CASTELLO D'ALBOA ESTATE WINEMAKER DINNER

Alessandro Gallo, Head Winemaker, Castello d'Alboa

 

Since 1821, Casa Vinicola Zonin always had a passion tied to the land, cultivating vineyards and wine.  In 1921, family visionary Domenico Zonin embarked on further developing this passion and branding the family name as eponymous to superior wines throughout Italy.  From that point on, the name became established in Italy’s richest regions for viticulture; they included Veneto, Piedmont, Fruili, Tuscany, Sicily, Lombardy and Puglia.  Within these seven regions, nine individual estate wine seals resulted. 

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of attending a Winemaker’s Dinner at Roberto’s Ristorante (Elmhurst, IL), which featured Tuscany’s regional wines from Castello d’Alboa Estate, one of the seals of Casa Vinicola Zonin.  The head winemaker for Castello d’Alboa, Alessandro Gallo, was also present and briefly spoke about the various wines served throughout the dinner.  All of the wines served were Red Chiantis, with the exception of a Pinot Grigio and Vin Santo del Chianti Classico.

2011 Pinot Grigio

  

Growing up, wine was a rarity, especially when served to us kids; we were lucky, on holidays or family gatherings, to get the equivalent of a shot glass.  The wine most frequently served was Chianti, whose bottle was a charming and ubiquitous raffia wrapped bottle.  My dad would buy whatever was the least expensive, since our large family was always financially challenged.  I recall the Chianti wine he bought being extremely dry and tasting more like vinegar; we weren’t allowed to add any sugar to the wine to make it taste sweeter.  Anyway, just hearing the word “Chianti” brought me back to my childhood when I attended this winemaker dinner. 

The dinner began with a first course of oven roasted root vegetables, ricotta salata and micro greens; the wine served was a 2011 Pinot Grigio; the wine was crisp and dry and paired well with the vegetables and salad; the natural sweetness of the vegetables and the saltiness of the ricotta salata were balanced.  The second course was a porcini crusted Ahi tuna (too rare for my palate) in a pepperonata sauce; the wine served was a 2010 Chianti; although the wine had a bit of a bite, it paired well with the dish without overpowering the delicate

2006 Chianti Classico, Riserva

flavor of the tuna or the delicious sauce.  The third course was a pea and prosciutto risotto garnished with a crispy prosciutto wafer; the wine was a 2008 Chianti Classico; I was a bit concerned about the wine’s bite, but one sip made me a fan of this wine; it subtly emphasized the sweetness of the delicate peas and risotto, and the brininess of the prosciutto with just the right amount of bite.  The fourth course was Chateaubriand (also a bit rare for my palate) in a red wine rosemary demi-glace, served with baby marbled potatoes and rainbow carrots;

the wine was a 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva; this wine had a depth to it that was a bit harsh, more so than the other Reds, but surprisingly, it paired well with the entire course.  The fifth course, was the dessert course and included a caramelized banana served with chocolate and hazelnut gelato and chocolate sauce with whipped cream; the wines included a 2009 Chianti Classico and a dessert wine, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico; the dessert wasn’t that sweet, so the Red diminished the delicate sweetness of this delicious dessert course; the dessert wine, however, was my favorite, since its natural sweetness heightened the overall sweetness of the dish; I also thought the amber color of the wine was beautiful; the wine was light, but full-bodied.

Vin Santo del Chianti Classico

Head winemaker Alessandro Gallo spoke about each of the wines prior to the course servings, sharingbackground detail about the vineyards, growing conditions, grape varieties and winemaking process.  To learn more about each vintage and gain a better appreciation for them, visit http://www.albola.it/   To learn more about Casa Vinicola Zonin, visit http://www.casavinicolazonin.it/en/

~ FINALE ~

These special dinners present more opportunities for me to learn about wines and wine pairings, as well as gaining a better appreciation for the winemaker and their passion for what they do and the wines they create.

 

That’s it for this edition.  Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your culinary curiosity.  Happy cooking…happy eating…happy drinking.

By Terry Herman

Terry Herman continues perfecting her passion for food and wine.  She has been covering culinary related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle.  Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events such as the International Home+Housewares Show, the National Restaurant Show and the Sweets and Snacks Expo.  She has been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle; she is frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content.  She has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards.  She has a background in strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking.  Her social media outreach includes Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Cision Seek or Shout, Plaxo, Red Room, Pinterest, and Tripatini.  For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.

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