Moretti Montefalco Rosso 2023: A Bold Organic Red at a Sensible Price
Montefalco has built much of its reputation on Sagrantino, a grape capable of producing some of Italy’s most formidable tannins. But not every Umbrian red needs fifteen years in the cellar and a substantial steak to become enjoyable. Moretti Omero Montefalco Rosso 2023 offers a more accessible interpretation of the region, combining the energy of Sangiovese with the muscular character of Sagrantino.
This is a generous, full-bodied red, with ripe fruit, a firm tannic backbone and enough freshness to prevent its considerable weight from becoming excessive. It is also certified organic, comes from a family estate that embraced sustainable agriculture long before it became fashionable, and sells for around €16.
There is nothing particularly delicate about it, but that is hardly a criticism. Montefalco Rosso should have some muscle, and Moretti delivers it without turning the wine into an exhausting exercise in extraction.
The Basics
- Producer: Azienda Agraria Moretti Omero
- Wine: Montefalco Rosso DOC Biologico
- Vintage: 2023
- Classification: Montefalco Rosso DOC
- Region: Umbria, Italy
- Production area: Giano dell’Umbria, near Montefalco
- Grapes: 70% Sangiovese, 25% Sagrantino, 5% other red varieties
- Viticulture: Certified organic since 1992
- Vineyard soils: Predominantly clay
- Vine age: Approximately 15–30 years
- Harvest: Manual
- Fermentation: Approximately 15 days, with 15 days of skin maceration
- Ageing: Six months on fine lees with bâtonnage, followed by 12 months in French oak tonneaux
- Alcohol: 14.5% ABV
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Serving temperature: 16–18°C
Moretti Omero: Organic Wine Before Organic Became Fashionable
The Moretti family has been farming the countryside around Giano dell’Umbria for generations. Omero’s father, Giuseppe, sold wine in bulk, following a familiar agricultural tradition in which grapes were grown as part of a wider farming economy rather than cultivated exclusively for prestigious bottled wines.
Omero Moretti changed that direction. He invested in estate bottling and, more significantly, converted the farm to certified organic agriculture in 1992.
The timing matters. In the early 1990s, organic wine was still a relatively marginal category in Italy, and abandoning conventional treatments required considerable determination, particularly in regions where agricultural practices had long been established.
The decision was not simply a commercial repositioning. The family also produces extra virgin olive oil, and organic farming became a defining feature of the entire agricultural business.
Today, Omero’s daughter Giusy plays a central role in the winery, continuing the family’s commitment to local varieties while introducing a more contemporary approach to cellar management.
There is an interesting distinction here. Moretti Omero does not promote a romantic rejection of technology. The winery combines organic farming with modern technical resources, including research into indigenous yeasts in collaboration with the University of Perugia.
It is a sensible philosophy. Growing grapes organically does not mean that winemaking should become an uncontrolled experiment, and Moretti’s reds generally aim for structure, consistency and recognisable regional character.
The estate produces several expressions of Montefalco Sagrantino, including ambitious wines intended for long ageing, but its regular Montefalco Rosso occupies a particularly important position. It offers an introduction to the family’s style without demanding the patience, money or tannin tolerance associated with the more powerful Sagrantinos.
Montefalco Rosso: Where Sangiovese Meets Sagrantino
Montefalco Rosso is sometimes overshadowed by the region’s celebrated Sagrantino DOCG, although the two wines have different objectives.
Sagrantino is naturally rich in phenolic compounds and is famous for its formidable tannic structure. Even when the fruit reaches excellent maturity, the grape can produce an uncompromising wine that demands careful extraction, substantial ageing and considerable attention at the table.
Montefalco Rosso takes a different route.
The appellation requires Sangiovese to represent between 60% and 80% of the blend, with Sagrantino accounting for 10–25%. Other authorised red varieties can complete the assemblage.
Moretti uses 70% Sangiovese and the maximum permitted 25% Sagrantino, leaving only a small proportion for other red grapes.
That is a significant choice. A quarter of Sagrantino is more than enough to influence a wine’s architecture, particularly when combined with extended oak maturation.
Sangiovese provides the acidic foundation, a more agile fruit profile and the characteristic savoury tension associated with central Italian reds. Sagrantino contributes concentration, darker fruit, phenolic density and a firmer tannic structure.
The result is considerably more powerful than many everyday Sangiovese-based wines, yet less severe than a young, varietal Montefalco Sagrantino.
The vineyards are rooted in clay-rich soils, with southern exposures for Sangiovese and north-eastern orientations for Sagrantino. This distinction allows the producer to manage the ripening requirements of two varieties that do not behave identically in the vineyard.
The important consequence is balance. Moretti’s Montefalco Rosso has the ripe, concentrated personality expected from southern Umbria, but enough acidity and structural definition to remain recognisably Italian rather than resembling a generic international red.
Winemaking: Fifteen Days of Extraction and a Year in Oak
The 2023 Montefalco Rosso is made from manually harvested grapes, fermented for approximately fifteen days with a corresponding period of skin maceration.
This is enough time to extract substantial colour, tannins and flavour compounds, particularly from Sagrantino, without requiring the considerably longer macerations sometimes associated with more ambitious wines from the denomination.
After fermentation, the wine remains in contact with its fine lees for approximately six months, with periodic bâtonnage.
This technique helps build texture and contributes to the integration of the wine’s structural components. In a blend containing a substantial proportion of Sagrantino, that additional roundness is useful, although it does not eliminate the variety’s naturally assertive tannins.
The wine subsequently spends twelve months in French oak tonneaux.
The choice of relatively large barrels gives the wine time to develop while providing some additional oxygen exchange and oak-derived complexity. There is a perceptible woody influence, particularly in the spicy character of the finish, but the fruit remains clearly identifiable.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep ruby red with purple reflections and good concentration.
Bouquet: Ripe blackberries, dark cherries and wild berries emerge immediately, followed by violet, liquorice and black pepper. With aeration, more mature suggestions of leather, cloves and nutmeg appear, accompanied by a discreet toasted note from the oak. The aromatic profile is generous and fairly direct, with good intensity rather than extraordinary complexity.
Palate: Full-bodied, warm and firmly structured. The fruit is concentrated, with dark berries and ripe cherries supported by a substantial tannic framework. Sagrantino makes its presence unmistakable, although the tannins are relatively polished and never aggressively green. Sangiovese contributes the acidity needed to counterbalance the alcohol and give the palate some movement. There is a pleasant savoury quality, while the oak adds roundness and a slightly spicy dimension.
Finish: Persistent, dry and gently warming, with dark fruit, liquorice and a firm tannic grip. The alcohol is noticeable, but the wine maintains sufficient freshness to preserve its balance.
Our Verdict
Moretti Omero Montefalco Rosso 2023 is a convincing example of how much personality Montefalco can offer without the expense and austerity of its most ambitious Sagrantino wines.
Its principal attraction is the combination of concentration and accessibility. The wine has genuine substance, a substantial tannic structure and a satisfying depth of fruit, yet it is approachable enough to enjoy without extensive cellaring.
The organic farming background is interesting, but it is not the reason to buy this bottle. What matters is the quality of the wine itself, and Moretti delivers a recognisable, well-proportioned interpretation of the appellation.
There are limitations. The aromatic range remains relatively conventional, the alcohol contributes noticeable warmth and the finish has a certain tannic firmness that may feel excessive to drinkers accustomed to lighter reds.
The wine is also more convincing for its generous structure than for exceptional finesse. Those looking for delicacy, transparent fruit or the subtle aromatic development of a mature Sangiovese will find other bottles better suited to their tastes.
Nevertheless, these are reasonable compromises in a wine at this price.
The 2023 has the necessary freshness and tannic reserve to develop over the next four to six years, although there is little reason to postpone drinking it simply in pursuit of greater complexity.
Price
€16.30 for a 750 ml bottle, an attractive price for a certified organic Montefalco Rosso with twelve months of oak ageing.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers.
