The 2012 Montefalco Sagrantino Cerrete is a darkly alluring and sultry beauty, verging on rustic in the best possible way, as balsam herbs, sweet tobacco, crushed cherries and a lifting hint of mint swirls up from the glass. Its rich textures are nicely contrasted by vibrant, wild berry fruits and tantalizing acidity, yet this comes across as mellow and bassy in nature with inner tobacco and sweet herbs. A staining of concentration lingers throughout the long and dramatic finale, pinching at the cheeks with grippy tannins that are balanced by a mouthwatering sensation that maintains freshness. This is quite a different experience, significantly more approachable, from the 2012 that I tasted last year. -- Eric Guido