It’s a new year and while many of you are struggling with resolutions involving body weight, finances or personal relationships, I’m resolving to explore new wine horizons in the hope of reinvigorating my relationship with the fruit of the vine.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m still in love with wine. But like any long-standing love affair, there needs to be, from time to time, a spark to reignite the ardor and excitement I experienced when I first realized that I was in this relationship for the long haul.

But my connection with wine was not love at first sip!

As a child in my Italian-American family, I was expected to consume a small glass of wine (that had been diluted with water) at the regular Sunday family meal attended by an army of aunts, uncles and cousins. But I hated the sour-tasting stuff.


 
After faking a sip of the awful mixture during the traditional family toast at the beginning of the meal, I always poured the remainder in dribs and drabs under the table where the family cat, with a much less discriminating palate, bailed me out by slurping up the vile concoction.

So my first experiences with wine were not exactly positive. Later in college, my encounters with the fruit of the vine were less than memorable. As a matter of fact, the flagons of the high octane swill I consumed back then often rendered me memory-less. So it wasn’t until I was married and gainfully employed that I began to appreciate that wine actually had qualities beyond precipitating inebriation.

My actual wine epiphany occurred at a meal when the perfect compatibility of a certain food and wine combination was an almost ethereal experience for me. In this instance, it was the heavenly marriage of a black cherry glazed pork tenderloin and a Ridge Lytton Springs zinfandel. That exceptional pairing made me understand that wine can truly be a magic elixir.

Okay, so what will once again excite my obsessive interest in the world of wine? Well, I’m going to start my exploration by seeking out wines from unfamiliar viticultural areas. Not just countries where I have little or no experience, but also appellations within those nations. Take, for example, New Zealand. While I’ve enjoyed the wonderful sauvignon blancs from that distant land, I hope to try the pinot noirs from Central Otago well down the South Island of New Zealand.

I’m also going to try and find the excellent red wines of Croatia and Slovenia, two countries that share the northern extension of the Adriatic Sea with Italy. While many of the grapes in these two countries are almost impossible to pronounce and spell, I am going to seek some of them out.

Plavic Mali is perhaps the best red produced in Croatia. I visited the island of Hvar in that small country and was scheduled to have a tasting of Croatian wines. While our group enjoyed the rose and white wines of Croatia, the winery that was to supply the Plavic Mali did not show up. Yet, I’ve heard this is a very special wine and I am determined to find it.

The wines of Sicily have always intrigued me too. Most wine lovers have tasted the ubiquitous nero d’Avola and primitivo reds of that country, but I want to try the nerello mascalese and syrah of the region along with the malvasia white wine.

And those are just a few of my resolutions for the New Year. That’s the beauty of wine appreciation. You can appreciate that the journey never ends.

Now that I’ve had the opportunity to rest my weary palate after the culinary marathon of Charleston Restaurant Week, I’m more than ready to push the appetite reset button because there’s more good eatin’ and drinkin’ on the horizon! And I bet if you’re reading these words, you’re probably ready to join me. As a matter of fact, there are three events I’m planning to attend next week that you may wish to consider too.

Come Celebrate Galentine’s Day (no that’s not a typo) on Wednesday, February13 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at the Capitol Market Wine Shop. Galentine’s Day was created for an episode of the “Parks and Recreation” comedy series nearly a decade ago. That particular show was so popular that it became a kind of urban legend that has made Galentine's Day an unofficial national holiday. It is held the day before Valentine’s Day each year and has become a celebration of friendship, particularly among women. But men are obviously invited too. Several wines will be available for tasting and there will be food as well as music. Cost is $25 a person.

Fellows, believe me when I offer this piece of advice: women take Valentine’s Day very seriously! Hey, I’m no Dr. Phil (and I’m certainly not Dr. Ruth), but I do know that there will be serious consequences if you forget to do something special for your significant other on February 14. The good news is that just about every restaurant in town has a special Valentine’s Day menu.

I may take Friday off to recharge my batteries because I will be competing in West Virginia’s signature food and beverage competition on Saturday, February 16 at the seventh annual Feastivall dinner. Feastivall, held at Berry Hills Country Club, is a fundraiser supporting Festivall – the ten-day event in June that brings top-notch musical and entertainment talent to the greater Charleston area.

Feastivall is a good old fashion beverage throw down pitting wine versus beer in a five-course gourmet meal. Attendees will have the opportunity to vote on the best accompaniment (wine or beer) for each of the five courses prepared by Buzz Foods' Paul Smith and the executive chef at Berry Hills.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a wine and beer aperitif bar where guests can sip, mingle and bid on items at the silent auction which will include works of art, as well as restaurant packages, travel opportunities, and other gifts. The evening will also feature performances by local artists and will be hosted by Mountain Stage’s Larry Groce. Cost is $115 a person and an optional up charge (to $150) for those wishing to attend a special VIP tasting before the main event . Get your tickets by going to: http://festivallcharleston.com/ or by calling 304-470-0489.


So come out and root for your favorite beverage. Thus far, wine has won four of the six previous events so there’s more pressure than ever on that lesser beverage (beer) to compete for bragging rights. My good, if misguided, friend Rich Ireland will pick the beer for each menu item. You can check out my wine selections with the menu below. Hope to see you there.

 
Menu
Aperitif: 2016 Acrobat Pinot Gris

Course #1A goat cheese tartlet with greens, beets and herb buttermilk dressing

2016 Trimbach Pinot Blanc

Course #2Smoked Salmon and Smoked Trout Nicoise

2015 King Estate Pinot Noir

Course #3Mushroom and Sherry Soup with Crostini

2017 Clos Pegase Chardonnay

Course #4
Waygu short rib with Farro parmesan risotto and
Roasted root vegetables

2016 Artezin Old Vine Zinfandel

Course #5Chocolate Ganache Tartlet with salted caramel and stewed berries

Taylor Fladgate 10-Year-Old Tawny Port

I’m not quite sure that I would call this a trend, but I’ve recently noticed that a greater number of restaurant patrons are choosing to dine at the bar of their favorite eateries. Count me among those who prefer to forego the more formal seating in the dining room to roost in close proximity to the wine and other adult beverages being offered.

And hey, it’s not all about the drinks either. Sitting at the bar of a good restaurant has other advantages too, particularly if you’re alone or in a bit of a hurry since meals ordered there seem to be served more quickly. And the bar also offers more intimacy if you are with that someone special.

Yes, there are downsides to bar dining. It’s very difficult to enjoy the experience with more than just two in your party unless you get corner seating where couples can use that 90-degree angle to converse. And noise can be a problem too.

But there is also something special about the feeling or vibe in certain restaurant bars. In these establishments, friends meet regularly to drink, eat and discuss the issues of the day. And even strangers can make new acquaintances in the convivial atmosphere of a good restaurant bar. Of course, these establishments have exceptional bartenders who are knowledgeable, friendly, and loquacious. We are particularly fortunate in Charleston to have several restaurant bars that fill this bill quite nicely. Here are my favorites.


Bricks and Barrels has a very long L-shaped bar that is just about the perfect place to have your meal, or just sip an after work drink. The wine by the glass list is well-conceived and features one of my favorite zinfandels – Easton Amador County – by the glass. The restaurant has recently added some new menu selections and has excellent appetizers. Bricks and Barrels’ bartenders – Drew and Cody- know their stuff and can whip up any drink you can possibly think of. Try the Lightning Bug.

Soho’s U-shaped bar at Capitol Market is one of my favorite places to whet my whistle, meet friends and dine on the extensive Italian selections on the menu. Joey is the bartender and, if you’re a regular, he knows what you want to drink before you do. The wine by the glass list is fairly comprehensive. I love the Zaccagnini Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (red) to pair with the wild mushroom and caramelized onion thin-crusted pizza. You might also sip a glass of Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay to accompany the chicken Alfredo pasta.

It’s hard to top the bar at the Chop House during happy hour. Excellent appetizer and drink prices along with a friendly and competent bar staff, make this a super place to enjoy happy hour or a meal. The Chop House has a broad selection of wines by the glass and two of my favorites are the Erath Pinot Noir and the Chalk Hill Chardonnay. The calamari appetizer is top notch too.

A few other restaurants in town feature bars where it is fun to sip and sup. I love the food and wine at The Market in South Hills where the long bar has ample room for dining. And Howard at The Bridge Road Bistro is one of Charleston’s best bartenders. The Bistro has a very nice bar area with a good selection of wines by the glass. The Block in downtown Charleston is also a great place to eat and drink at the bar or in the bar area. The owner of the restaurant, Des Baklarov, has put together a deep selection of bottles from most of the world’s great wine appellations.

I’ve also enjoyed the wine and food in the bar area at Noah’s where it’s often difficult to score a table in the main dining room. I am also a fan of the food and drink at Bluegrass Kitchen’s bar where you are up close and personal to live music just about every night of the week.

Of course, I must give a big shout out to Haley at the Red Carpet Lounge who has been serving me a varied selection of beverages at the bar for several years. And now, with a new outdoor kitchen under construction at the Carpet, we’ll be seeing more dining options on the menu too.

So the next time you’re going to be dining out, you might wish to consider enjoying your meal at a restaurant that sets a high bar!

It was a very warm and sunny Sunday. Normally, that would mean firing up my old Weber to grill the edible parts of some formerly animate land or sea creature. But dang, "Little Giuseppe" (my Italian alter ego), preempted my redneck intentions and whispered to me: "mangia pasta, mangia pasta, mangia pasta……"

Yes, the weather may be warming up a bit, but you can still enjoy the exceptional satisfaction of a pasta dish whenever you get the urge. And with springtime in full bloom, you might just want to prepare a version of pasta that is a bit lighter, and also more seasonably appropriate for this time of year. So today, I will impart to you a healthy recipe that should not only satisfy your pasta craving, but also mitigate any residual guilt you may have for ingesting a few more carbohydrates.

Spoiler Alert: this dish contains broccoli!


For those of you who have an aversion to this cruciferous plant, please know that you can substitute any green vegetable that is acceptable to you, including asparagus, peas, scallions or even ramps. Or, if you so choose, you may eliminate the green vegetables altogether and stick with what’s left of the recipe. I think you’ll like it that way too. So bear with me broccoli-o-phobiacs, I think you’re going to love this dish. And guess what? I’ve got two really great wine pairing suggestions that should elevate the dining experience even more.

Fusilli with Broccoli and Italian Sausage
Ingredients:

One pound fusilli or rotini pasta
One-half pound of broccoli florets
Two links of hot or mild Italian sausage
One-half small onion finely chopped
One cup grated Parmesan cheese
Eight ounces of chicken stock
Three tablespoons of heavy cream
One teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and minced garlic
Four ounces of extra virgin olive oil
One-half cup of reserved pasta water

How To:

Fry the Italian sausage in sauté pan until done
Slice the sausage into rounds and set aside
Boil one pound of fusilli until al dente
Add broccoli florets to boiling pasta water for two minutes and remove
Drain the pasta in a colander
Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent
Add salt and pepper and half the cheese to sauté pan and adjust to taste
Put the broccoli, chicken stock and pasta water in pan
Add fusilli and sausage to pan and heat through until mixture is integrated
Stir in the heavy cream and heat for one minute
Serve pasta into dishes and sprinkle each plate with cheese and red pepper flakes

2016 Antica Napa Valley Chardonnay ($30) This Antinori family wine tastes more European than Californian with hints of ripe apple and brioche leading to a long and silky finish. Great balance and elegance and just the right hit of acidity to marry perfectly with the fusilli dish.

2017 Domaine De Montredon Picpoul de Pinet ($17) – From the Languedoc region of Southern France, this crisp, fragrant and fruit forward white has flavors of ripe pear. This wine is a lovely counterpoint to the richness of the pasta.

 

Every now and then I have a wine reawakening. I’m not talking about reacquainting myself with the wines of my youth like MD 20/20 or the half-gallon jug of California “Burgundy” (where the picture of the old codger on the label looked as if it had been taken post-mortem).

No, I’m referring to a recent dinner where I purchased an inexpensive bottle of red Italian wine from Tuscany and made from sangiovese grapes. The wine was very fruit forward without being sweet. It was also round and ripe and a very good pairing with food, particularly my antipasti followed by pasta in a marinara sauce. It also had aromatic components with aromas of cherries and spices like teaberry. This wine brought back very fond memories of trips I had taken to Tuscany.

The most famous red wines of Tuscany are: Brunello Di Montalcino made entirely from sangiovese grapes and grown around the small town of Montalcino: Chianti Classico (also made from predominately sangiovese); and the Super Tuscans of the region which are blends of varieties like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, sangiovese and even syrah.


Italy has a government office that sets forth regulations determining which grapes can be grown and produced into wine for each viticultural area in the country. Denominazione Di Origine Controllata (“Controlled designation of origin”) or DOC is a quality assurance label for Italian wine. DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) on the label of an Italian wine is an even stronger and higher quality assurance rating.

The government does not prohibit wineries from planting different grapes than those approved by them for a specific region, but in the past, the resulting wine had to be labeled as “vino de tavola” or table wine. For example, cabernet sauvignon was not an approved grape for Tuscany and therefore had to be labeled simply as table wine. That all changed in 1992 when the government, with extreme pressure from influential wine makers, set forth a new classification known as IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica). This classification permitted wineries to produce wines from grapes not previously approved by them.

The wines known as “Super Tuscans” – initially in the coastal Maremma region of Tuscany -led the way by producing Bordeaux-type blends such as cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Ornellaia is perhaps the best known example of a Super Tuscan” and is also considered one of the greatest wines in Italy.

Here are three wines I’ve tasted recently from Tuscany that you might wish to try.

2016 Monte Antico Rosso Toscano ($12) – This is the wine I mentioned above that rekindled my desire to revisit Tuscan wines. Medium-bodied with flavors of ripe dark fruit along with a slight touch of vanilla from oak aging, this is an excellent every day drinking red. Try it with pasta in marinara or a Bolognese sauce.

2015 Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva ($28) This lovely wine is comprised of 90% Sangiovese and 10% other varieties such as malvasia and colorino. It has flavors of tart red cherries, teaberry and nuances of oak. It is medium bodied, with some noticeable tannin and excellent balancing acidity. The wine was aged in oak for 24 months and for three years in bottle before being released. Grilled Italian sausages or barbecued baby back ribs would be great accompaniments to this wine.

2015 La Massa Toscana ($30) A blend of 60% sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 15% cabernet sauvignon and alicante bouschet, this IGT from the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany is a rich, full-bodied and complex red wine. Aged in French oak, it is silky smooth, has flavors of black cherries and is perfectly balanced. Try roasted pork tenderloin with a port wine sauce for a heavenly pairing with La Massa.