“Vino Viaggio” An Italian Wine Dinner at Vivere’ Italian Village Chicago
Tonight, the distinguished guest and curator was importer distributor Alessandro Boga and the wines presented featured producers that Jared and Alessandro visited during an Italian wine region trip a couple years ago.
Alessandro is Director of the Italian Portfolio at importer Wilson Daniels. As Portfolio Director he sets brand strategy, manages the supplier relationships (Italy) and the sell to/thru market development, merchandizing and evangelizing working with retailers and restaurants.
He has a WSET Level 3 Advanced, CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine), CSS (Certified Specialist of Spirits) and Vinitaly Academy Italian Wine Ambassador/EducatorSales
Wilson Daniels is a family-owned, fully integrated marketing and sales company representing a highly selective portfolio of the most prestigious wine properties from all corners of the globe. They focus on developing long-term strategic partnerships with family-owned and operated wineries that “possess profound respect for terroir”.
I’ve borrowed some of the background content about these producers and wines from the Wilson Daniel’s site - https://wilsondaniels.com/.
Tonight’s “ Vino Viaggio Curated Wine Dinner” featured five courses prepared by Italian Village Vivere’ Chef Tony Rodriguez. Each course was expertly paired with some of a total of seven Italian wines served.
I’ve written in these pages many times that an ideal pairing of a food course with the appropriate wine amplifies the enjoyment of both. Tonight’s pairings were sensational enhancing each course for wonderful sensory enjoyment.
Antipasto
Insalate
Elena Walch Gwurtztraminer 2023
Elena Walch is a 5-generation family-run estate in Alto Adige, a region in the North-East part of Italy that led the wine quality revolution in the area and has gained a prominent international reputation. An architect by trade, Elena Walch married into one of the oldest and most significant wine families of the region and brought new, modern concepts to the traditional approach.
The vineyards represent the ideal terroir for the ‘home of Gewürztraminer’ with its loose soil, characterized by the high lime content, but also deep sand tracts and porphyritic rocks. Warm days with abundant sunshine, accompanied by cool mountain evening temperatures, produce characterful and elegant Gewürztraminer of classic typicity.
The wine with its typical dry Alto Adige charm and personality, gleams in intense straw yellow with hints of gold reflections.
Pasta
Benanti Etna Rosso 2022
The 50 year-old vines hail from the Contranda Calderara Sottana vineyard located in the village of Randazzo on the northern slope of Sicily’s Mount Etna, grown in volcanic sands, rich in minerals, with good organic matter content.
Carne
Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Sagrantino 2020

This family-owned winery began in 1971 when textiles entrepreneur Arnaldo Caprai purchased 12.5 acres in Montefalco. In 1988, he passed ownership and management on to his son, Marco, who began the project to cultivate the promotion of the grape that has been growing in the Montefalco region for more than 400 years: Sagrantino.
Reviewer notes (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) - Sagrantino Collepiano is a deeply complex and expressive wine. It opens with rich aromas of ripe dark fruit, including Blackberry jam, pepper, clove, and vanilla complemented by subtle notes of spices, tobacco, and a hint of earthy minerality. On the palate, it is full-bodied with a velvety texture, balanced acidity, and well-structured tannins. Powerful yet elegant; bold tannins hint at the ability for long aging.
Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Tuscany Riserva DOCG 2020
This is 100% Sangiovese sourced from several vineyards -Casavecchia, Casetto, Castellino, Campo a Prato, Pratolino, Santa
Caterina, Santa Maria Novella and Vignavecchia.
This was aged 24 months in a combination of Slovenian and French oak casks, then a minimum of 3 months in bottle.
Producer’s Tasting Notes - “A pure expression of the best Sangiovese in the Volpaia estates, the Chianti Classico Riserva has a ruby-red hue with a trace of garnet. The nose is elegant, displaying hints of spice and fruit.”
Dolce - Fig and Honey Semifreddo / Fig Gel / Labneh Almond Dust / Cocoa Tuille
Arnaldo Caprai Umbria Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG
Producer Tasting Notes - “The sweetness arrives first to the nose with scents of blackberry and strawberry jam, revealing vanilla and cinnamon. Warm and sweet, soft and intense. The tannins work to balance the sugars and leave the palate cleansed, ready for another taste.