Vinarkia della Pavona Vineria, Lucca, Notte Una

Cheers all, how was Halloween? It being one of my favorite holidays I do wish I could have spent it with many of you, but I am doing some great things over here of my own and am not regretful in the least bit. As I sit here and write today’s blog, it is Tuesday evening, about 6 PM my time. Great news to report, I just got back home from my 1st wine tasting appointment in Maremma, and it was wonderful, I will be reporting about it here very soon, I promise. Today I want to finish up with Lucca though, because I have to tell everyone about the fun little trattoria that I discovered right by the youth hostel, it was so nice that, like my lunch spot Marsti Costantino Wine Bar, I went there twice.


Also, being Tuesday I do know that last night was Game 5 for the Giants, but I have not yet checked the result, so I hope they closed it all out and the citizens of San Francisco have not caused too much havoc in the streets.

I’ve decide to divide each night into its own blog so as to keep the length manageable and focus on each of the selections a bit more. Both nights I did take advantage of their ‘Il Menu di Giorno.’

Vinarkia della Pavona Vineria, Night One

1) Fabbiamo Vermentino 2009 Toscana
Like I have been saying this is an exciting varietal that you should get to know, it’s fun and versatile and will work well with a wide array of foods. Star bright with a light golden yellow color which is fairly intense in concentration. It is very youthful looking with a good viscosity to it; this wine is showing that it has some body. White peaches and yellow apples with a tinge of straw/hay grassy undertones. Minerals from the sea, it almost has a salty sandy aromatic quality. The flavors are consistent across a long clean finish where there is high acidity and a moderately high level of alcohol on a plump body. A nice change of pace for the California Chardonnay drinker, especially with Fish or even to White Meat.

-1st Course: Tortellini Pasta with Prosciutto in a Cream Sauce, a nice match indeed.

2) Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti 2008 D.O.C.G.
A very easy wine for most anyone to find state-side, considering Frescobaldi is one of the largest volume producers in all of Italy. This is a basic level Chianti meant to be light soft and easy drinking in its youth, not one to lay down and cellar, do that with the Montesodi Riserva or the Brunello wines. The girl taking care of me brought it because I asked for a glass of red that she liked {8^). Day bright with a medium color concentration of light garnet/ruby that faded towards the rim. Medium viscosity with soft tinges of staining to the tears. Moderate intensity to the nose with Black cherries and dark plums (some blending of Merlot &/or Cab Sauv?) as well as some violet florality. Also some warm rocky mineral notes. The flavors stay through the taste and I get the traditional woodsy flavors on the palate as well as some hints of chocolate, again blending suspicions, on a dry wine with a medium body on a medium finish.
http://www.frescobaldi.it/

-2nd Course: Carpaccio from the Chianina Cattle of Tuscany with a Semi-Firm youthful Pecorino

-Dessert: Crème Brulee which was a great way to finish the meal.

Salute!