Wine Not?, An Italian Wine Dinner Hosted by Piattini, 226 Newbury Street Street, Boston, MA

Photo Credit: Yelp.com

Last week, I was invited to and attended a family-style Italian wine dinner at Piattini Wine Cafe.  Piattini is a quaint Italian cafe nestled on Newbury Street in the heart of historic Back Bay.  Having recently expanded and doubled their space, I was excited to check out the relatively new "digs".  

The space is roomy but cozy - a comfortable place for couples and groups alike.  Dim, romantic, inviting lighting welcomes guests to the lower level "grotto".  The airy, comfortable patios (2) allow for alfresco dining and fun people watching.

The wine dinner was set in the sunken "grotto" area complete with bay windows and a full bar.  We were taken great care of by the staff and management.  I'd like to personally thank Owner, Mrs. Josephine Oliviero Megwa for her hospitality.

Family style dinner meant we were able to socialize with old friends and associates as well as new faces and we all had a great time!

Winebow's Italian wine expert extraordinaire, Mr. Francesco Calderaro, served as our wine pairing instructor for the evening.  Winebow represents 66 vineyards! Mr. Calderaro was not only extremely knowledgeable about the evening's wine selection, but warm and open to further discussion with patrons.  It's easy for people to feel intimidated by or limited in their knowledge of wine, yet Mr. Calderaro focused on keeping the evening simple and encouraged guests to consider what they were experiencing in regards to nose and taste notes.  Guests immediately relaxed and responded to his inviting personality.

Mr. Francesco Calderaro, Winebow Brand Manager

First Course:

We began with a simple, elegant arugula salad served with bright, fresh, chopped tomatoes, artichoke hearts, tender and peppery arugula topped with Parmigiano reggiano all tossed in a light lemon oil dressing.

 

Arugula salad with tomatoes, artichoke hearts, Parmigiano reggiano, and lemon-oil

The arugula salad was paired with Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino di Sardegna DOC 2012, a lovely, light-bodied, goldish-green white wine made from 95% Vermentino and 5% other Sardinian varietals presenting a light citrus acidity to the palate with a dry yet rich, smooth finish that paired well with the peppery, citrus flavors of the salad.  The wine featured white citrus and rock fruits such as green apple and peach, even pineapple aromas on the nose.  It paired well with both salads of the night.  I especially enjoyed it with the fish on the insalata di pesce.

The Insalata di Pesce was a bonus on the first course.  A beautifully colorful dish of tender, marinated baby octopus, sea scallop, and shrimp atop a bright pea puree and arugula, this dish was simple and sophisticated and quite a palate cleanser to prepare us for the second course.

Insalata di Pesce

Second Course:

Bolognese!  Simple, but one of my favorite Italian dishes from the Northern Italian city of Bologna!  Who wouldn't love slow-cooked pork, beef, and lamb (a great addition and substitute for the popular veal) in a rich red sauce served over homemade, tender, al dente fusilli?!? The traditional ragout is the epitome of comfort food and is found on Piattini's regular menu.

Bolognese

This beauty was paired with Allegrini, Palazzo della Torre, 2008 - a nice structured red with forgiving tannin, dark red fruit aromas such as black cherry, blackberry, and dried sticky tree fruits like dates.  Palazzo della Torre is produced in ripasso style where Amarone is "repassed" over pomace leftovers (yielding more tannin, thus more bitterness) or partially dried grapes.  The color is deep purple to burgundy, the finish smooth and easy.

Palazzo della Torre also easily pairs with the Stracotto di Manzo - tender, fall-apart at the fork, juicy braised short rib served over a parsnip puree for which I appreciated the aromatic character, but not the consistency which was a bit too heavy, and roasted asparagus. 

Dessert:

Biscotti was served with a vanilla almond panna cotta topped with strawberry.  The rich panna cotta had great flavor, however, the consistency was a bit too gelatinous for my taste.  It was served with a Bera Moscato di Asti DOCG 2011.  Due to its sweetness, Moscato typically is not a favorite of mine, but I did enjoy the bit of dryness yielded with this particular bottle.  Overall, we finished dinner on a high note with great flavors, spectacular services, and wonderful company.

Vanilla almond panna cotta

I look forward to visiting Piattini very soon to sample more greatness leaving the kitchen.

Until next time...

~Ciao

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