User:Cullen328/Sandbox/Falesco

Wine writer Lawrence Osborne has called Montiano a "globally significant wine."

Another of their offerings is a sweet wine called Aleatico di Gradoli.

Another white wine made from the roscetto grape is called "Ferentano".

"Falesco started out in the 1960s making Est, Est, Est!, the generic Umbrian cheap white known around the world. Gradually, they came to revise the mediocre vineyards they had either bought or inherited, ..."

The winery produces a distinctive local white wine called Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone. This wine is "composed of 60 percent Trebbiano 30 percent Malvasia and 10 percent Roscetto".

Falesco has been described as a "state-of-the-art winery". It is a "family affair" run by Riccardo Cotarella, his brother Renzo and his daughter Dominga. Described as a "sprawling property" of 670 acres, some 370 acres of which are vineyards. Annual production is almost 3 million bottles. The estate straddles the border of Lazio and Umbria, about 50 miles north of Rome.

Falesco does not utilize heavily planted, traditional Italian grape varieties such as canaiolo and trebbiano. Although these varieties produce excellent yields, the winery maintains that the quality of the wines made from those varieties are not great. Breaking with Italian tradition, "they planted the best clones of Merlot available" to produce a wine they call "Montiano". Next, they bought a large hillside vineyard south of Orvieto which is planted in Cabernet Sauvignon. From these vines, they produce their wine called "Marciliano".

Riccardo Cotarella consults with dozens of Italian wineries, and has a reputation for excellence in vineyard operations, modern winemaking techniques and wine marketing. His greatest pride, though are the wines "made under the Falesco label from grapes grown in the family's vineyards in the Umbria and Lazio regions of central Italy." Falesco's winemaker Cotarella has been called a "pioneer in the Italian wine industry" because of "his expertise is in every aspect of the business from growing techniques, to technological innovations, to winemaking to marketing."


 * Wines of the year delight the taste buds and don't cost much, Las Vegas Review-Journal, December 25, 2002 "The red wine of the year is Falesco Vitiano Rosso Umbria 2001 from the skilled winecraftsman Ricardo Cotarella who is perhaps one of the greatest winemakers..."


 * Wine on Steroids, Wine Enthusiast, May 1, 2006 "Cotarella has made a name for himself with Merlot-based wines such as Cantina Falesco's Merlot Pisano and the cult Lamborghini Campoleone, a Merlot blend."


 * Four top list if buying by brand: Falesco, Gallo, Guigal, Santa Rita offer consistent value, Washington Times, October 5, 2005 "Located in Lazio about 50 miles north of Rome Falesco is owned by one of Italy's most accomplished winemakers Riccardo Cotarella"

Another Falesco wine, "Vitiano" is a red wine blend made from roughly equal portions of Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Suvignon. This wine has been called "one of the best wine values in the world".