Category: Wine & Food

That was a blast! There was no time photos, but a lot of time to enjoy!

Thank you Dardo Lugano and a Fior di Gusto!

Our final line-up of local Tamborini Wines was wonderful and survived the wind challenges!

• Rosé Ose (Merlot 100%) with Bruschetta: Pane Maison tartare di pomodoro
• Mosaico San Zeno (Sauv. Blanc, Chardonnay barrique, Merlot bianco) with Cardoncelli ripassati al prezzemolo su tallero di polenta nostrana
• Viognier San Zeno with Spiedino di verdure al Curry e Insalata di peperone e feta
• Espe Nr 7 with Tapenade di melanzane e bocconcini di Bergum “la Colombera”
• Tinto Forte and Stilton a bocconcini and Cioccolato Gran Crue

Imagine a tour around the beautiful lake of Lugano on a historic boat, while you taste local wines paired with local specialties.

More impressions soon!

In the meantime to join for the

Lugano, 20th of April:

https://allegra.tours/eventi-2024/

You need a lot of pepper, a good Sangiovese-based wine and a lot of time!

Recipe: Cover the meat with pepper; brown it in a pan with a little olive oil, cover it with wine, add two bay leaves. Cook until tender. For 800 gr of meat, 9 hours in the slow cooker were needed. Add salt. It’s ready to serve. You can also brine it over night with salt flakes and pepper.

This is a traditional recipe from Tuscany. The origins of the recipe of peposo all’imprunetina goes back to the construction of the dome of Brunelleschi and a strike. And the use of spices to compensate for the lack of freshness of the meat.

The red wine used here for cooking (a bit more of half the bottle in this case) and pairing was a Chianti Classico DOCG 2018 from the Castello di Fonterutoli Winery.

Grape varieties: 90% Sangiovese, 5% Malvasia Nera, 5% Colorino,

Alcohol: 13.50%, Total acidity: 5.63‰

Vineyards location: 7 different vineyard sites, altitude: 220 – 550 m.

Soil: Very rich in texture, mainly limestone, varied and complex texture made of limestone and marl

Vineyards age: 15 – 35 years, Nr. of vines per hectare: 4.500 – 7.500 plants,

Harvest: Hand picked from September 14th

Fermentation temperature: 26 – 28 °C, Period of maceration: 16 – 18 days, Ageing: 12 months in french oak barrels (225 and 500 lt)

Tasting Notes: Medium Ruby color, Medium- Intensity in the nose with aromas of balck currant, bell pepper & eucalyptus. In the palate dry, with medium+ tannins & acidity, notes of black cherry & cedar & medium body. Needs some time to open up. Young & Youthful but already a great pairing for a meat dish.

More about wine here

Someone told me once that to cook with wine you should “use a wine that you can drink” and I would add for a good dish you need cook with a wine you like to drink.

In our first attempt, we used a slightly “past its time” typical Bordeaux blend, which was far too overpowering. This time this Albert Bichot, Nuits Saint-Georges really did the trick, even if flavor profile was slightly simple it was perfectly paired.

Nuits Saint-Georges is located in the region of Côte de Nuits, Burgundy in the south of Dijon and it is known (&typically a good go-to) for high quality Pinot Noir.

For me Coq au Vin feels like the version of bœuf bourguignon for wine. We do like this simple version of the recipe by A. Ragusea presented in the following link. It does need around one our of cooking. In addition, just 250 mL were use for cooking so the dish was perfectly combined with the same wine.

More similar material in : https://www.instagram.com/jojephined/?hl=en

First dish

Lemon linguine & Albariño

• 160 to 200g of linguine (or spaghetti)
• 40g butter
• 10g olive oil
• 1 medium-small lemon (bio or untreated)
• 1 sprig of thyme
• Salt

Put the oil and butter in a pan; grate the lemon zest on it. Melt the butter on low heat. Squeeze the lemon and add the juice.

Cook the pasta in not too much water until nicely “al dente”. Add the pasta to the pan, taking it directly from the pot with a fork, in order to keep some of the cooking water. Mix well on low heat for a few minutes.

• Region: Galicia, Rias Baixas, Val do Salnés. A location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, where there is more rainfall than the national average.
• Grape: Thick skin that helps withstand the damp conditions. It responds well to heat and humidity.
• Character: youthful, high acidity, good finish
• Vinification: Typically unoaked.
• Fun facts: In Australia Savagnin used to be labelled as Albariño

Second dish

Chicken fricassee & Südtirol White Wine or Spanish Rosé

• 

• 400g chicken breast
• 25g butter, 1 small onion
• 1 tbsp flour
• ½ glass of white wine
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 grated lemon zest
• 1 bunch of parsley leaves
• 1 tsp salt

Chop the parsley finely. Prepare the sauce by whisking the yolks with the lemon zest and the parsley. Put it in the fridge.

Cut the chicken in small pieces and chop the onion. Sauté the onion in the butter, then add the chicken. Once it starts to turn golden, add the salt and the flour. Mix well to avoid lumps and add the white wine. Once the chicken is almost ready, add the sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes on very low heat.

Réserve della contessa, Manincor

Grapes: Pinot Blanc (60%), Chardonnay(30%), Sauvignon Blanc

Character: Fresh scent of apple, dill, green pear, good acidity

Vinification: After natural preliminary clarification, spontaneous fermentation of the must in a large wooden barrel. Biodynamic

Fun facts: For many years there was no distinction between Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay

Hacienda de Arínzano, rosé

Grapes: 100% Tempranillo

Region: Situated in the North-East of Spain. Significant influence of the Atlantic Ocean.

Character: Spicy, a slight sense of citurs, High alcohol

Vinification: The grapes are quickly pressed.