“Vino Viaggio” An Italian Wine Dinner at Vivere’ Italian Village Chicago
Italian Village Restaurant (s) in Chicago hosted another in their Curated Wine Dinner Series. Organized and hosted by Beverage (and Wine) director, Jared Gelband, these events showcase a flight of wines from a featured producer or region. Tonight’s dinner was held in the classic, iconic and historic Italian Village Vivere’ dining room.
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I’ve written often about Jared and Italian Village and their legendary Wine Cellar in these pages - Italian Village appoints Jared Gelband Wine Director.
And, we’ve featured several of these earlier wine dinners in some notable posts as well, such as - Sassicaia Owner Dinner and Vivere Vertical Tasting, and Castello Banfi Producer Wine Dinner at Vivere Italian Village Chicago, and another - Italian Village Villa Calcinaia Producer Wine Dinner.
We’ve hosted many spectacular wine dinners at Italian Village over the years with family and my corporate management team and board - Merry Christmas - Frozen and gala family wine dinner, and Team Dinner at Italian Village Chicago.
And of course, tonight, as with most of these dinners, we attended with several wine buddies Dr Dan, and Linda, and Lyle and Terry, from our Pour Boys wine group, with whom we’ve held many Italian Village dinners together, such as this one featured in these pages - Italian Village Vivere Wine Dinner Features Masseto Cellar Selection.
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.
The courses and their respective paired wines …
Antipasto
Poached Mussels / White Wine Gel / Lemon preserve /Parsley Oil / Capers / Squid Ink Tuile
Benanti Metodo Classico Carricante 2021
Insalate
Poached Pear / Gorgonzola dolce Mousse /White Balsamic Pearls / Walnut Praline Dust /Endive Curls / Pear Consomme / Micro Sorrel
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.
Today, the responsibility for the family business is in the hands of Elena’s daughters, Julia and Karoline. With 220 acres in cultivation, including the two top vineyards Vigna Castel Ringberg in Caldaro and Vigna Kastelaz in Tramin, Elena Walch owns the most important “protagonists” of Alto Adige winemaking.
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.
Classic Gewürztraminer notes are mirrored in the bouquet – intensively aromatic notes of rose petals, flowers and spices. The wine presents itself rich in finesse on the palate, with fresh fullness, harmonic elegance and a long finish.
This was one of the most vibrant and expressive Gewürztraminers I recall ever having and was one of the wine finds and memories of the evening.
Pasta
Braised Pork Cheek Agnolotti / Fennel Pollen / Roasted Garlic Emulsion / Fennel Stems / Sunchoke Chips/Fennel Frond Oil / Sicilian Black Olive Ash
Benanti Etna Rosso 2022
Benanti Etna Rosso “Contrada Calderara Sottana “ 2021
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.
This wine is made from 100% Nerello Mascalese, a renowned indigenous grape variety of Sicily. The fruit comes from 50-year-old vines grown in the Contrada Calderara Sottana vineyard, situated in the picturesque village of Randazzo on the northern slope of Mount Etna.
The unique volcanic terroir of this region, with its rich, mineral soils and altitude, imparts a distinctive character to the grapes. The old vines, carefully tended, produce low yields of exceptional quality, resulting in a wine that captures the essence of Mount Etna’s rugged landscape and complex, layered flavors.
Winemaker notes - Bright ruby red color with spicy aromatics and scents of ripe red fruit. Full-bodied, balanced tannins with structure to age gracefully over the next 10 to 13 years.
This was rated 94 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
"This is a relatively new addition to the Benanti portfolio. The 2022 Etna Rosso Contrada Calderara Sottana shows dried fruit and blackcurrant with pressed rose and crushed volcanic rock. Fruit comes from one hectare on the north side of Etna at 685 meters in elevation with a good amount of organic matter in the soils. There is a hint of strawberry-like ripeness on the close, but otherwise, the wine remains impressively tight, polished and streamlined in texture."
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.
Carne
Osso Buco / Polenta Custard / Charred Cipollini /Porcini Dust / Veal Reduction Gel / Sage / Garlic Pearls
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.
Arnaldo Caprai Sagrantino Collepiano is a bold expression of Montefalco’s rich winemaking heritage and the distinctive Sagrantino grape, which is found only in this region.
Collepiano is Sagrantino’s area of production at Caprai. The name means “gentle slopes”, that characterize the hills that are now home to 25 to 30 year old vines.
The area possesses the ideal terroir for this varietal, all the elements of place most suited to produce this wine - perfect southern sun exposure and well-draining limestone and clay soils, that allow the Sagrantino grape to thrive. The vineyards benefit from the region’s unique microclimate, where warm days and cool nights help preserve the grape’s natural acidity while promoting the development of rich, concentrated flavors.
This wine represents the renaissance of Montefalco as a premier wine region, showcasing Sagrantino’s deep, robust character with flavors of dark fruit, spices, and a touch of earthy minerality.
This is a style we love and embrace and this was clearly my WOTN - Wine of the Night.
This Collepiano is a testament to Caprai’s commitment to crafting wines that highlight the distinctive qualities of this exceptional grape and its home.
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
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 iconic wine is from Castello di Volpaia, made exclusively from Sangiovese grapes. Representing the rebirth of Chianti Classico as a fine wine region, it was the first ever Chianti to be recognized in the top 3 of “Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines of the Year” with the 2015 vintage.
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
Another Arnolda Caprai wine from the distinctive Sagrantino grape, they have become the leading producer of top quality Sagrantino di Montefalco, wine produced exclusively from this native variety from the Umbria wine region.
This is 100% Sangiovese sourced from several vineyards -Casavecchia, Casetto, Castellino, Campo a Prato, Pratolino, Santa
Caterina, Santa Maria Novella and Vignavecchia.
They all have light soil consisting of sandstone except Castellino and Santa Maria Novella, which are composed of clay on slopes. Sitting at around 2000 feet, they are from one of the highest-elevation wineries in the Chianti region. All have a sunny southern, southeast, southwest exposure. They were planted planted between 1970-2002.
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
This traditional version of Montefalco Sagrantino derives its name from the Latin “sacer”: a holy wine destined for consumption during the Christian celebrations.
This sweet wine was made from semi-dried Sagrantino grapes from 25 to 30 year old vines grown in limestone and clay soils.with a sun drenched southern exposure. It was aged 15 months in French oak and minimum 12 months aging in bottle.
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.
Like the earlier pairings, this enhanced the dessert course wonderfully.
Another spectacular food and wine evening in an iconic historic setting. Watch for their upcoming wine events on their website - https://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/.
