With Christianity’s high holy days just weeks away, wine is on my
mind. Wine, a part of Christian religious traditions since its earliest days, deserves
a place at holiday tables. A wine made from grapes grown in and around an Italian
monastery and used in religious feasts? Bingo!
I recently sampled two wines made near Montefalco in Umbria, Sagrantino de Montefalco and Montefalco Rosso, drinking them solo and pairing them with meals of meat, a typical
choice for the Easter feast, and fish, a staple food for many during Lent, the
preparatory six-week religious season that culminates at Easter.
One hundred percent Sagrantino is demanded of wines with the DOCG
label and Antonelli’s
Sagrantino 2007 has the full, round mouth feel characteristic of the
varietal. Nearly opaque in the glass, Antonelli’s Sagrantino is highly
aromatic, its pumped up tannins tamed by an expansive fruitiness. Believed
to have been brought to Italy from Asia Minor by followers of Saint Francis of
Assisi, Sagrantino, traced to the word ‘sacrament’ from the Latin sacer, was used by Umbrian monks as far
back as 1088 to make wine used expressly for religious feasts and festivals.
A balance of Sangiovese, Sagrantino and Merlot, the Rosso is Sagrantino’s quiet cousin. The 2012 Montefalco Rosso DOC, a red table wine from Arnaldo Capri, is instantly approachable. Bright in the glass, it speaks in a whisper, gliding gently over your
tongue before finishing with a soft floral note.
Side by side on the table, the wines could not be more different.
The Rosso demands a Pinot Noir glass to concentrate its delicate aromas while
the Sagrantino, its aromas apparent, benefits from a straight-sided Cabernet
glass.
Paired with salmon teriyaki, the Rosso was a delight, the sweet
fattiness of the fish working in harmony with the wine. I was surprised that
the Sagrantino did not overpower the fish, its hearty character instead a
pleasant foil. When served alongside a simply grilled steak, the Sagrantino was
perfectly at ease, its fleshy juiciness a refreshing change from American
Cabernet Sauvignon. The Rosso fared less favorably, the beef’s richness
flattening the wine.
For your holiday table, Montefalco Rosso on Friday with fish and 100
percent Sagrantino on Sunday with whatever protein is at the center of your
feast.
Salute!
For more information and to purchase Antonelli Sagrantino, look here.
For more information and to purchase Montefalco Rosso, look here.
Labels: alternatives to cabernet sauvignon, antonelli wines, arnaldo capri wines, Easter wine, good friday wine, Italian wine, wines for lent, wines with fish