Quick notes from Eduard Seitan and Perry Hendrix's Sicilian wine dinner at Avec last night. We hadn't tasted either of these producers' wines before so this was a nice chance to branch out Terrific food and excellent wine pairings. Bravo!
Hauner 2014 Salina Bianco (Insolia and Catarratto): crisp yet somehow also rich-oily white, "Salina" is a place-name so there's no reason I should think "saline," but it actually is: like a Muscadet infused with lemon oil. Delicious, and my favorite white of the ones on offer.
Pietradolce 2014 Etna Rosato (Nerello Mascalese): orangey-pink in the glass, remarkable rosato with green almond notes alongside the expected lightly herbed cherry fruit, terrific match with a challenging artichoke caponata dish.
Pietradolce 2014 Etna Bianco (Carricante): good but a little more strongly sour lemon-drop than I'd prefer; as basic Etna Bianco goes I'll still go with Benanti.
Hauner 2013 Hiera (Alicante, Nocera, Nero d'Avola): never heard of this appellation before and I admire Eddie for branching out from the expected Nerello for the red course (which was wood-oven roasted swordfish with black olives and oranges); on its own this is a little blowsy and rich, blueberry, leaning slightly floral; with the food and especially the olives, though, it becomes focused, grippy, and interesting.
Hauner 2011 Malvasia delle Lipari (Malvasia, Corinto Nero): honeyed, lightly botrytized, moderately sweet, not especially interesting but pleasant.
(Sources neither confirm nor deny that an after-dinner cocktail was had next door at Blackbird.)
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