I was invited to a private dinner with Francesco Zonin, Executive Vice President of Italy’s Casa Vinicola Zonin…
and Mr. Grape Experiences said, “Have fun!” ~ Wow, am I lucky or what??
But seriously (and I know the eye roll is going on right now, but whatever), I was was invited to the private dinner with other wine writers and afficianados at Basil Leaf Cafe in Chicago to meet Francesco and enjoy a five course dinner, each course paired with a wine from Zonin’s estates in Italy. I was fortunate enough to sit next to him at dinner and engage in conversation with this incredibly knowledgeable and interesting man who knows his wine, is an effective ambassador of his brand, and quite frankly, is easy on the eyes, if you know what I mean. Having hosted another wine dinner in Miami the evening prior, Francesco had been in Chicago for a mere eighteen hours by the time we met. But ever the professional and most likely stoked on alotta espresso, he was gracious to all and enjoyed sharing the history of his family’s vineyards in Italy as well as their endeavors at each of their estates including the winery they own in Barboursville, Virginia…if you have read my articles, you know about my affection for my home state of Virginia and this connection is extremely meaningful to me. But I’ll get back to that later…The website (see link above) is thorough with beautiful pictures, precise information given about the various regions in Italy where their estates can be found, as well as descriptions and tasting notes of their wines. Please check it out!
The dinner was delicious and the wines (which you can purchase for a very reasonable price at your local wine shop) chosen to be complimentary were excellent. Wines and food pairings were…
Amouse Bouche
**Zonin Prosecco – From the Glera grape, this Prosecco was creamy, bubbly, fresh, fruity, and delicious as a first wine of the evening
…and was paired with baked fresh figs with gorgonzola and mascarpone cheese topped with balsamic redux.
First Course
**Tenuta Ca’ Bolani 2009 Pinot Grigio – The wine is from the Friula region in Italy. Full bodied which was a nice surprise, crisp and tart with some flavors of lime and granny smith apple, this was smooth and balanced
…and was paired with porcini dusted sea scallops, sweet pea puree and micro green salad.
Second Course
**Tenuta Ca’Bolani 2009 Pinot Grigio – This is not an error…we had the Pinot Grigio again which was wonderful
…and was paired with poached pear in Castello del Poggio Mocato d’Asti over baby arugula topped with gorgonzola cheese, glazed pecans, and honey balsamic.
Third Course
**Tenuta Ca’Bolani 2009 Refosco – The wine from the Refosco grape was a full bodied red wine with wonderful structure, spice, tannins…and a taste of blackberries. Keep your eye out for this one…
…and it was paired with wild mushroom risotto cooked in Tenuta Ca’Bolani Sauvignon with fennel dusted shrimp.
Fourth Course
**Feudo Principi di Butera Nero d’Avola – The Nero d’Avola was a delicious red wine from the Riesi DOC in Sicily. It presented savory tastes of plums and a bit of chocolate along with firm tannins and an earthy finish
…was paired with grilled salmon, balsamic and berry reduction with fingerling potatoes and brussel sprouts.
Dessert
**Castello del Poggio Brachetto – This sparkler from the Asti province in Piedmont was a sweet way to end the evening! Its low alcohol, fruit blast of raspberries, cranberries, and plums were fresh and just…made me smile
…and paired with crispy gnocchi with vanilla bean ice cream topped with chocolate and pistachio, I was one happy wine lover!
The wines and dinner were delizioso, and I loved meeting Francesco and his team from Zonin who are just as passionate about the wines as he. But as much as I would like to travel to Italy to visit the vineyards (and I hope the opportunity presents itself) I’ll be thrilled to visit Barboursville Vineyards…and it just may be easier for you to do the same! Close to Charlottesville, Virginia the vineyard was established in 1976 by Silvana and Gianni Zonin and has a lovely restaurant, Palladio, beautiful accommodations, and of course, a tasting room for the wines produced on the estate! I’m planning a trip in the fall…how about you?
Thank you, Francesco! Cheers to always having vino delizioso on the table! ~ Cindy
