Falesco's 2013 Tellus Syrah offers a thick, meaty consistency with bold aromas of black cherry pressed blackberry, exotic spice, wet earth, terra-cotta, crushed peppercorn and smoked bacon. It delivers on all the characteristics that are attributed to this powerful red grape variety. The wine opens slowly in the glass and once it does it reveals extra spice and oak-driven smoke. Tellus is an excellent value line from Falesco.

Packaged in a squat 750ml bottle, the 2012 Syrah Tellus offers expressive and broad-reaching aromas that make this one “big little bottle.” Ripe fruit, cherry Maraschino, blackberry syrup, leather and cured meat all play supporting roles. The wine is bold and opulent, but never crosses the line into overripe territory. In fact, the winemaking is nothing short of impeccable even in the case of this youthful, medium bodied Syrah. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2017. Riccardo Cotarella’s Falesco straddles the Umbria-Lazio boarder and makes wines from both regions. Today his children and son-in-law all work with him at the winery. Importer: Winebow; www.winebow.com

The 2011 Syrah Tellus is quite pretty in this vintage. Smoke, black cherries, olives, sage and licorice flesh out in the glass. Varietally expressive and beautifully balanced, the Tellus is an excellent choice for drinking over the next handful of years. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019. 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 2009 Syrah Tellus is another new offering from Falesco. It boasts considerable opulence in its super-ripe dark fruit. Notes of inner sweetness and perfume follow, leading to the elegant, polished finish. It will be interesting to see where this wine goes over the next few years. Cotarella aged the Tellus in 2nd year oak barrels, 70% French, 30% American. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. 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 Tellus (Syrah, Merlot) is another new offering from Falesco. Mint, flowers, spices and dark plums are among the nuances that emerge from this expansive, polished wine. Today Tellus is a blend of equal parts Syrah and Merlot, but Cotarella’s goal is to make a 100% Syrah in a few years, once the vineyards are a bit older. It will be interesting to follow this wine in coming vintages. This first effort is very promising. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2012. (Not yet released)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