We organized a wonderful tasting dinner in Palermo, a "Sicily-Piedmont" encounter between great wines of the Piedmontese tradition and gourmet dishes from Sicilian cuisine and beyond: at the Ozio Gastronomico restaurant in Palermo, the wines of Roberto Sarotto's estate in Neviglie took center stage.
The dinner began by pouring an Asti secco into the glasses, a Charmat method sparkling wine produced from Moscato grapes, well-suited to accompany aperitifs and starters, truly very aromatic. A wine that is still too little known, frequently confused with the Venetian Prosecco, with which it shares only its residual sugar (it is an extra-dry with 17 grams/liter of sugar). Next came the Langhe Arneis, a wine characterized by floral and fruity aromas and a remarkable fresh-savory backbone, very well-suited to cleansing the palate especially after eating rich, oily foods. The third wine was the Gavi di Gavi Bric Sassi from Cortese grapes, a wine that proves softer than the previous one, playing on fruity notes while also boasting a lovely acidity. We then moved on to the Rosae rosé from pure Nebbiolo, a wine of great structure, freshness, and versatility.
The four wines – all from the 2017 vintage except for the dry Moscato which is non-vintage – were paired in a play of harmony and contrast with a selection of fried dishes and predinner bites, offerings that found their perfect counterbalance above all in the freshness of the wines presented. The most notable pairing was that between pizza and wine, with tastings of Sicilian-Campanian reinterpretations, both oven-baked and fried.
We continued with the Chardonnay Puro 2015, a wine that ferments in new barriques where it rests for eight months together with the fine lees before racking. A very full-bodied Chardonnay, characterized by notes of ripe yellow and exotic fruit, as well as spiced hints of vanilla and cinnamon. Certainly one of the most important Chardonnays in the country. As the sixth wine, the Barbera d'Alba superiore Elena 2015 was presented, a beautiful interpretation of Barbera that ages for 12 months in barriques. We have already encountered and extensively described this Barbera, which takes its name from Roberto's daughter. Alongside these two labels, first-course tastings were offered, featuring bottarga and fish roe.
Two Barbaresco wines were then served: the Currà Riserva 2012, a cru from the municipality of Neive, a traditionally-styled Barbaresco that rests for 24 months in large barrels; and the Gaia Principe 2014, another cru from Neive, modern in approach, aged for 12 months in barriques. A wine that, like the Barbera Elena, we have already encountered when describing another food-wine pairing. The evening closed with the Barolo Briccobergera 2013, again a cru, this time from the municipality of Novello – we are now in the Barolo production zone – which rests for 30 months in large barrels, making it a traditionally-styled Barolo much like the Barbaresco Currà. Alongside these three great wines of the Piedmontese tradition, famous the world over, a tasting of horse fillet was offered along with selections of Sicilian and other cured meats and cheeses.
The dinner concluded with a grappa made from the distillation of Sicilian Moscato pomace, a grappa produced in Sicily.
What more can be said? It is difficult to find the most fitting words to describe the beauty of the moment experienced, as well as the harmony of the food-and-wine pairings proposed. The exquisiteness of the culinary preparations was shared by all at the table, and was also guaranteed by the quality of the raw ingredients used. Not to mention the extraordinary overall quality of the selection of Roberto Sarotto's wines presented for the dinner.
The spell cast by the pairings was the guiding thread of the entire evening, an experience we will carry with us for a long time to come.
What do you think?
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