When a wine contains your two of your favorite grapes, you expect to love it.  So when I saw the Biltmore Century Red Wine contained Sangiovese and Merlot, I was on board, expecting great things.

Although it suggests pairing with Prime Rib or Barbeque Ribs, I chose to play on the Sangiovese and pair it with Bilinski’s Organic Italian Herb Sausage.  I sauteed some onions and red peppers and made a side of Gemelli with Marinara.

The wine is a vibrant red, with a bit of fuschia.  The nose is full of tart cherry with a bit of smoke.  As it opened I got a hint of vanilla.  The tasting notes were a match.  A ton of tart cherry and a hint of plum with the most flavor at mid-palate.

When I started writing, I was candid about the fact that some of my pairings may not work.  I was off on this one.  The wine was tasty to sip, but didn’t add anything to the food.  Nor did it really detract.  I didn’t do much.  Since we had company, we opened something else to finish the meal.  I preserved the wine to try the next day.

As I prepared last night’s dinner, I poured a small glass to try again.  Some wines do well with a little air and time.  I found this wine unchanged, which can be a good or bad thing.  Again, very pleasant for sipping, but still one note.  I enjoyed the wine, but at nearly $16, I hope for more complexity.  I will own that it may have just been a pairing miss, but I would like just a bit more from this Biltmore.

*{Disclosure: I was provided with this wine from PR Firm, Folsom & Associates. All statements and opinions expressed in this article are my own.}