Slow Cooker Short Ribs and Elicius Orvietano Rosso: A d Match Made in the Heavenly Stars

This month the #ItalianFWT (Food, Wine, Travel) group is reviewing wines of Orvieto.  Jen of Vino Travels is our host and she arranged for The Consorzio Vino Orvieto to provide many of us with sample wines from this region.  Many thanks to Consorzio Vino Orvieto for the wine samples.  Please note:  We received these wines as media samples. No other compensation was received and all opinions about the wines are my own.

We received samples of both white and red wines from the areas of Umbria and Lazio.  

Arcosesto:  A blend of Grechetto, Trebbiano Procanico, Malvasia. Pale yellow in color with hints of green. Delicate and pleasant, with notes of fresh fruit and flowers. Refreshing, fragrant, and persistent, with a hint of acidity and minerality. 

Cardeto: It’s a blend of 45% Trebbiano, 40% Grechetto, and 15% Chardonnay, vinified as a dry, savory white wine. There’s a lovely bouquet of orchard fruit notes, a palate-stimulating minerality, and enough weight to pair with rustic, full-flavored meals.

Castagnolo: Aromas of Spanish broom, beeswax, and yellow stone fruit form the delicate nose along with a hint of hazelnut. On the rounded palate, tangy acidity accompanies ripe yellow apple, mature peach, and honeyed almond before a saline mineral close. A white grape blend.

And the wine I am choosing to feature is the Elicius Orvieto Rosso. These wines from Castell di Montegiove have been given prestigious international and national awards and is often cited in international and is often cited in food magazines and wine guides. 

The winery is family-owned and is located on a hillside on the border of Orvieto and Perugia.  The mansion is one of the oldest castles in the area.  It takes its name from the Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter Elicius, the god of sky and thunder. The products from the estate are Orvietano Rosso and Umbria Rosso red wines, extra virgin olive oil, cereals, beef cattle, truffles, and forest products. The vineyards grow Sangiovese and Montepulciano, Sagrantino, Canaiolo Nero together with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The wine:  A blend of Montepulciano and Sagrantino, this wine is aged 18-24 months in a combination of medium toasted French barrels and Slavonian oak casks and refined another 24 hours in the bottle.  The wine is an intense dark garnet red color, with intense plum and cherry flavor.  This wine should be aged and it is wonderful with beef stew, sausage, or roasted red meats.

We paired the wine with beef short ribs made in the crockpot.  We had a cold day in May and it seemed appropriate to have a warm, filling meal to go along with this wine.  Our recipe is included below.  We served the meal over rice and with a side of cooked mushrooms from the farmer's market.

Check out these other fantastic posts on Orvieto wines here:

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm will be sharing “Umbrian Red Wine Spaghetti and a Book Review."
• Liz at What‘s In That Bottle is wondering “Why Aren’t we all Drinking more Orvieto?”
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles will be writing about “Orvieto - the multifaceted white wine of Umbria."
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest will be focusing on “Appreciating an Ancient Italian Wine Made For Today’s Palate.”
• Camilla at The Culinary Adventures of Camilla is “Celebrating Spring with Vignole + 2020 Barberani Castagnolo Orvieto Classico Superiore."
• Lisa at The Wine Chef is pairing “Umbria’s Famous White Wine, Paired With Spiced Pork Tenderloin.”
• Nicole at The Somm's Table will be featuring “Easy Springtime Dinners with Orvieto."
• Pinny at Chinese Food & Wine Pairings is uncovering “Orvieto White Wines - Hidden Treasures From Umbria.”
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass is writing about “White wines from the heart of Central Italy.”
• Susannah at Avvinare will be “Getting reacquainted with an old friend: Orvieto Wines.”
• Rupal at Syrah Queen is sharing "The Soulful and Unique Wines of Orvieto."
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator...Gwendolyn Alley is aiming to "Discover the Green Heart of Italy: Orvieto DOC in Umbria."
• Terri at Our Good Life is pairing "Slow Cooker Short Ribs and Elicius Orvietano Rosso: A Match Made in the Heavenly Stars."
• Jen at Vino Travels will be highlighting “Orvieto, Italy’s Classic White Wine.”