocolate and dried citrus peels linger through the long and structured finale. I love the balance here, yet the 2010 will still need a few more years of cellaring to show its best. The Sacer is a late-release vineyard selection that spends twelve months maturing in barriques, six of which are spent on the lees with weekly bâtonnage.

Lovely aromas of bark, moss, porcini and grilled plum. Full-bodied with grainy, softening tannins. Black tea and red fruit wash over the palate with some nuance and delicacy. Some ground ginger and suede. Aging very nicely. 100% sagrantino. Drink now.