The evening started with a variety of Bruschetta served with Albizzia Chardonnay 2001. Though this clear, light yellow coloured wine had the classic aroma of golden apples, the fruit and after-taste did not impress. Even the body was lighter than the usual Chards- generally due to the grapes with generous yields. But what did impress was the dry Danzante Pinot Grigio (an Italian grape) 2001 served with Fagottino- a starter made with Pear, celery and parmesan cheese salad in puff pastry seasoned with honey balsaDelhi Wine Club members savoured the flavour of Toscana at their latest monthly wine tasting dinner held at Senso, the up-market (read expensive!) restaurant specializing in Italian cuisine.
The 5-wine course, paired with a 5-course meal featured young Tuscan wines from Frescobaldi. This Italian region is known for its Sangiovese based Chianti with the quality varying from quaffable (everyday drinkable) to the rich and powerful ' new wave' Super Tuscans made by blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in small French oak barrels. Frescobaldi is an old and powerful Tuscan family based in Florence and has been making wine for over 700 years. They are also one of the first winemakers who started experimenting with grapes like Chardonnay and Merlot and blending them in their nine wine estates spread within Tuscany. The evening started with a variety of Bruschetta
served with Albizzia Chardonnay 2001. Though this clear, light yellow coloured wine had the classic aroma of golden apples, the fruit and after-taste did not impress. Even the body was lighter than the usual Chards- generally due to the grapes with generous yields. But what did impress was the dry Danzante Pinot Grigio (an Italian grape) 2001 served with Fagottino- a starter made with Pear, celery and parmesan cheese salad in puff pastry seasoned with honey,balsamic vinegar dressing, a delicious and elegant version of our own patties. This crisp wine has light body and pale yellow colour with pleasant flavour of apples and ample fruit and would be very refreshing in our summers and will go well with light
snacks or fish and chicken dishes cooked in light sauces. The true Tuscan character was displayed by the Remole 2001, a mini 'Super Tuscan' made from the Cab and Sangiovese blend, served with the chicken Consommé. This bright coloured, medium body red had pleasant tannins and paired well, debunking the old -fashioned belief that only white wine goes well with white meat. But the piece de resistance of the evening was Sangiovese based Campo ai Sassi, a Rosso di Montalcino wine paired with the Primo Piatto-Ravioli stuffed with lamb ossobuco (marrowbone) in porcini mushroom sauce. The dark ruby red, almost opaque, full bodied, rich and elegant wine with balanced and sweet tannins added synergy to the taste of
lamb. The flavour was distinctly that of plums and cherries and the finish was long and easonably complex .Though served at a perfect, slightly chilled 16 deg. temperature, the lack of proper sized Chianti glasses prevented us from getting the best out of this wine. However, The Genoan Chef Leandro Carrega fully justified this unusual pairing . The Secondo Piatto, Orata- a red snapper based filet dish was selected for the Pater 2001, again a pure Sangiovese based medium bodied wine with bright red colour and flavours of fresh fruits like black cherries and plums but a shorter aftertaste. Though
dessert plays a smaller role in these dinners unless a dessert wine is served, the smooth and creamy pudding, Noce Moscata made with nutmeg and mascarpone cheese was highly savoured. Wine honours were shared equally between the Remole and my personal favourite, Campo ai Sassi. Though these wines have not been officially launched in Delhi, they are available at the Imperial, Radisson, Maurya Sheraton and Diva and the diplomatic canteens. Alas, due to the stringent ( and hopefully soon-to-be-rationalized) excise policy one cannot get them elsewhere in Delhi. Shah Brothers in Crawford Market, Mumbai sell them : Albizzia (843-a poor value), Danzante (916- a fair value), Remole (853- very good value), Sasso (1274 -good value) and Pater (872- good value). They should also be available soon in Chandigarh and Punjab, so look out for them on your next trip to these places. Cheers!
