If you check out the label of Lungarotti’s Montefalco Rosso wine, at first glance there’s not much to look at. But there’s actually a lot told by the simplicity of the design. The white label and clean lines speak to the extensive efforts the winery has made toward sustainable winemaking in the past decade. Atop the label, a black-and-while illustration depicts Lungarotti’s Montefalco Estate winery. In the foreground there’s a falcon, which gave this region in Central Italy its name, owing to a favourite pastime of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia whenever he visited here…900 years ago.

Much of the time today, labels are simply about marketing to consumers. But sometimes they’re more a sign of respect—both for the land and its history.

Lungarotti Montefalco Rosso 2016 —Umbria, Italy ($26.95)
Hovering between medium and full bodied, this newly released organic red features the packed tannins one might expect of a sangiovese-merlot blend. Look for dense, earthy, dark red fruit and wild berries, with additional aromas of clove and forest floor. Although it’s been five years since harvest, this is still pretty robust, with plenty of palate-puckering character—so probably better suited to food-pairing than casual sipping. But decant it for an hour either way before serving to help it loosen up. 90