1999 Falesco Marciliano Proprietary Blend

1999 Falesco Marciliano

94 RP

Featured Review

The first vintage of Riccardo Cotarella's newest baby is the 1999 Marciliano. Aged 16 months in 100% new French oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, this 70% Cabernet Sauvignon/30% Cabernet Franc blend already displays a fabulous, complex fragrance of lavender, mint, creme de cassis, licorice, spice box, and toasty oak. Dense, with great fruit and richness on the attack, extraordinary elegance and precision, and a long, layered finish, it is not as hedonistic as the Montiano, but it is potentially more complex, with more subtlety and nuances. Like the Montiano, the Marciliano is a wine of first-growth quality, and deserves serious attention. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018. Robert Parker

Robert Parker | 94 RP

The first vintage of Riccardo Cotarella’s newest baby is the 1999 Marciliano. Aged 16 months in 100% new French oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, this 70% Cabernet Sauvignon/30% Cabernet Franc blend already displays a fabulous, complex fragrance of lavender, mint, creme de cassis, licorice, spice box, and toasty oak. Dense, with great fruit and richness on the attack, extraordinary elegance and precision, and a long, layered finish, it is not as hedonistic as the Montiano, but it is potentially more complex, with more subtlety and nuances. Like the Montiano, the Marciliano is a wine of first-growth quality, and deserves serious attention. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018.

Robert Parker | 94 RP

Bright and fresh, with berry and raspberry aromas that jump out of the glass, along with hints of currants. Full-bodied and very firm, with racy tannins and a long, rich aftertaste. Still very young, but shows potential. Energetic wine. Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best after 2004. 415 cases made.

Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Type of Wine	Italy (Other) : There are dozens of grape varietals grown in Italy so no wonder they produce such a broad range of most exquisite wines. Some of the most cultivated red varieties are Nebbiolo, Aglianico, Sangiovese, and Barbera, while Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are also popular. Among whites, you're likely to find Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, or Vernaccia varietals.
Varietal	Proprietary Blend : Proprietary Blend is a general term used to indicate that a wine is comprised of multiple grape varietals which are either “proprietary” to the winery or is blended and does not meet the required maximum or minimum percentage of a particular varietal. This also is the case for the grape’s place of origin, especially for region, appellation or vineyard designated wines. There are endless examples of blended wines which are labeled as “Proprietary Blend” and in conjunction with each region’s stipulated wine laws and regulations makes for a vast blanket for wines to fall into. Perhaps the simplest example is California; if a wine is to be labeled as Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, it is required to have at least 75% of the varietal (Cabernet Sauvignon) and 85% of the fruit must be cultivated from the Napa Valley wine district. If the wine does not meet the requirements, it is then labeled as Proprietary Blend.
Country	Italy : Italy is renowned as one of the world’s greatest gastronomic havens; from certified Prosciutto di Parma to the sea-side seafood eateries on the island of Sicily. However, this epicurean experience could not possibly be as hedonistic without the ethereal combination of the country’s plethora of fine wines. It seems unfair that a nation should be able to boast, both, some of the world’s greatest cuisine as well as its greatest wines. Italian wine is one of the most sought after in the world, and has become the second most produced in the world, behind only France. Stretching an impressive 736 miles from northern Italy to the peninsula’s southern tip, the country’s geography generates an enormous array of topography, climate and soil structure. This is an extremely important quality of its winegrowing and making industry which lays claim to nearly 550 different grape varietals, which all desire their own necessities, in terms of terroir and climate. The still red wines of Italy truly characterize the nation’s vast and expansive terroir; Nebbiolo dominates Piedmont, where Barolo and Barbaresco reign king and queen of the region’s production. Hailing from Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the rockstar Sangiovese grape has become synonymous with greatness. Vin Santo sweet wines have taken on a mighty feat of competing with the glorious wines of Sauternes, and of course, Prosecco. Prosecco, located in Trieste (northeast Italy) and its creation of luxuriously effervescent styles of wine has become Italy’s answer to Champagne. The Glera grape variety, which has become synonymous with the name Prosecco, is the main ingredient and is beloved in the appellation where the village of Prosecco’s name has become world renowned. The blurred boundary between Italy and the countries of Slovenia and Austria, where German influence still resonates through Friuli wines. The prevalence of Riesling and other such grape varietals is high in this region and have become extremely popular on today’s market. With nearly 702,000 hectares of grapevines covering the massive and diverse landscape, Italy’s annual average of 48.3 million hectoliters of wine production is second only to France in terms of volume and Spain in terms of hectares of vines. The country is vast and overwhelming when it comes to the culinary arts, but perhaps even this is overshadowed by its production of some of the world’s most sought after wines, whether the omnipresent Chianti to the highly collectible and sought after Amarone della Valpolicalla.
Region	Umbria : If you're looking for a hidden nook full of spirit, culture, history, good food and wine, look no further than Umbria. Though far from secret, especially in the last couple of decades, this little Italian dreamland is a medicine to all who visit it. The villages scattered along its gorgeous hills effervesce such peaceful ambiance that shows in the wines produced here. The lush white Orvieto is well-known by all serious wine enthusiasts. The grape that produces it comes in such variety in colors, sizes, and flavor, that each bottle of this wine seems to showcase a unique personality, each a little bit different and delicious in its own way. These wines are impossible to generalize; some are dry, delicious, focused and long, others sweet, luscious and spicy. Their characteristics vary greatly, like true siblings and not clones, which keeps the experience of sampling them fresh and interesting as you discover something new to enjoy each time you revisit them. If you'd still prefer a red wine, get acquainted with Sagrantino, an Umbrian native grape of staggering potency and depth. Dark, intense, with delicious blackberry and ripe cherry flavor profile and clear undergrowth secondaries, this attractive wine entices any audience lucky enough to sample it.