The Cotarella Montiano project is a fluid, ever-changing program that adds focus and intensity with each successive vintage. The Falesco Famiglia Cotarella 2017 Montiano (a celebrated expression of Merlot) is vibrant and spicy with immediate vertical lift and dark fruit intensity. Grapes are sourced from two sites, one with clay soils and one with volcanic soils, so you get textural structure and aromatic lift in this clever blend. Grapes are hand selected, berry by berry, on the sorting table. The wine is redolent of dark fruit and blackberry with a hint of bright mint on the close. To summarize, this is a terrific bottle.

I had previously tasted this wine and loved it. Coming back to the Falesco Famiglia Cotarella 2016 Montiano now, I find a sharply contoured and defined expression of Merlot with a firm and consolidated personality. This wine sees fruit sourced partially from a new clay soil vineyard in the province of Viterbo measuring 18 hectares. They acquired the land 10 years ago. Fruit from there is blended with a second site with volcanic soils. That combination offers volume and density, contrasted against focus and precision. Important berry selection is behind this pretty wine.