Trentangeli, Rosso Castel del Monte DOC (Puglia, Italy) 2009

This wine is tonic for the soul.  A blend of Aglianico (65%), Cabernet Sauvignon (25%), Syrah (10%), it bursts onto the palate with an explosion of zesty flavors, but far from being a powerhouse of excessively ripe fruit and assertive texture it dazzles with a more discreet montage of tastes focused on spice, soft oakiness, and maraschino cherry.  What I seem to have described here is the taste of a classic Manhattan, (the most delicious of cocktails)–but a Manhattan with the added attraction of wine’s multifarious blend of acids, tannins, fruitiness and charm.  Trentangeli’s elegant structure and velvety texture are so compelling that it’s hard to believe the wine comes from Italy’s rugged southern region, Puglia.  The fact that the estate is an Antinori property goes a long way toward explaining the savvy workmanship that went into producing this fine wine.