Montefalco Sagrantino wines: A steak-pairing treat

Back when Monti’s was still in business (before Nov. 2015) in Tempe, they had an extensive choice of sides that fortunately included spaghetti with red sauce. But they never really had the perfect wine on the list to go along with this combo. So looking back, if I may make a “post-solvent” suggestion, Monti’s wine list should have included little gems like Collepiani’s Montefalco Sagrantino.

This Sagrantino-based Montefalco (an Arnaldo-Caprai selection from Italy’s Umbria region) wine is among the best steak and spaghetti wines available and has remained so for quite some time. Although there are many others available from Montefalco, this one is truly a premium single-varietal option that is still priced right (about $60) as a special occasion vino.

Delivering an enchanting bouquet of ripe cherry, lilac, tobacco, new leather, and a little violet; it can be expressed as an elegant fruit-floral-earth marriage. On the palate, dark cherry is accompanied by a smoky character that makes it a natural with steak.

But the grippy body of tannins and backed-off acidity is what really makes it work with steak plus spaghetti. Being no wimp, don’t’ pair this wine with pasta alone. Make that a char-broiled steak with a red sauce pasta side if you please!

You can find this one online from various sources or check out the Arnaldo-Capri website for other purchasing options. Hopefully, this wine will be a little bit easier to get in the future, but for now, the extra effort is well worth it; especially if you’re looking for something special and different.

Note, if you want to lay this one down for 10 more years or so, no problem. The 2010 vintage is starting to make the rounds now. That’s already nearly 6 years old, and it has no indication of losing its character. Just put it back on the “Old Reds” rack and let it run through time with the best you’ve got.