The 2011 Marciliano is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc. This blended IGT Umbrian red is bold and tight with an amazing level of depth and complexity. It's almost too much of a good thing. What impresses most are the focused mineral notes that rise high above dark fruit, blackberry preserves, plum and prune. The wine offers a huge level of spice and oak-driven definition. This was the standout wine in my tasting at the Falesco estate.

The 2009 Cabernet Marciliano shows the more structured side of the vintage. Black fruit, espresso, grilled herbs, smoke and incense are all woven together in this focused, delineated wine. I very much like the sense of energy and tension on the finish. Raspberry jam, flowers and American oak emerge over time, adding further shades of nuance. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Riccardo Cotarella's Falesco wines are all about value, and there is plenty of that here. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2008 Cabernet Marciliano is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak. It shows good up-front intensity in its dark fruit, but then loses a bit of energy on the mid-palate and finish. This supple, soft Cabernet appears to be built for near and mid-term pleasure. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2023. Brothers Renzo and Riccardo Cotarella make a wide range of wines at Falesco, their family-owned winery on the Umbria/Lazio border. As always, readers will find a number of great values in this lineup. The range includes three additions that have been in the works for the last few years; the Sagrantino, Syrah Tellus and Assisi Rosso, the wine I am personally the most excited about. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

The 2007 Cabernet Marciliano is a beautifully expressive wine. Dark plums, cassis, herbs and exotic spices come together in this racy, opulent Marciliano. All of the elements are nicely balanced and lead to a long, refreshing finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. Proprietor Riccardo Cotarella is a fountain of energy. Cotarella is best known for his numerous consulting projects, but in recent years he has devoted considerable attention to reviving some of the indigenous and obscure varieties found in Lazio and Umbria. A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620

Falesco’s 2006 Marciliano (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc) is a vibrant, perfumed offering that flows from the glass with pretty sensations of violets, dark cherries, French oak, new leather and sweet spices. The Marciliano possesses greater freshness and structure than the Montiano, along with slightly firmer tannins that will benefit from another 6-12 months of bottle age. Warm notes of roasted coffee beans and wild herbs linger on the long finish. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016. Riccardo Cotarella’s numerous consulting engagements take him all over the world, but it is Falesco, his estate in the rolling hills of Umbria, that he calls home. Falesco is a family affair, with Cotarella’s brother Renzo, and daughter Dominga involved in running the winery. The sprawling property covers 670 acres, 370 of which are under vine. Quality is incredibly consistent when one considers that nearly 3 million bottles emerge from these cellars each year. Never one to rest on his laurels, Cotarella has several new projects in the works. One of the most intriguing of these is a Sagrantino he is making from three hectares of rented vineyards in Bevagna. The first vintage, 2006, will be released later this year. Importer:A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620