Antonelli “Contrario”
Umbria, Italy | 2021
Montefalco sits in the green heart of Umbria, a region that still feels like one of Italy’s best-kept wine secrets. Part of that is geography: Umbria is landlocked, with fewer internationally famous marquee appellations than neighboring Tuscany, and a lot of its best bottles are still enjoyed close to home in hill towns and family trattorie. It’s also simply smaller in scale, with roughly 12,000 to 13,000 hectares of vineyards compared to about 58,000 to 61,000 hectares in Tuscany, so it naturally gets less global attention. The upside is that Umbria remains a sweet spot for discovery and value, especially in Montefalco where tradition and structure run deep.
Antonelli San Marco is one of the historic reference estates of Montefalco. The family has owned their single, contiguous estate since 1883, and it is a true agricultural property of vineyards, olive groves, and woodland, rather than just a winery and a few plots. They completed their conversion to certified organic farming in 2009, and their approach is all about clarity, balance, and letting the region’s grapes speak.
The 2021 “Contrario” is 100% Sagrantino, but as the name suggests, it goes in a different direction from the traditional Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG. Rather than making a long-aged, oak-matured, heavily structured version of the grape, Antonelli vinifies this to highlight Sagrantino’s fresher, more aromatic side. Fermentation takes place with 15 to 20 days of skin contact at moderate temperatures, followed by spontaneous clarification without filtration. The wine is aged for 18 months in stainless steel, then blended and settled for 3 months in cement before spending at least 6 months in bottle.
This is still unmistakably Sagrantino, with dark cherry, blackberry, herbs, a little citrus peel, and that earthy, savory Umbrian quality. The difference is in the palate, which is fresher and more immediately enjoyable than many examples of the grape, with firm but polished tannins and a persistent, fruit-driven finish. It is a great wine for summer BBQ season, as it works well with grilled lamb loin chops or even hamburgers on the grill.