Annual Tre Bicchieri Italian Wine Dinner at Maximo's Italian Grill

Celebrate the best of Italy with an Italian wine dinner featuring the highest award winning wines of the Gambero Rosso Vini d'Italia, internationally regarded as the foremost the authority on Italian wine.  Published annually, Gambero Rosso reviewed more than 20,000 wines for the 2011 edition with only 402 receiving the highly coveted "Tre Bicchieri" or 3 glass award. It is the most prestigious honor that can be bestowed upon an Italian wine, a symbol that has come to represent superior quality and current trends which influences fine Italian wine consumption across the globe.
 

Each year Swirl Wines holds a dinner at an Italian restaurant, one that demonstrates the same commitment to excellence, and chooses five Tre Bicchieri award winners to match with their cuisine. We are excited to hold this year's dinner at Maximo's Italian Grill with chef Thomas Wood's specially designed pairing menu that will feature six tasting courses with five wines representing five different regions of Italy. Antonio Molesini, Italian Wine Specialist from Republic National Beverage, and a native of Tuscany, will join us in hosting the event.

Date:

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Time:
6:30pm Cocktails (cash bar), 7:00pm Dinner

Cost:
$110 per person, tax and tip included (prepayment is required with reservation)

Where:
Maximo's Italian Grill, 1117 Decatur Street

Reservations:
504.304.0635


Tonight's Menu

2008 Castello della Sala Cervaro, Chardonnay and Greccheto, Umbria
~Chili Glazed Scallops~

Diver scallops drizzled, sweet and spicy chili glaze served over a 

sauté of green pear and baby spinach


2001 Travagini Gattinara Riserva, Nebbiolo, Piemonte
~Wild Mushroom Bruschetta~

 Baby portabella, shitake, and oyster mushroom served on top of a crisp crostini


2005 Poliziano Asinone Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Toscano

~Pan Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast~

Carrot confit, grilled polenta and fresh buffalo mozzarella, finished with a Spring cherry demi-glace


2005 Tormaresca Maime, Negroamaro, Puglia 

~Grilled Domestic Lamb Loin Chop~

Baby red potato gratin and fresh local radish sprouts, finished with a blackberry truffle sauce


2006 Planeta Santa Cecilia, Nero d'Avola, Sicilia~Wild Boar and House Smoked Provolone Ravioli~

Fresh Pomodoro basil butter sauce


Limoncello

~Dessert of fresh, local ingredients, chef's choice~

Annual Tre Bicchiere Italian Wine Dinner

Each year we celebrate the best of Italy with an Italian wine dinner featuring the highest award winning wines of the Gambero Rosso Vini d'Italia, those given the "Tre Bicchieri" or 3 Glass designation. Given to less than 300 wines yearly, the Tre Bicchieri award is the highest and most prestigious honor that can be bestowed upon an Italian wine and is highly coveted by producers.

To best present the wines we choose an Italian restaurant each year that demonstrates the same commitment to superior quality and match these amazing wines with their cuisine. We are excited to hold this year's dinner at Chef Adolfo Garcia and Chef Joshua Smith's southern Italian restaurant, a Mano. Chef Joshua Smith's menu will feature 6 tasting courses paired with *6 wines representing their respective regions. Antonio Molesini, Italian Wine Specialist from Republic National Beverage, and a native of Cortona, will join us in hosting the event.

Date:
Wednesday, June 2nd
Time:
6:30pm Cocktails (cash bar), 7:00pm Dinner
Cost:
$100 per person, tax and tip included
Where:
a Mano, 870 Tchoupitoulas Street
Reservations:
504.304.0635

Menu

Fish crudo, citrus, fennel
paired with
Castello della Sala Cervaro della Sala, Umbria

Cured duck breast with seasonal berry conserve
paired with
Michele Chiarlo La Court Barbera d'Asti

Sformato di Porcini (savory mushroom mousse/custard)
paired with
Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico, Toscano

Fresh pasta with lamb ragu
paired with
Feudo Maccari Saia Nero d’Avola, Sicilia

Red wine braised wild boar with polenta
paired with
Antinori Guado al Tasso, Tuscany

Bittersweet chocolate budino, hazelnuts, olive oil, sea salt
paired with
Sella & Mosca Villa Marina Cabernet, Sardegna


*As these wine are produced in limited quantity,
one 5 oz glass of wine will accompany each course

The Return of an Old Friend

The life of a wine on the shelves at Swirl can be short lived. Sometimes is has nothing to do with popularity, just the mere fact that due to our ambitious schedule of 2+ tastings per week combined with my inability to pass on new and interesting wines, our inventory is ever changing and evolving. The positive side to this is that you, our treasured customers, are constantly getting exposed to cool and different wines, lots of obscure varieties, exciting new regions and up and coming wine makers. The downside is that a wonderful wine may get pushed out of the rotation just because I need space for the 10 new wines we'll be bringing in for this weeks lineup of tastings!

Such is the case of one of my favorite wines produced by a family who have been part of an Italian wine and food "revolution" in this country. Ignited by the matriarchal maven of Italian cooking, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, and fueled by her son Joe's ever-expanding array of projects, the Bastianichs have played a major role in bringing the culture of Italy to our tables. I've written often about Lidia, have had the privilege of meeting Joe through our friends at Neat Wines and have been enamoured with the family and their projects for quite some time.

So the "old friend" that has returned is the 2004 Bastianich Vespa Bianco, the flagship wine of the Bastianich winery in Friuli. My personal pick for our Thanksgiving meal, and an open spot on the racks gave me the perfect excuse to bring back this store favorite. The Vespa is one of what Joe calls "Super-Whites," the blends that command the most respect in Friuli. The Super-Whites from Friuli are quite different from the whites of other Italian regions, beginning with the fact that they're blended. The grape varieties generally include Friulano(Friuli's most famous grape), Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay.

This 5-time Gambero Rosso Three Glass winner was created to showcase the power and evolution that a great Friulian white can have. Consisting of equal parts Sauvignon and Chardonnay with a measure of Picolit, Vespa Bianco becomes a sum of its parts, a wine of uncommon complexity.

In the most recent issue of Gambero Rosso magazine, Bastianich Vespa Bianco was named one of the top “50 Bianchi d’Italia”. The wines chosen were not vintage-specific. This was an overall ranking of the best white wines in Italy over the past 23 years.

Bastianich Vespa Bianco ranked number 32 overall, among some of the greatest and most famous whites in all of Italy. Their placement in the Top 50 is especially noteworthy considering that many of the other wines mentioned in the article have a much longer winemaking history than Bastianich.

Winemaker's Notes: A tightly wound balance of minerality and citrus, evolving over time into a more viscous expression of wildflowers, clover honey and mature pear. The palate sensations are more like those of a red wine. Its powerful tannic structure and acidic backbone lend it not only immediate impact but a long life. Vespa Bianco can be further aged up to 7-10 years after the vintage.


Gambero Rosso 2007
Superbly complex, and veined with cream and banana, it is lifted by fresh fruit to the heights of elegance. The supremely balanced, gutsy palate is textbook stuff, making this a particularly sophisticated Three Glass champion.
Tre Bicchieri - Gambero Rosso

The best part? You can get this kind of quality and longevity for $28.99!

For more information on Bastianich wines, Joe and Lidia, check out these great links including Joe's blog, "The Buzz", the source of those great wasp photos!

The Buzz
Joe Bastianich
Lidia's Italy
New York Restaurant Insider, a great article on Lidia and her incredible life journey
Swirl and Savor: Lidia, my past posts on Lidia and some of her recipes