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In this episode of the Pasta and Vino podcast, hosts Earl Ray Neal and Dr. Serge delve into the authentic flavors of Italy through wine and food pairings. They discuss the special wines of the month from a family-owned winery in Spain, highlighting the unique characteristics of both a white and a red wine. The conversation also delves into a delicious pasta dish featuring rigatini and chickpeas, emphasizing the importance of family traditions in their culinary offerings. Listeners are encouraged to appreciate the passion behind each product and to stay connected with the Pasta and Vino community.

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Takeaways from this episode of Whine About Wine

Wine is an essential part of Easter celebrations.
A Bordeaux wine pairs well with ham and berry sauces.
The Italian wine discussed is easy to drink and versatile.
Hazelnut spread can be used in various culinary applications.
Customer engagement is key for sourcing unique products.
The hosts encourage listeners to reach out for specific wine requests.
Quality products often come from small producers.
Understanding wine regions enhances the tasting experience.
Pairing wine with food elevates the dining experience.
Easter is a time for kindness and sharing.

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PRAHOVA VALLEY Pinot Noir, Romania

Many people aren’t familiar with Romanian wines, but if you’re a fan of French wines, you’ll likely appreciate the structure of Romanian wines as well. This is because Romania and France are located at similar latitudes in the northern hemisphere. In fact, Romania is renowned for producing exceptional Pinot Noirs. This wine presents a delicate and bright ruby red color, enticing the eye with its vibrant hue. On the nose, it offers the aroma of ripe red fruits like strawberries and raspberries, complemented by subtle hints of spices and a gentle touch of toasted French oak. The palate is fruit-forward, fresh, and full of flavor, with a medium body that showcases its well-rounded texture. The wine boasts balanced acidity, leading to a pleasant, long, and persistent finish that lingers delightfully. A truly harmonious and flavorful experience from start to finish.

TONNINO Grillo, Sicily
From one of our favorite producers, Tonnino Winery takes great pride in producing wines that are grown organically, even if they don’t say so on the bottle. Fun fact: Grillo grapes, which you might recognize from the popular cooking wine Marsala, are often called “chameleon grapes.” These grapes are picked in the middle of the night because they begin fermenting immediately once harvested. Their flavor profiles can shift quickly, which is why they’re given the name “chameleon.” Grillo is quite acidic and makes your mouth water, which makes it an amazing food wine! This grillo has a bouquet with a delightful mix of fruity notes, including apple, peach, banana, pineapple, pink grapefruit, and citrus, creating an aromatic experience that is both fresh and inviting. With a personality that stands out, it delivers a pleasantly soft taste, rich in flavor and fragrance. Perfect as an aperitif, it pairs wonderfully with a variety of fish dishes, crustaceans, and soups. For the best experience, serve it chilled, enhancing its smooth and flavorful profile.

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Peterson Wines says YES!

PETERSON Zinfandel, California
A true family-owned and operated winery for over 30 years in California, Peterson Winery prides itself with crafting old-world style wines with sustainable farming practices. This Zinfandel is a remarkable example of a traditional field blend, where a small but thoughtful inclusion of other red and white grape varieties adds an intriguing layer of complexity. Despite making up just 3% of the blend, the additional grapes—likely contributing fresh acidity or subtle aromatic nuances—work harmoniously with the bold Zinfandel core. On the nose, the wine immediately invites with an array of dark, ripe berry aromas, complemented by the spiciness of black pepper and hints of earth and oak. These elements create a layered and enticing bouquet. The palate mirrors this complexity, where the flavors unfold like a fruit compote, rich with blackberry, black raspberry, raspberry, and dried strawberry. A touch of dark cherry deepens the fruit profile, while the black pepper and vanillin oak weave into the background, providing structure and supporting the wine’s richness. The tannins are supple, allowing the wine’s bold fruit character to shine without overwhelming the palate. This balance of sophistication and robust flavors makes the wine a perfect companion for hearty dishes like lasagna with béchamel sauce or smoked, dry-rubbed baby back ribs to complement rich, savory meals.
TONNINO Mediterraneo, Sicily
Tonnino is a family-operated winery from Sicily, with three generations of winemaking experience. Their journey began in 1950 when grandfather Paolo started producing grape must for Sicily’s top wine firms, later evolving into bottling their wines. Over the years, they’ve embraced innovation while remaining committed to traditions, always striving to improve quality. Today they continue the handcrafting practices of pruning, training, and harvesting, with a deep respect for the land and a focus on producing pure, natural wines. Surrounded by the perfect blend of sea, mountains, and rich soil, the vineyards yield grapes that capture the essence of Sicily. The Chenin Blanc grapes for this Mediterraneo are harvested in early September, ensuring full ripening to capture the peak of their flavor. In the winery, the grapes undergo a 10-day maceration process at controlled temperatures to extract maximum flavor and color. The wine is then refined for 80% of the time in stainless steel tanks, with the remaining 20% aged in oak tonneaux, which adds subtle complexity before bottling. This wine presents an intense and bright color, leading into a rich bouquet that evokes the Mediterranean with aromas of ripe peaches, honey, and sweet jasmine flowers. On the palate, the Mediterraneo is fresh, fruity, and mineral, delivering a crisp yet rich taste. It pairs beautifully with fish dishes, crustaceans, and white meats.

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Join us for a survey of three wines from Tamburini and a wonderful recipe featuring DOMA Roasted Red Pepper Strips!

TAMBURINI Il Castelluccio, Italy

Here is a fun fact! This crisp combination of Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes was an original Chianti blend. Straw yellow in color with greenish highlights, it has an intense and aromatic bouquet reminiscent of broom, banana, orange blossom and rose. It has a full-bodied taste, with a lingering aroma and a good level of acidity. Enjoy with light cheeses, fresh fruits, shellfish and light pasta or risotto. The colder this wine is when drinking it, the more tart it will taste so experiment with the flavor at different temperatures and tell us your preference!

TAMBURINI TJ Rose, Italy

This is the first wine produced by Emanuela and Michele. TJ Rose was created as a celebration of their marriage and the birth of their daughter, Miriadele. There is so much symbolism in this wine: the T for Tamburini; the J for Jermann; and the 3 hearts linked with each of their initials as a forever tribute to their family. This 100% Sangiovese rose displays a velvety bouquet reminiscent of fresh strawberries and a hint of violets. It has a full-bodied, harmonious and soft taste. We suggest to open it about an hour before serving to really give the wine a chance to “breathe”, allowing the tannins to soften and the flavors to become more pronounced. Enjoy with Focaccia, cold meats and fresh cheeses, first courses with white meats, crustaceans and fish (mixed cooked and raw), or a classic simple pizza. It is delicious served lightly chilled or at room temperature.

TAMBURINI Il Massiccio, Italy

Massiccio means big and strong so it is only fitting that we make it our featured wine this month. This big wine comes from our familiar Tuscany winemaker, Emanuela Tamburini, and is a blend of 85% sangiovese and 15% merlot. In this big and powerful wine you will smell aromas of figs, dried plums, vanilla, and a little pepper. Enjoy with red meats and red sauces or lasagna. The high tannins of this red combined with a fatty meat or an acidic red sauce will tone down the acidic nature of the Sangiovese grapes and create a very well-rounded meal.

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From a spacious multi-level deck, you can enjoy spectacular views of the lake and the beautifully landscaped grounds.  The well-established vineyards produce classic European vinifera grapes including Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Riesling.  Vines planted more recently are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Gewurztraminer.

Savor a tasting from your choice of many award-winning wines, then browse the extensive gift shop for the perfect item for yourself or a friend.

Enjoy live music all summer long on the spacious deck while enjoying a favorite wine or trying something new! Meet fellow wine enthusiasts and enjoy the summer outdoors. The complete schedule can be found on the Winery Events page.

Looking for a longer visit?  Stay overnight in one of our cozy log cabins, available from April through November. Drink in the ambiance of the Finger Lakes at Buttonwood Grove!  Once you visit you won't be able to wait to get back to Buttonwood Grove....

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Welcome to our September 2022 edition of the “A Casa” food and wine club by Pasta and Vino

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

WINE

VINEA DOMINI

The first words pronounced by Benedict XVI, immediately after his election (2005), were: “after the

great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals elected me, a simple and humble worker of the vineyard of the

Lord.” From this came the idea of giving the name “Vinea Domini” (latin for the master’s vineyard) to

a new range of wines that represents the excellence of the production of one of the largest and most

historic wineries in the Castelli Romani: Gotto d’Oro or “golden glass”.

The winery is located in Rome and has been in existence since 1945. In 2017, the Vinea Domini line

of their wines was introduced to showcase the best grapes of Lazio. It is now the top brand among

their wines, producing 50,000-60,000 bottles.

ROMA BIANCO

The Roma Bianco is produced with Malvasia Puntinata grapes, a semi-aromatic varietal that in the

Castelli Romani area fnds a perfect harmony. You will notice aromas of white flowers and exotic

fruits with intense notes of ripe fruit, particularly apricot and melon, and soft sensations of citrus and

aromatic moss and a touch of mint.

ROMA ROSSO

The Roma Rosso (red) is produced with Montepulciano grapes. Montepulciano wines are typically

fruity, spicy, well-balanced, and fuller bodied. This particular wine will showcase notes of ripe red

fruit, particularly cherry, blackberry and plum. Maturation in wood gives it Spicy scents with notes of

vanilla.7th Edition Page 2 September 2022

GOURMET FOOD

ASTORINO RIGATONI

The debate is out on which pasta is the best shape for Pasta Carbonara. It is usually served with thick

spaghetti or rigatoni. Both pasta shapes are excellent at holding the creamy sauce of this dish.

PASTA CARBONARA

What goes better with Roman wines than a Roman dinner? We’ve got that. Pasta Carbonara is a

typical Roman dish that blends pasta, cheese, eggs, and guanciale (which is a bacon-like meat). So,

technically, you are eating breakfast AND dinner in one sitting! While the truest Roman recipe calls

for Guanciale (also known as pig cheek), it can be difficult to find. The next best option is pancetta

(pork belly), which is a lot like bacon – salty but unsmoked. You can also substitute either guanciale

or pancetta for your favorite bacon. Chances are that you have had Pasta Carbonara before, however

the typical Roman way is to create a very creamy dish with pasta water, eggs, and Pecorino Romano

cheese. You can thank us later.

WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO

Here’s our protip. If you ever take a trip to Rome, do yourself a favor and eat at a fantastic restaurant

called Flavio al Velavevodetto. The name translates to “I told you so”. Be sure to order their Pasta

Carbonara and when you say “this is the best pasta carbonara I’ve ever had”, remember that we told

you so!

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