2003 Montefalco Sagrantino Colle alle Macchie

The Tabarrini family has been making wine for over four generations, but only within the last decade has begun to bottle its own wines rather than selling them in bulk. It's awfully hard not to admire proprietor Giampaolo Tabarrini's outsize exuberance and sheer passion. Tabarrini is a young producer still in search of his own voice. I tasted a number of wines during a visit to the property and found quality to be variable. That said, everything points to a mostly increasing level of quality beginning around 2002. In fact, the 2002 Sagrantino di Montefalco, from a supposedly very weak vintage, was absolutely delicious. With a little more maturity and confidence, and a touch less forceful winemaking, Tabarrini has the potential to develop into one of Umbria's top producers.