Falesco Vitiano 2009 - Umbrian Blend

There's nothing quite like the anticipation of a first date.

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I met someone. As a wordsmith, I can usually find the perfect words (or nearly perfect) to describe anything. Words elude me now. This man is amazing. Passionate, patient, kind, funny, creative, and for some reason, he loves me, my strange quirks and all. I feel like the luckiest woman alive, having found him.

But that was over a month ago. In order for us to get to where we are now, happy and in love, we had to survive our first date first.


"What is your favorite kind of wine?" I asked him. Our first date was to be dinner at his house. He would cook, and I would bring the bottle of wine.

"Cabernet Sauvignon," he replied. I had to laugh. The cab sauv had already become my own favorite, only after a couple of months of wine tasting.

"Mine, too."

"Now I know you're just making stuff up so I'll like you."

I ran into my "wine cellar" (which is really just my second bedroom where I keep the door and heating vent closed), took a quick picture of the Vitiano - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Merlot - and sent it to him.

The day of our first date finally arrived, and we did, in fact, drink the Falesco Vitiano 2009 Umbrian Blend.

It wasn't, however, the best date wine.

I now understand the concept of wine and food pairings better. It didn't go very well with stirfry, and it was too dry to stand on its own. Maybe next time I will have to do as the back label suggested and drink it with pasta or pizza.

It was dark red enough in color, however, that I worried we'd knock it over onto his white carpet every time we adjusted positions on the couch. His coffee table was precariously placed, and towards the end of the night we weren't exactly being mindful of it.

I finished up the Vitiano the same night I polished off the Falernia, and it was slightly more drinkable after half a bottle of the Syrah.

I think I will either stick with straight cabernet sauvignon after that, or possibly research food pairings a little before trying something like this one again.

At least the wine was the only less-than-perfect part of that first date.

He and I have shared some other more delicious bottles of wine since then - wines he picked out based on their funny names. Educated Guess and Sinister Hand, to name a couple. And I am sure we will share many more.

Although if I am completely honest, I think he actually prefers scotch. But I won't hold that against him. Maybe he'll teach me a thing or two about it.