2007 Tenuta Castelbuono Montefalco Sagrantino

An issue with my outdoor grill has forced me back into my kitchen this summer which is not my favorite place to cook in the Houston summertime. Unable to cook outside along with the need for a large family dinner meant that I was slow roasting a pork shoulder inside.

Since I wasn't just throwing some hamburgers on the grill, I had to start early which gave me time to stare into my wine "cellar" fridge and contemplate what I wanted to open. I also needed a little bit of wine to add into the roasting pan.

This bottle of 2007 Tenuta Castelbuono Montefalco Sagrantino seemed the perfect choice. I popped it open and poured myself a taste. It was big, it was powerful and it had a higher level of tannins than most of the wines that I've been enjoying lately. I poured a quarter cup over my roast, decanted the rest and then re-poured it into the bottle. I then put it back in my wine fridge to keep it at cellar temperature until dinner. I also picked out some other lighter weight wine options for my guests to start the evening.

When I went back to this wine three hours later, I was enthralled. Intense aromas of sweet ripe dark berries with a touch of rosemary and fennel and a light earthiness. It was dry, full bodied with rich berry/cherry flavors and a slight spiciness in the, now, very smooth finish. It had both power and elegance at the same time. I lamented the quarter cup that I had used for cooking.

I poured myself a full glass and I waited until near the end of the meal to share the wealth as I only had one bottle of this wine. I let my guests finish the other (still good) options and then gave everyone some of this wine. It was unquestionably deemed the best wine of the night by all.

This was a media sample and it appears to be priced about $30-35 on-line. I intend on seeking more out and I will let you know in the comments where I find it out in the Houston market; a highly recommended wine!

• Montefalco Sagrantino wines are produced in the Montefalco apppellation of the Umbria region in Italy. They are made with 100% Sagrantino grapes which have one of the highest concentrations of polyphenol antioxidants. They require a fair amount of aging (a minimum of 30 months by law) to smooth out the tannins to create a more balanced wine. The wine above is almost eight years old and it is drinking beautifully.