Red Food Pairing
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Light-bodied red (L) |
Medium-bodied red (M) |
Full-bodied red (F) |
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Grilled meats, rich pastas, carpaccio, ossobuco, lamb and caramelized peppers |
Grilled chicken, pasta in spicy tomato sauce, small game birds, grilled veal, and mushroom dishes |
Spicy pastas, red meats, grilled steak, braised hare and game |
| 2002 Maccario Barbera d'Asti "Berro" $15 (M) Medium-bodied with copious amounts of bright cherry fruit, this Barbera almost demands to be served with tomato-based pasta dishes. An excellent wine for a pittance! |
2000 Di Majo Norante Ramitello $15 (M) From the Molise region of Italy comes this stunning value. Medium-bodied with lots of dark fruit, this is a great red for aged cheeses and cured meat. |
2000 Grotta del Sole Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso $15 (F) This full-bodied, earthy red from near Naples has lots of dark fruit, leather and chocolate aromas. It compliments game, aged cheeses, and mushroom sauces very well. |
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2000 Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso Valpantena $15 (F) The nose of the Valpantena gives up heady aromas of pencil lead, chocolate and spice. Full-bodied with mouth- coating, velvety tannins, this wine cries out for roasted meats and other hearty winter fare. |
2000 Fattoria dei Barbi Brusco dei Barbi $15 (F) All the grapes that make up this exceptional wine come from the vineyard's holdings in Montalcino, and it is equal in quality to many Rosso di Montalcinos that are significantly more expensive! Open it on an ordinary weekday. |
2000 Giovanni Palombo Rosso delle Chiaie $16 (F) Mostly made from Merlot grapes with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc blended in for structure, this is the quintessential international-style wine from Lazio. It's big and ripe, with a silky texture and long fruit-filled finish. |
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| 2000/2001 Innominato Cennatoio $18 (M) This mostly-Sangiovese blend from Panzano in Chianti shows all of the freshness and ripeness of Sangiovese in a good vintage. Panzano is a very exciting growing region within the borders of the Chianti Classico district-consider this an introduction to Panzano's flavors and texture. |
Castello d'Albola Chianti Classico $19 (M) Cherries and plum show in its perfume and continue on the palate. Distinctly medium bodied with a nice spicy finish, this is Chianti at its best-not too complicated, and perfect for quaffing with Tuscan bean salad or red-sauce pastas. |
1999 Cascina Chicco Barbera Bric Loira $20 (F) Cascina Chicco jumped into the American spotlight when their 1997 Barbera Bric Loira won the prestigious 3 Glass award from the Gambero Rosso. Ripe and concentrated, the 1999 Barbera has a nose of cherry, dark fruit, vanilla and licorice. The wine is rich, full-bodied and elegant. |
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| 2000 Castello di Verazzano Chianti Classico $20 (M) The vineyards were replanted and are managed organically, and yields have been reduced to concentrate the flavor and quality of the grapes. The nose is rich with ripe Bing cherries, while on the palate jammy red fruits abound. |
2001 Fontanafredda Eremo $20 (F) Full-bodied and deliciously concentrated, this Nebbiolo-Barbera blend will knock your socks off! Consider it a beginner's Barolo-at less than a third of the cost of Fontanafredda's single-vineyard Barolos. |
1999 Cennatoio "E" Sangiovese $22 (M) Made from 100 pecent Sangiovese and fermented in stainless steel, this wine shows the true expression of the grape. On the nose, herbs and plum abound. In the mouth, dark candied fruit and a touch of pepper thrill the senses. |
White Food Pairing
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Light-bodied white (L) |
Medium-bodied white (M) |
Full-bodied white (F) |
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Light dishes with rich flavor, seafood, antipasti, simple pastas |
Seafood, frittatas, whie meats, lighter truffle dishes |
Grilled fish, seafood risottos or antipasti, flavorful pastas, lemon chicken, white meats |
| 2002 Ca' Bolani Pinot Grigio $12 (L) Light-bodied with lots of white peach and pear flavors with a hint of almond. Very fresh and well balanced. |
2002 Kris Pinot Grigio $14 (L) A delicious, light-bodied refreshing Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige, this makes the perfect apéritif wine. |
2002 Lucia Chardonnay $15 (F) Full bodied and deliciously concentrated with layers of fruit and vanilla. Very Burgundian in style and a true steal at this price. |
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| 2001 Gigi Rosso Arneis $15 (M) Arneis is Piedmont's answer to Pinot Grigio. Medium to light in body, very floral with notes of citrus, this is an excellent white to pair with antipasti or with fish dishes. |
2001 Tenuta Sant'Antonio Soave Monte Ceriani $18 (M) The bright white fruit flavors of peach, pear and melon shine through this wine, and there is a great backbone of acidity and minerality that gives balance. |
2002 Cascina Giovinale Moscato d'Asti $20 (L) We were floored by this light, refreshing and fabulously fruity Moscato. Slightly frizzante, with a nose of peach, this is a perfect way to start or finish a meal. |
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| 2002 Luigi Maffini Kratos $26 (F) This Fiano has a floral and herbaceous nose, a lush body that coats the tongue with melon and apple fruits, and a crisp, dry finish. |
2002 Jermann Pinot Grigio $30 (M) This is a Pinot Grigio of grace and structure, with a very strong varietal character: mineral flavors with peach and pear, good body, and a crisp, refreshing finish. |
2001 Leonildo Pieropan Soave La Rocca $35 (M) The La Rocca is characterized by white fruits and a solid sumptuous minerality. Wet stones and earth merge with pear and melon fruit to make the perfect accompaniment to shellfish. |