A few years ago I received a sample of Banfi Belnero Proprietor’s Reserve and was instantly impressed. Out of all the wines from Banfi I had tried in my opinion this one was the best based on my personal taste. As always when I am truly enjoying a bottle of wine I get sad once we have reached the end. Can it really be gone already? I also get quite panicked if I know that a wine I like isn’t readily available to replace in one of the many wine holders placed around our home. This causes me to hold on to wines for several years and save them for a “special occasion”. This is exactly what happened to me with this wine. I love to browse wine stores and figured someone locally would stock Belnero. Banfi wines tend to have a selection everywhere. Now you are probably figuring I could have just googled it and placed an online order. That would have been the easiest and smart thing to do. Outside of the two wine clubs we belong to I tend to only buy my wine through brick and mortar wine shops even though I do 80% of my shopping for personal items online. Recently we were shopping at Delite Market my favorite place to buy wine in Hoboken. I was so excited to find it at last that my wonderful hubby bought it for me.
Banfi Belnero Proprietor’s Reserve 2007 is a dry, red wine produced in Montalcino, Italy of Sangiovese grapes. The color was a dark brick red in the glass with the aromas of dried cherry and woodsmoke. Each sip began with fresh, ripe cherries and ended with a hint of vanilla on the finish. I paired this with penne alla vodka which brought out a hint of chocolate in the wine. This wine was medium bodied, smooth, and perfect for those who don’t like a lot of spice in their reds.
I fell in love with Montalcino on our honeymoon so I am not surprised that I love this wine so much. The pricing online varies and ranges anywhere from the low $20’s to mid $30’s. Belnero would be fantastic paired with a meat and cheese plate or a juicy steak. Grab a bottle, close your eyes, and imagine yourself in the Tuscan hillside!
