This weekend I conducted a private party in the home of a long time client and friend. The cuisine was traditional, yet simple, Italian food with wine pairings. All food was sourced locally with the exception of the boar, which was of course, fresh. The wine pairings were left up to me entirely with the one exception of the main coarse where the client asked to have two 2006 Chianti’s next to one another so that they might pick their favorite for purchase. My notes are limited because I tasted the wine with the food, as any chef doubling as a sommelier would but was not part of the party and so my pours and time were limited.

An Antipasti course was served before the Risotto but I left notes out since I’ve served this plate at many other events. It’s a serving of mixed regional sausage, olives, plum tomato buffalo mozz salad and a slice of Parmigian Reggiano drizzled in balsamic vinegar. This was served with a Pecchenino, Dolcetto di Dogliani 2004, which is a smooth and easy drinking Dolcetto that’s perfect as a starter.

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Risotto alla Zucca e Piselli
(Pumpkin & Pea Risotto with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds)
Pairing: Triacca, Vatellina Superiore Prestigio, 2003
(Sorry no pics of the risotto.)

This dish was a real power play and I’m starting to gain a following from my various Risottos, all on their own. One comment received “I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner” This dish was made with fresh pumpkin sautéed and then mashed. Topped with Fresh Peas, Toasted Pumpkin seeds and a pinch of fresh mint. It may sound like a lot but this is one of those dishes that will meld into a perfect unison of all ingredients on your palette.

The Wine: Vatellina Superiore, 2003. This specific bottle comes from late harvest Nebbiolo grapes that are left on the vine for a month to intensify and sweeten. Although it lacks the grace of a Barolo or Barbaresco it gains an almost Amarone like intensity yet retains a similar backbone and structure of a Barolo. Add to that the fresh acidity and you have the best of both worlds. This wine worked wonders with the Risotto as it matched power against rich layers of subtlety. Aromas of Roses, Mushrooms and Black cherry filled the glass. The toasty pumpkin of the risotto was offset with flavors of intense black fruit, earth and minerals. The finish was long and only quelled by another bite of risotto. I couldn’t have asked for a better pairing.

Cinghiale in Umido
(Braised Wild Boar)
Braised Boar in a Chianti Sauce over polenta, with sauté zucchini
And roasted young red potatoes
Pairing: Querciabella, Chianti Classico, 2006 & Antinori, Chianti Classico Peppoli, 2006

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This was huge success. The meat was succulent, tender and literally falling off the bone. The sauce would have made Thomas Keller weep for joy. Sure it was a little decadent to use a bottle of Poggio Di Sotto, Rosso Di Montalcino for the wine installment of the braising liquid but I wanted earthiness and real Sangiovese flavor. As the roast (sorry braise) rested, the braising liquid was reduced by three quarters. It was deglazed and passed through a chinois five times. Then returned to the heat, seasoned and finally mounted with (grass fed) butter. There’s a lot of technique involved here but as I explain very often to clients, much of what makes a great sauce is the sum of its ingredients.

The Wine(s): Antinori, Chianti Classico Peppoli, 2006. These two wines surprised me quite a bit. Both were immensely enjoyable and very different. The Antinori came across as heavily oaked, with almost sweet raspberry fruit. It lacked structure and surpassed the usual medium bright cherry that I love in many Chianti and instead behaved very… arh, sorry to say Californian. However, everyone at the table LOVED it and that’s all that matters. Would I pair this wine with this dish ever again? Absolutely not but it was enjoyable and I did accept the offer to take a bottle home.

Querciabella, Chianti Classico, 2006. Really surprised me. The 2006 bottling takes this wine to a level I haven’t seen it at before. It has finesse and delicacy with the fruit but there’s an underlying structure that keeps it interesting from sip to swallow. Also a good amount of acidity that really helped the food along and kept you coming back for another sip. The fruit was rich dark cherries with a spicy twist. The wine came across as smooth and refreshing yet mouth filling with a long finish. I enjoyed this quite a bit and, just today, bought a half case for my own consumption.

Formaggio Robiola con bacche fresche e Biscotti
(Robiola Cheese with Fresh Berries and Biscotti)
Pairing: La Sala, Vin Santo 2001

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First, the Biscotti, which I didn’t make myself, but were sourced from an Italian bakery that has always done me right for traditionally made bread and pastry products. The Biscotti melded perfectly with this fine, not sweet and almost sherry like Vin Santo. (Sherry like without the cloying burn of harsh alcohol. Did that make sense? It did to me.) It showed an amazing freshness for Vin Santo and left gorgeous flavors of Almonds and a woodiness that’s beyond my experience to describe properly but was amazing on the palette and it lasted for minutes. The berries worked great to refresh the palette and worked well with the Robiola Cheese (which was served in a shallow pool of fresh raspberry sauce). So simple a dessert but exactly what everyone wanted after all the rich foods that came before it.

In the end this party was amazingly successful. I enjoyed the company of a number of the guests who choose to pick my brain regarding wine and food after everything was served. Some of the guest brought other bottles that I was invited to share with them but unfortunately, after a nine hour day of cooking and wine service, I stopped keeping track of what I was drinking.