1995 Falesco Montiano

The 1995 Montiano (1000 cases produced) is stunning. Made from 100% Merlot from vineyards planted on the hillsides of Lazio (at a relatively high altitude of 980 feet), this unfined/unfiltered, profoundly rich red wine is a knock-out. The color is a saturated purple, and the nose offers up glorious aromas of smoked meats, cassis, chocolate, and vanillin. Spectacular richness, combined with beautifully integrated acidity, tannin, and wood, make for an opulently-textured, multi-layered, stunningly proportioned wine of exceptional purity and richness. With marvelous intensity, but no sense of heaviness, this fabulous wine provides a strong case for the potential that exists in southern Italy. Yields from the 30-acre vineyard averaged 2.8 tons of fruit per acre. Drink it over the next 10-12 years. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620