New Orleans' Greatest Chefs Honor Paul Prudhomme's Lifetime of Achievement

Dwight The Wine Doctor

New Orleans’ greatest chefs honor Paul Prudhomme’s Lifetime of Achievement

Story and photos by Dwight Casimere

1. Paul Prudhomme accepts the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award at New Orleans’ J.W. Marriott ile de France Grand Ballroom dinner in his honor
2. Celebrity Chef John Besh shares his recipe for Slow Roast Saddle of Local Lamb with Dwight The Wine Doctor
3. The main course paired with Pride Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley
4. Chicago's Chef Rick Tramonto shares news of his New Orleans venture, R'evolution Restaurant at the Royal Sonesta, French Quarter
5. Chef Prudhomme shares a light moment with Dwight The Wine Doctor before the dinner

NEW ORLEANS—“I’m just a cook who likes to make people happy. The fact that I was able to make a nickel at it, was just lucky.” Those were the humble words of Chef Paul Prudhomme as he accepted the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award at a one-of-a-kind New Orleans Wine & Food Experience dinner in his honor. A galaxy of the Crescent City’s top culinary stars converged on the ile de France Grand Ballroom of the J.W. Marriott hotel to create a lavish six-course meal that included Chef John Folse & Chef Rick Tramonto’s Sugar Cured Duck Ham with Wild Mushroom Cream Orecchiette, Chef Lou Sanders’ Pickled Oysters on the Half Shell with Osetra Caviar and Chef John Besh’s main course of Slow Roast Saddle of Local Lamb with Verbena and Petite Farci of Covey Rise Farms Vegetables.

Chef Prudhomme is credited with almost single-handedly elevating New Orleans’ cuisine to international stature with his signature dishes at K Paul’s and through his numerous television appearances and personal outreach at restaurants and “pop-up” restaurant ‘happenings’ throughout the world over the course of his 40 plus year career.

“Chef Prudhomme is more than a legend, he is both a local and national hero to everyone who loves food and who loves New Orleans,” said Rick Tramonto, a celebrity chef known to Chicagoans as the founder of Tru restaurant on the Magnificent Mile and current owner of Tramonto Steak and Seafood. Tramonto is set to open Restaurant R’evolution in the historic Hotel Royal Sonesta in New Orleans’ legendary French Quarter this fall.

The night’s festivities were preceded by a Moet & Chanson Champagne Reception, Dinner Featured Moet & Chanson Brut Imperial and Brut Imperial Rose ($35.98), Champagne Gusset Brut Grand Rose, Grand Cru, Ay NV ($59.95) paired with Chef Tory McHale’s Crawfish Boil Vichyssoise, Reynolds Family Winery Pinot Noir, Los Corners, 2008 ($52.99) and Reynolds Family Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2008 ($29.99) paired with Chef Aaron Sanchez’ Seared Local Fish with Louisiana Shrimp Veracruzana & Salsa Verde, Presented by Restaurateur Drew Nieporent of New York’s famed TriBeCa Grill and NOBU followed by Chef John Besh and his Slow Roast Saddle of Local Lamb paired with Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2006 ($75).

Chef Tariq Hanna provided a captivating dessert, P.B.&J. paired with Banyuls, Grand Cru “Clos Chatart,” Jacques Laverriere 1999 Port ($99). Tim Laughlin’s Quartet provided entertainment. Silent and Live Auctions presented a dizzying array of dining and vacation packages and an assortment of exotic wines and novelty items, such as a custom Schecter Limited Edition New Orleans Saints XLIV Champions Guitar donated by the New Orleans Saints Football Club and signed by Head Coach Sean Payton and a “Sippin’ In Sonoma” Wine country week. Electric guitar signed by members of the New Orleans’ Saints Super Bowl Championship team. New Orleans Designer Mignon Faget created the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality The award recognizes one individual each year that has made a lifetime commitment to the hospitality industry through extraordinary leadership, personal and professional accomplishments and philanthropic contributions to the community. The Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award is named for restaurateur legend Ella Brennan. Her deep passion and commitment has made a significant and longstanding impact on the New Orleans hospitality industry. This is the second year the award has been given.

New Orleans Magazine & Riedel Glassware sponsored the event.

London in full bloom as nations put forth their best for London International Wine Fair

Dwight The Wine Doctor

London in full bloom as nations put their best wine foot forward at 31^st London International Wine Fair

Story and photos by Dwight Casimere

1. Sunset over Kensington Gardens from the rooftop restaurant Min Jiang at the Royal Garden Hotel, London

2. Mark Bilt of Bilt Wines, Stellenbosch, South Africa

3. Dwight Casimere on Kensington High Street, London

4. Original art graces the labels of ENATE wines of Spain

5. Export Area Manager Tomas Arribas shows off an ENATE label selected for display in an exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

6. South Africa makes a big splash at the 31^st London International Wine Fair

7. At the Uruguay tasting pavilion

London, England--London is in full bloom as the sight and smell of Daphnes, Magnolia and Camellia fills the air in this misty and magical city.

The 31^st London International Wine Fair kicked off at Excel London convention center with a dizzying round of tasting events and more than 20,000 wines and spirits being poured for industry professionals, including importers, merchants, producers, agents, restaurateurs, wholesalers, sommeliers and wine journalists. Some 100,000 people are expected to make their way among the breathtaking array of tasting booths and to attend focused tastings and seminars.

Preceding the fair was the announcement of the winners of the International Wine Competition. France came in first, with 1,932 medals. Australia took second place with just over a thousand and France garnered 979 medals to come in third.

Australian label Wolf Blass proved a highlight among competing winemakers, taking four gold medals with its Black Label 2006, Gold Label Riesling 2008, Platinum Label Shiraz 2007, and Yellow Label Shiraz 2009.

"There is significant commercial advantage for wines bearing the IWC logo and medal recognition," event director Chris Ashton said in a statement issued as results were announced yesterday.

"The competition generates considerable global media coverage for all IWC award-winners, and this in turn increases sales by strengthening a wine's credibility with consumers."

Innovation is the key as winemakers experiment with new varietals and make key changes in the profile of their existing portfolio to capture market share in the tectonic slip and slide of today’s ever-fluid market. Younger, inexperienced wine drinkers and women are target markets as producers offer lighter, more fruit forward and food friendly wines that are both easy to drink and easier on the pocketbook.

Fusion of wine and art is the calling card of ENATE wines of Spain. “If you look at our labels, each one is an original work of art. The owner is an avid art collector and we wanted to someone represent that in the wine,” said Export Area Manager Tomas Arribas. “One of our wine labels has been selected as part of an exhibit on the relationship of wine to art by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art,” he said with pride.

Mark Bilton, of Bilton Wines, Stellenbosch, South Africa, in his characteristic jaunty Panama, greeted me with a warm handshake and a glass of his distinctive 2006 Gold medal winning Cabernet Sauvignon ($20). The elegant, stylish wine is redolent with flavors of cinnamon and cloves. This is a masculine wine with complex layers of fruit, balanced with touches of black olives and truffles. A grilled steak or hearty beef bourguignon are the recommended mains, but it’s versatile enough to pair with a variety of mildly spicy exotic cuisine. The outstanding balance and style of this wine has re-defined perceptions of quality among South African wines.

Wines of France, Spain, Italy, Argentina and Chile occupied prime spots on the floor of the Excel, with new players, such as Lebanon, Croatia and Russia, vying for attention. These “newcomers” actually bring with them a history of winemaking that practically goes back to the dawn of civilization. While their wines are consumed with relish within their own borders and are known to a handful of intrepid world travelers, this is their first time presenting on the world stage. Their presence makes for an intriguing and interesting London International Wine Fair. Cheers!

Get Reintroduced to Soave Wines of Italy at Eataly!

Dwight The Wine Doctor: Time to Get Reacquainted with Soave

Wines Reviewed by Dwight Casimere May 2, 2011

Eataly

200 Fifth Avenue at 23rd

New York, New York 10010

United States

(212) 539-0204 - Ext. 304

lascuola@eataly.com

Photos by Dwight Casimere

1. The Arena inside the ancient city of Verona
2. Alex Saper, general partner and manager of retail operations, Eataly
3. The vast food and wine emporium at Eataly
4. Dr. Luca Sabatini-Export Director, Cantina di Soave with Dwight Casimere
5. Giovanni Ponchia-Soave Consorzio Tutela
6. Michael Wolff-wine marketer
7. Channeling “Samantha and Carrie” for the new series “Wine & The City!

NEW YORK-One of the first wines I was introduced to as a college freshman was Soave. I remember it vividly. I had it with my then girlfriend, Ruth McIhenny and a former Al American football player from Ohio State, Al Thrasher, who fancied himself to be a soul-singer in the James Brown vein. Needless to say, he was better off sticking to the gridiron. We were all students at the University of Chicago and were hanging out at “The Point,” a Promontory Park that juts out from the shore on the South Side of Chicago to reveal a dramatic view of the downtown skyline. After a hard night of hanging out at the blues clubs in Bronzeville, it was the perfect refresher as we watched the golden sunrise.

Since those salad days, my taste buds have been bogarted by Robert Mondavi’s Fume Blanc, and shortly thereafter, the oaky, buttery Chardonnays of Napa and Sonoma Valleys. Recently, I’ve become enamored of the juicy, fruit-forward white wines coming out of Australia and New Zealand. So, it was with a great deal of expectation and more than a little curiosity that I followed up on an invitation to taste the new line of Soave wines, presented by the winemaker, Giovanni Ponchia of the Consorzio Tutela and Dr. Luca Sabatini, Export Director to the Cantina di Soave at the huge Italian food and wine emporium. Eataly on Fifth Avenue in New York.

Roughly, Soave means “mellow” in Italian, and that’s the best way to describe these highly approachable wines. Only, instead of the light, somewhat inconsequential wine I remembered, the wines now escalate in quality and complexity.

Eataly partner Alex Saper presented an impressive array of wines in Eataly’s La Scoula (cooking classroom) as a chef prepared fresh Risotto. Saper, manager of retail operations and a former financial analyst with J.P. and brother of Eataly CFO and general managing partner Adam Saper, gushed about the wines and their versatility to handpicked gathering of industry professionals and media which packed the room.

“The beauty of these wines is that they are so versatile. They go great with food, but they’re also great just by themselves, or as an aperitif with appetizers,” Saper said.

Dr. Luca Sabatini summed it up best, saying “This year, we have brought to the public a very high quality of wine. I think it will enjoy enormous success in the U.S. market.

Winemaker Giovanni Ponchia was effusive in his explanation of the wines. “What I’m most excited about are the changes that are now going on in Soave. The consortium has been doing a fascinating initiative for white wines made on volcanic soil called Vulcania. We’re starting to see the results now in terms of the new wines that we’re releasing that really express the terroir of the region.”

Soave comes from a region of northern Italy that surrounds the area of the fascinating medieval village of Soave, just outside picturesque Verona, the setting of Shakespeare’s great romantic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Soave is one of the world’s top selling wines, and for many years was the vinified calling card of the Italian culinary world.

Servers passed prosciutto-wrapped asparagus and skewers of Rosemary-dusted chicken. A groaning sideboard featured an array of house made salumi and delectable Italian cheeses.

Eataly is the brainchild of culinary heavyweight and celebrity chef Mario Batali and a team of partners that includes fellow culinary maestro Oscar Farinetti and Batali’s New York partners, Lidia and Joe Bastianich. Located in an historic landmarked building, formerly known as the International Toy Center, across from the famous Flatiron building, the ornate lobby, which houses Eataly’s seven restaurants and retail shops, evokes the feeling of an Italian piazza. That visual reference is no accident. The Farinetti’s founded a similar complex in Turin, Italy. There is also an Eataly in Tokyo.

The beauty of the wines is that, in addition to possessing outstanding quality, they are reasonably priced in the $14-$28 range. Among the seven wines presented were:

Re Midas Soave DOC 2010, a golden, straw colored white wine that is beautifully dry, with characteristic aromas of apricot and nectar and flavors of melon and nectarine and a hint of nuts on the palate. The finish is like that of the crisp, early spring air. The wine is made from 100% Garganega grape, the indigenous variety of Soave, and is a prime representative of the grapes grown in the region’s volcanic soil. This “King Midas” wine sells for a very non-regal $24.

Soave Classico Castello 2009 ($22) is one of Veneto’s prima donnas. This bone-dry beauty is also made 100% from the region’s Garganega grape and is the flagship of the varietals.

My absolute favorite was the evening’s finale, Il Casale Soave Classico 2009, a lively, elegant wine with terrific acidity. It has a slightly fruity, fresh taste and a delicate perfume with hints of white flowers. A slight tartness on the finish adds an air of seductiveness. This is an absolute steal at $14!

The other wines presented included Si Soave 2009. Composed of 90% Garganega and 10% Trebbiano, this wine is typical of the light, crisp summer wines we associate with the Soave designation. Its similar to Pinot Grigio in texture and acidity, however, it’s a bit more complex with an extra layer of minerality due to the volcanic soil the grapes are grown in. This one answers the question,” what wine goes with oysters.”? Love the artsy curved bottle and can you believe, its only around $10 a bottle!

Clivus Soave Classico 2009 ($28), Soave Classico Rocca Sveva 2009 ($12) and Danieli Soave DOC 2009 ($22) rounded out the tasting and completed what turned out to be a stellar evening’s experience. Viva Italia! Viva Eataly!

James Beard Awards bestows "Oscars" of the culinary industry on celebrity chefs

Dwight The Wine Doctor: James Beard Awards bestow industries “Oscars” on the nation’s best chefs and restaurants

Story and photos by Dwight Casimere

1. Chef Emeril Lagasse with Dwight The Wine Doctor

2. Dwight Casimere with Food Network’s Bobby Flay

3. A chef and his porcine friends “ham it up” on the Red Carpe

4. James Beard Award celebrant at Lincoln Center Plaza

5. Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Harlem’s Red Rooster restaurant, a past James Beard Award winner

6. Outstanding Chef of the Year winner Jose Andres’ minibar restaurant offering of Petrossian Caviar and prosciutto “tacos” at the VIP reception

New York—Petrossian Caviar and Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut champagne greeted celebrity chefs and winners and nominees of the annual James Bear Foundation Awards ceremony at Lincoln Center, the “Oscars” of the culinary industry. Celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Jacques Pepin and Emeril Lagasse rubbed shoulders with this year’s nominees and winners, including Chef Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon New Orleans, who took home the James Beard award for best chef in the south from Emeril, his fellow New Orleans star chef.

Other winners included Chef Jose Andres of minibar in Washington, D.C., who was named the Outstanding Chef of the Year at the Lincoln Center gala. San Francisco’s Michael Tusk of Quince and Cotogna was named the best chef in the Pacific region. Popular Chicago restaurateur Rich Melman of Lettuce Entertain You was named Outstanding Restaurateur.

In the wine and distilled spirits category, Per Se in New York won for Outstanding Service. The Modern in New York took Outstanding Wine Service honors and Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky won the Outstanding Professional Award.

Among top awards, revered Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's ABC Kitchen in New York was named Best New Restaurant.

Vinitaly 2011 Day Two: Italian sparklers lead global surge

Photos

1. Carpene Malvoti Prosecco in honor of President Obama's Inauguration Day

2, 3 & 4. Sparkling Italy tasting area at Vinitaly 2011

5. Sparkling Italian Pavilion at VeronaFiere

Part Two-Vinitaly 2011: Italian Sparklers bubble to front row on world stage

Story and photos by Dwight Casimere

Verona, Italy—Italian sparkling wines are captivating the palates of wine lovers everywhere and are fast becoming the number one choice of wine drinkers around the world. That fact became evident in a series of tastings on Day Two of Vinitaly 2011 in the massive VeronaFiere convention center, where a cavernous space between two of the center’s ten exhibition buildings were devoted to nothing but “Sparkling Italy.”

Prosecco sparkling wine has become the most widely known and has risen sharply in popularity in markets outside of Italy, particularly in the United States. Mistakenly, the word Prosecco has become the generic term for all Italian sparkling wines among American drinkers. They are unaware that Prosecco is actually a protected designation under Italian law and is made exclusively from the native Glrea grape, formerly known as Prosecco. The first Prosecco to reach U.S. shores was sweet and barely distinguishable from the better-known Asti Spumante sparkling wine produced in the Piedmont region of Italy. Improved production techniques have resulted in a number of very high-quality drier sparkling wines that are barely distinguishable from their counterparts in France.

Currently, Mionetto is the largest importer of Prosecco in the U.S. market. It ‘s flagship varietals, Mionetto Prosecco Brut, is a very reasonable $9.99 and is quite good for the price. That may account for the fact that since its introduction in 2000, it has reported double-digit increases in consumption almost annually. Mionetto’s other sparklers, Brut Vadobbiadene Spumante ($12.99) and Sergio Prosecco (the brands’ top of the line at only $18.99), still remain stunning values when compared to their competitors. Mionetto is a family-owned company, based in Brooklyn, New York. The Mionetto family has become the nation’s leader in terms of educating the public about Prosecco and is thus, the brand leader in the U.S. market. Now, other Italian sparklers are set to step out on the world stage, and what better place to strut their effervescent stuff than on the global platform that is Vinitaly!

I arrived at VeronaFiere straight from a nearly ten-hour Alitalia flight to the Sparkling Italy pavilion between buildings 8 and 10, where a premiere tasting and celebration was underway at Carpene Malvoti, where it unveiled its special “1868” Prosecco in honor of the 150^th anniversary of the Unity of Italy, which became an underlying theme and cause for many celebrations at this year’s edition of Vinitaly. The entire line of Carpene Prosecco’s fall within the $11-$18 range and represent some of the finest from Italy’s Veneto region. Their Prosecco’s are noted for their mellow citrus flavors and a light orchard fruit nose that recalls white peaches and pears. That’s perfect because the juice of white peaches is the primary blending ingredient with Prosecco, of the popular Bellini, similar in purpose and popularity to the Mimosa in the U.S., which is flavored with orange juice. Carpene Malvoti is among the leaders of the Prosecco movement toward a drier wine, with almost no residual sugar. The “1868” tasting was combined with some velvety Norwegian salmon, but this reporter spotted several imbibers downing forkfuls of a Strudel like affair offering with a semi-sweet Marsala flavored custard filling. Romano Chietti, founder of Siena Imports of San Francisco, which imports Carpene Malvoti to the United States, informed me that their Prosecco was now a part of U.S. history. A special edition of 200 bottles of its Prosecco DOC di Valdobbiadene Cuvee Extra Dry was served to the then new President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama at a Celebration Dinner, held on the eve of the official Swearing-In ceremony on Capitol Hill, organized at the National Press Club for the Arkansas Society. Guests included former President and First Lady Bill and Hilary Clinton. The thousand guests dined on a pheasant and duck dinner after a toast of Carpene Malvoti Prosecco Extra Dry, poured from the special edition bottles, which featured a stylized portrait of the President-elect, who also received a bottle of the special Prosecco. There are only three bottles remaining, and this reporter was privileged to drink from one of them!

Italian sparkling wines, in general, are one of the “hot spots” in the wine universe. Exports are growing exponentially in the United States in spite of the financial meltdown. The growth of the Prosecco sector alone, is leading the surge.

Italian sparkling wines are made from a whole host of grape varieties, with Prosecco,the most common and the most popular. Some 600 wineries make Italian sparklers in 18 wine growing regions. That means roughly 400 million bottles were made this past year and about 40 million of those, figuratively, are heading to a bottle shop near you!

Old wine dynasties break new wine ground at Vinitaly Verona 2011

1. VeronaFiere convention center in Verona, site of Vinitaly 2011

2. Sharron A. McCarthy, CSW, Vice President-Wine Education BANFI

3. Lamberto Frescobaldi with Dwight The Wine Doctor

4. The Grand Tasting Hall in the Old City of Verona

Story and photos by Dwight Casimere

Verona, Italy—This picturesque, historic city was the setting for the wine industry’s largest presentation of fine wine on the international stage. The 45^th Vinitaly closed with more than 150,000 visitors in attendance, with a third of them traveling internationally from Germany, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, France, Austria and Eastern Europe. Major attendance from Russia, China and Hong Kong was also noted.

“Despite the dramatic events affecting Japan,” said Giovanni Mantovani, CEO & Director General of VeronaFiere, organizers and sponsors of Vinitaly, “attendance by Japanese buyers held steady.”

More than 4,000 exhibitors from 23 countries filled more than a million square feet of convention space in the VeronaFiere’s ten-building exhibition center, with an overflow of technical exhibitors and purveyors of olive oils and specialty food products filling tents encircling the massive property. The exhibition area was so vast that trolley cars were utilized to transport visitors. The sheer size of the event confirmed Vinitaly’s status as the largest exhibition for the wine business and culture, exemplified by this year’s motto: “The World We Love.”

“Vinitaly is set to change its dates,” the President of VeronaFiere, Ettore Riello declared during the Inauguration Ceremony. “This is an important decision that extends the days dedicated to business and also seeks to meet the needs of caterers, chefs and wine bar and restaurant owners, since the new schedule (Sunday through Wednesday, rather than Thursday through Sunday), is better suited to their weekly closing days.”

Old and new producers presented their wares side by side in elaborately constructed booths and display areas. Focused tastings and on-site premieres lent a festive atmosphere to the proceedings. The list of names of some of the most legendary wine producers were prominently displayed throughout the exhibition halls, as wine producers put their newest and best foot forward. “This is where we have our best opportunity to create excitement on a world platform,” said Lamberto Frescobaldi, scion of the noble Italian family which produces Marchesi de Frescobaldi wines of Florence. The family legacy dates back to the time of the Medici’s.

The atmosphere at Frescobaldi’s wine tasting area was intense. Set in a display area constructed as a replica of the family estate, Lamberto appeared for a brief moment to share his latest releases. Speaking excitedly about the winery’s latest releases, his spirits were buoyed by the surge of interest among industry professionals for the new, elegant wines he was offering.

The Frescobaldi family and Napa Valley’s Robert Mondavi winery are set to release two more joint venture wines-a Pinot Grigio and a Sangiovese bottled under the Danzante label. The joint venture already makes two other Sangiovese-based blends: the high-profile Luce ($63, and a personal favorite, as it is so food-friendly), which is made from grapes grown at Frescobaldi’s Castel Giocondo estate in the village of Montalcino in Tuscany, and Lucente (a steal at $26), which is sourced from various vineyards throughout Tuscany. Both offer a tour de force of intense fruit flavor, balanced with a mild acidity that creates a lingering sensation on the palate. Danzante ($10-“dancing,” in Italian) is made from grapes sourced outside the Tuscany region. Pinot Grigio comes from Venezia, in the north, and presents a crisp, melon and citrus flavor with a beautiful golden straw color. White wine lovers will find this versatile wine just the right accompaniment to summer salads and seafood. The Sangiovese ($10) is from the Marche region, one of the latest to come out of the shadow of neighboring Tuscany to gain worldwide acclaim. According to marketing spokesperson Nancy Light, the wines are designed to compete with similarly priced, popular wines, such as Santa Margherita and Gallo’s Ecco Domani line of wines. The two Mondavi-Frescobaldi wines are newly available on the shelves of most popular wine shops, with about 40,000 cases available in the U.S. Winemaking is overseen jointly by Tim Mondavi and Lamberto Frescobaldi.

Castello Banfi continued its Pursuit of Excellence at its expansive tasting area, also designed to replicate its massive castle estate. The massive medieval stone castle expresses the timeless poetry and elegance of Montalcino and the stunning Tuscan landscape.

Sharron McCarthy, CSW, is Vice President of Wine Education for the 65-year-old Long Island, NY based company. Best known for its popular Riunite Lambrusco, the company has since achieved landmark status as #3 on Wine Spectators “top 100 list” for its elegant Brunello di Montalcino DOCG ($58), 100% Sangiovese wine from its Tuscany estate. Three generations of the Mariani family have built Banfi into America’s largest importer of Italian wines.

“We’ve been a real trail-blazer in the industry,” McCarthy said as she shared copious tastes of the vineyards latest releases at one of their private tasting tables inside the castle-like structure. You’re probably most familiar with our Vigne Regali ($26) sparkling wine, which is a real popular favorite during the Holidays and around Valentine’s Day.” Vigne Regali comes from estate’s vineyards in Piedmont. Brothers John and Harry Mariani acquired the historical winery known as Bruzzone, known for specializing in sparkling wine production since 1860. The sparkling wine, with its distinctive deep, Ruby-red color, is dedicated to Metodo Classico production, whereby each bottled is hand-riddled while resting inverted on pupitres which allows the yeast to collect in the neck of the bottles while they lie resting inverted. The meticulous process imparts character and intense flavor to the wine. The surrounding barrel room, which was recently renovated and adorned with artistic elements also plays host to the maturation and refinement of Banfi’s other Piedmont wines, Barbera ($43) and La Lus Albarossa (2007-$24). Both have exceptionally rich flavors that proudly represent their region. The price/value quotient is quite high considering the intensity of flavor.

Winemaker Matteo Rocca of Rocca Vini Superiori had perhaps the most poignant story to tell of the afternoon. “I am presenting by 2009 Donna Anita Tarantino Rossa ($32), which is named in honor of my mother.” The Rocca family has been involved in the wine industry since 1880. Their vineyards and estate in the heart of Salento, near the splendid Ionian coast, is a monument to their passion for winemaking.

Cantinetta Piero and Hotel Luca: The road to Tuscany winds through Napa Valley

Photos:

1. Pizza with Egg from the wood burning brick oven at Cantinetta Piero

2. Brick oven

3. Diners enjoy the Salume "bar"

4. Artisan Salume aging locker

5. Open plan kitchen at Cantinetta Piero

6. Chef de Cuisine Craig di Fonzo

Hotel Luca: The road to Tuscany winds through Napa Valley wine country

Story and photos by Dwight Casimere

Napa Valley—Cantinetta Piero restaurant in Hotel Luca is one of those off-the-beaten path finds that will have you scratching your head and wondering if you hadn’t entered some kind of time and space warp and landed in the heart of Tuscany. The hotel and restaurant, although relatively new boasts 200 year old Italian roof tiles and 300 year old Italian courtyard floor tiles as part of its construction, and the kitchen, ably headed by master Chef de Cuisine Craig di Fonzo, is an alchemist’s laboratory where local fresh produce, meats and seafood are transformed into tastes and smells that conjure up daydreams of basking in fields of fresh rosemary under the Tuscan sun.

I knew I was in Roman heaven when I noticed the wood burning brick oven and proceeded to find freshly braised octopus with house made Calabrese sausage and toasted couscous as a starter, a variation of a dish I had not experienced since my last sojourn to the region to attend VinItaly wine expo in nearby Verona. “The octopus are special ones that I import from Italy,” Chef di Fonzo told me in a later interview. “They’re slow braised in Muscadine grape juice and then served with toasted Italian couscous.” Italian Prosecco (I guess that was redundant), Non-Vintage by Villa Sandi ($12.99) had just the right combination of bright fruit and an elegant finish that allowed the rich flavors of the octopus and the slight nutty flavor of the couscous to shine through.

A second Antipasti of Cozze al Forno, pristinely fresh mussels, roasted in the aforementioned brick oven, with white wine, garlic, parsley and a smattering of chili was a perfect melding of texture and flavor. The silky mussels with the whiff of fresh sea air and smoke lingering over the rich broth were just the right consistency for sopping with crusty, house made Italian bread. I was tempted to cry Abbondanza! (Enough), but the promise of scaling further culinary heights proved too tempting.

The remainder of the meal with its accompanying wines from the restaurant’s expansive yet focused list of Napa Valley and Italian vintages, was a tour de force of the art of the chef.

Next came a true marvel, a Chef’s Selection of house made and imported Salume, aged meats, which could be seen hanging in a specially constructed glass enclosed aging locker which dominated the wall on the southern end of the elegant restaurant. I was most intrigued by the Wild Boar, which was locally sourced and the Speck, imported from Sudtirol, Italy and Prosciutto imported from San Daniele, Italy. Black Stallion Napa Valley 2009 Chardonnay ($38), with its layered aromas of citrus blossom, white chocolate and flavor notes of toasted almonds and apricot, was the perfect accompaniment to the rich, full bodied flavor of the meats. The wine, from the nearby Oak Knoll District, is a perfect example of the elegant, well-balanced Chardonnays that make the Napa Valley world famous.

The Gran Vino pan roasted Whole Fish was the specialty of the day and arrived in the pan with Tuscan Kale, roasted beets and baby carrots. Sonoma Duck Breast, roasted in the brick oven, was bathed in sour Amarena cherry reduction with caramelized Jerusalem artichokes and carrots simmered in orange juice, then pureed. Groth Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2009 ($29.99) has the type of subtlety and perfume that lets the wine, and the accompanying food, speak for themselves. The aroma and complexity allows the flavors of pure raspberry, bitter cherry and a touch of red licorice to shine beyond the silky, lush finish. There was a bit of creaminess on the palate that worked well with the slightly gamey Sonoma duck.

I was quite full after the copious main dishes, but couldn’t resist diving into one of Chef di Fonzo’s creations, Chocolate Budino, a Sicilian bread pudding made with fresh shaved and melted chocolate, house made caramel and Sicilian sea salt, topped with whipped crème fraiche. I could have used a room at the intimate Hotel Luca, but they were all booked for the weekend. Next time!

Cantinetta Piero

6774 Washington Street (between Madison and Pedroni), Yountville, California 94599

707-944-8060

www.hotellucanapa.com/cantinetta-piero