The Cotarella family's wine story starts in the 1960s, when Antonio and Domenico Cotarella, grape growers in Monterubiaglio, built a winery to make their own wine. Brothers Renzo and Riccardo Cotarella later founded Falesco in Montefiascone, in northern Lazio, to bring back the area's old grape varieties.
Roscetto was the one they worked on longest. Years of trials led to Poggio dei Gelsi, a selection of Est! Est!! Est!!!, a wine from this corner of Lazio that had been largely forgotten, and later to Ferentano. Montiano, made from a particular Merlot clone, was widely praised from its first release.
Falesco later moved into Umbria with the Marciliano estate, about 260 hectares on a hill south of Orvieto, and built its new winery there at Montecchio. Trentanni, an Umbrian red, marked the company's thirtieth year.
Not tasted yet
I haven't reviewed a wine from Falesco (Famiglia Cotarella) yet. They're on my Top 100 list, which is built from awards.