Our buddy Bennett Traub spent the better part of the summer in southeastern Michigan on business, and we enjoyed some good food and wine together on several occasions. When his gig was finally up, we met up for a going away dinner at one of our favorite places, Bacco Ristorante, where we dined on such delectables as some melt-in-your-mouth Carpaccio, Strozzapreti Norcina (Italian sausage, black truffles, tomatoes and cream), Costolette d' Agnello alla Brace (Char-grilled Colorado Lamb chops) and Saltimbocca (Veal scaloppine, prosciutto di Parma, sage, wine and demi glace), eating it all up with the following wines.
2000 Bruno Giacosa Extra Brut, 13% alc.: What bubbly! It wouldn’t mean that much to say that this pale straw colored blanc de noirs, made from 100% Pinot Nero, is the best sparkling wine I’ve ever had from Italy, because in fact, I can probably count them all on the fingers of both hands. Still, it’s so impressive, exploding on the palate with an immense concentration of bubbles and laser-sharp flavors of bone dry, stony under-ripe apples, brilliant cut and a marvelous overall impression in the mouth. Matthew, our sommelier, told us that only one case of this came to Michigan, and he got it all. Bravo!
Imported by Winebow, Inc., New York, NY
1999 Querciavalle Losi Chianti Classico Riserva Millennium, 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Malvasia Nera, 13% alc.: Dark garnet in color and classic Chianti Classico in character, with lovely flavors and aromas of earth, sticks, underbrush, dried cherries and dark berries; so smooth and elegant, and not at all rustic, being medium full bodied, with fine balance and excellent length, rich and yet bone dry at the same time. A fine match for my Costolette d' Agnello alla Brace.
Imported by Tricanna Inc., Plainview, NY
1997 Capitel della Crosara Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Monopolio Montresor D.O.C., 14.5% alc.: Dark garnet in color, fading to pink at the rim; rich and somewhat raisined, with black cherry and cassis; Bennett offered impressions of “crushed raisins, but not hot or over the top,” adding “a little more raisined and it might be Banyuls.” It’s all anchored to an earthy core, with excellent structure and length, and as tasty as it is already, it’s by no means at its peak. Delicious Amarone.
Imported by Opici Import Co., Glen Rock, NJ
Reporting from Day-twah,
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