New Wine List Arrives for Spring
Greetings, fans of Italian wine! We’ve been working hard on our latest wine list, and happy to say, it has arrived! The normally daunting task of narrowing down the wonderful world of Italian wine to about 100 offerings was much more difficult this time: due to economic woes, many exporters switched importers, importers switched distributors, distibutors change representatives… I won’t go on, but you can imagine!
Now that it is here, what shall I say? The best thing to do, of course, is come in and try some of our new selections, but I will try to help fill you in on some of the new offerings right now.
By the glass, we have a wonderful new prosecco from Giuseppe Savini of Abruzzo. It’s slightly more tropical, but still dry enough for aperitivo duty. We also have an Umbrian Chardonnay that Mike and I fell in love with and small wonder; the Antinori family had its hands in the making. Slightly nutty and creamy, this is what Chardonnay should be! We also have switched our Barbera to the more rustic “Barbaro” from our friend Gaia Bucciarelli in Emiglia Romagna. Again, I could go on, but come in and see for yourself!
By the bottle, things are even more exciting. I first read of a grape called Schioppettino when I was still green to the Italian wine universe. “Schioppettino” means “gunshot,” and the best have flinty smoky notes and layers of masculine character. Only 23 known producers in the world grow this red grape, and all of them are in Friuli. After trying a couple, I came across one from Vigna Traverso that knocked my socks off. Happy to say, it is now on the list; happier yet, the winemaker is coming for a wine dinner on April first! (No, that is not an April fools joke!)
We also have a rich and delicate Pinot Gris for you white lovers, a new Aglianico and Lacryma Christi (meaning Tears of Christ-the grape is Piedrosso for my fellow wine geeks out there) from reknowned producer Mastroberardino of Terradoro di Paolo (Campania), and a Gutturnio blend. In case you aren’t following the trend, the new wine list is an earnest effort to bring you the best botique and unique wines that Italy has to offer, so don’t feel bad if you don’t recognize any!
I’ll cut it short by saying simply: Come see me! I have a charming, haunting, brilliant world of Italian wine at my fingertips, and I would love to help you grow, learn and explore it here in the restaurant. We are very proud of our offerings, and nothing worth enjoying is not also worth sharing.
Grazie for reading, and I’ll see you in the restaurant!
Ciao,
Kenneth Frost, Wine Director, Paesano Restaurant.
