Événement

La Dolce Italia! Wine Wednesdays at Nordo's Culinarium

The Long Italian Summer: Taking Our Time with Wine

Imagine that you are on the coast of Italy, sitting on a beautiful beach in a chaise-lounge chair, with a glass of wine in your hand . . .

While the Italians are known for their hearty, passionate personalities and bold wines to match, the summer in Italy is long, hot, and dry. So what do the Italians drink in summer?

Come with us on a sipping tour of great Italian wines for summer, from sparkling to exotic whites to beautiful reds that can be served chilled. We will visit all parts of Italy from north to south, and experience what the Italians do when they relax and enjoy a warm evening.

Some highlights and regions we will experience:

The Northern Lake Country: Cuomo and Garda
The beautiful towns and resorts of Italy's northern Lake Country are host to some of the richest people in the world. So as they sit on a grand veranda with flowering vines decorating the surrounding walls, what wine do they drink? We will sample a red wine named for one of Italy's most lovely lake towns, Bardolino. And when you sip their amazing wines, you may be surprised you have never heard of the region.

Basilicata and Mount Vulture
Sure, it's a mountain named for a vulture, but only the Italians can make the word sound beautiful. And the wine from this region is so distinct that once you have tasted it, you will never forget. Could be considered Italy's best wine to have with barbecue. Perhaps that is where the vultures come in?

Colli Orientali del Friuli
This small region in northeast Italy, right on the border with Solvenia, produces some of the most beautiful white wines in the world. Furthermore, some of the grape varieties may be some of the most ancient in the world. Delicate and versatile, the wines of the Colli Orientali del Friuli will entice and impress.

The "Passito" Dessert Wine Style
A rare, almost lost art, the "passito" winemaking style is only employed in a few parts of Italy now. The grapes are picked and allowed to dry slightly on straw matssometimes this wine is called "straw wine" as a result. The dried grapes are then pressed very gently to release superb aroma and complexity. Delicate and extremely beautiful, we will be tasting the last of a rare choice available here only in Washington.