Falesco’s Riccardo Cotarella earned admiration for Montiano, his single-vineyard Merlot, and that imprint of precision is felt in his value wines such as Tellus. Latin for Earth, Tellus serves to reference our place in the world and beyond. Labels for the Tellus line were created during a crowdsourcing contest in 2008. At this event in Rome, painters were paired with passionate wine lovers to translate the crowd’s wine impressions into visual form.
Tellus Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from Montecchio in the heart of Falesco’s estate in Umbria. Soils here are clay and calcareous, with a north-south exposition, sitting at 300 meters above sea level. Aromatics are fully developed with appropriate elevation while soils here produce a balanced Cabernet profile of moderate body, acidity and tannins.
After an early September harvest, the Cabernet Sauvignon is fermented in stainless steel, and then racked into barrique to carry out malolactic fermentation. The wine remains in second passage barrique for six months until bottling.
Tasting Notes
Expect Cabernet Sauvignon to be firmer and more tannic than Merlot. Here, the climate is moderate but elevation is also important, so flavors lean to ripe black fruits and tell-tale herbaceous notes.
Food Pairing
Red and black fruits comingled with herbaceous elements brighten flavors of rich food, such as the obvious lamb, steak or burger. Echo the wine sensory experience of herbal notes with herb-seasoned dishes that feature thyme, rosemary or basil. Vegetables with a bitter edge such as broccoli rabe, radicchio, or brussel sprouts counteract the leafy, herbal notes of Cabernet.