Dinner at Aqua e Vino restaurant with Chef Gabriele Grigolon is a wonderful way to start the Christmas season. The warm and highly personal hospitality combined with the delicious cuisine brings smiles all around at this intimate locale.
Kicked off the evening by opening a bottle of Egly-Ouriet VP Grand Cru (disgorged May 2007 after 58 months on the lees) in dramatic fashion, via sabrage. 70% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay from Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. Likely comprised of a base vintage of 2001 with either 2000 or 2002 blended in (thanks for the info, Marius!) Mature honeyed orange nose with slight oxidative note that I find particularly appealing. Minerally pear and lemon palate that opens up nicely through the evening. Paired beautifully with a ravioli stuffed with ricotta spinach and egg yolk, covered with freshly shaved Alba truffles. And with cauliflower flan, parmigiano fondue & quail egg with more truffles :-)
A 2005 Marcoux Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes was double decanted and given a couple of hours of air before dinner. Sourced from La Crau, Gallimardes and Esquirons. The Vieilles Vignes cuvee is always a beautifully balanced and elegant wine. It benefits from another couple of hours of air at dinner, and is showing its best as the last of it is consumed - revealing a beguiling extra level of depth. Refined blackberry, spice and - wait for it - that totally awesome garrigue signature from La Crau.... Damn, I like Marcoux wines. This beauty carried us through a course of tagliolini and more truffles. And gnocchi with more truffles.
A 1997 Quintarelli Rosso Ca' del Merlo drank very well after a double decant before dinner. Fully mature with a compelling nose - plums and violets with a rich ripeness that is mouthwatering. Savory black fruit with a characteristic piquancy that likely has something to do with the ripasso technique. Vineyards are mixed limestone and basalt soils. Varietals are 55% Corvina and Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Croatina, Sangiovese...
- Grapes are pressed immediately after harvest
- After 3 to 4 days of maceration, primary fermentation starts with indigenous yeasts
- Wine is racked and then sits until February
- Wine is racked onto the lees of the Amarone which starts a second alcoholic fermentation (ripasso)
- After 2ndary fermentation, the wine is racked into large Slavonian oak barrels for seven years
The Quintarelli paired nicely with veal entrecote and root veggies with more truffles. Also quite well with an absolutely amazing dish of roasted branzino.
I won't even get into how good the desserts were. Chef Grigo and team do some amazing things with pastry. Great espresso to close, but not before a final reprise of the remaining Egly-Ouriet.
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