This passed weekend has been very snowy and cold in NYC so Michele and I decided to stay home. I was looking for a wine to drink and came across a1970 Brunello I was saving for our anniversary which is in July. But why wait?
Brunello di Montalcino 1970 Lisini. Made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso, also known as Brunello. Vineyards are at 300 to 350 meters. Some of the vines were planted between 1930 and 1940, others in 1967. In the oldest part of the vineyard are 200 vines planted in 1880. They are still their own roots (have not been grafted). At the time stainless steel tanks did not exist in Brunello. The wine was aged for 4 years in large Slavonian oak barrels. 1970 was a 5-Star vintage in Brunello. In 1970 there were only 25 producers of Brunello, making the Lisini Estate one of the oldest in Montalcino (Source “Italy’s Noble Red Wines” Wasserman). The wine had hints of cherry, rasperries, tar and balsamic notes. It went very well with the food.
We started with crostini topped with La Tur cheese, piquant tangerine mostarda and a few pine nuts
Michele made Pork Tenderloin Wild Boar Style with mushrooms, a recipe from Marcella Hazan.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Butter, Nutmeg and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Endive
Pork and sweet potatoes with roasted endive.
Caffe and ciambelline, my favorite cookies.
Another day, Michele was in the mood for Burgundy.
Savigny-les-Beaune “Lavieres” 1999. Robert Ampeau et Fils made from 100% made from 100% Pinot Noir. This is a complex and elegant wine, fruity but firm with hints of raspberry, blackberry, violets and a note of leather. It is drinking very nicely
Costini with Gruyere Cheese and Dried Tomatoes on homemade olive and rosemary focaccia.
Our main course was sauteed Duck Breast with Shallots and Red Wine. With it we had broccoli rabe with garlic and roasted butternut squash.
Orange Cake with Walnuts and Golden Raisins for dessert
And of course we finished with a good cup of Caffe…
And a sip of grappa. What better way to take the chill from a cold day by ending the meal with Grappa. Traditional grappa Capo di Stato from Loredan Gasparini made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
Somehow, we managed to pass a pleasant weekend, despite the snow and frigid temperatures.
Champagne Nathalie Falmet Brut NV “Le Val Cornet made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from a single vineyard in the Côte Des Bar. The soil is Kimmeridian marl covered with Portland limestone. The champagne has hints of apricot, pear, apple and a note of almond.
Champagne Vilmart & C. “Grand Cellier” made from 70% Chardonnay and 30%Pinot Noir. Aging for ten months in used oak casks prior to blending for the second fermentation. The wine spends two years on the lees before disgorgment. It has hints of pear, apple, a touch of
Butterflied leg of lamb on the grill
Grilled leg of lamb ready to be served
Potato and Scallion Salad
Green beans
Brunello di Montalcino 1999 Lisini made from 100% Sangiovese. The are 3,300 plants per hectare in the old vineyard and 5, 400 plants in the newer vineyard at 300 to 350 meters. The grapes are hand harvested and a selection takes place. Fermentation and maceration is in stainless steel with skin contact for 20 t0 26 days. Aging is in large Slavonian oak barrels of 20 to 50 ha for 42 months. The wine is aged another 6 to 8 months in bottle before release. This is a traditional Brunello with hints of red and black fruit, blueberries and rasperries and a touch of violet. It was drinking extremely well.
Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1999 Poggio Antico made from 100% Sangiovese. The vineyards are at about 480 meters with a south/southwest exposure and are among the highest in the zone. The soil is rocky and calcerous with good drainage. 
Both black and green figs poached in a spiced compote
Spiced Fig Compote served with Almond Pound Cake was an excellent finale.
We, however, love the inside of the restaurant where we can be surrounded by the famous murals by Howard Chandler Christy, so we asked for a table indoors and had the dining room all to ourselves. Owner Gianfranco Sorrentino, who also is the owner of Il Gattopardo on 54th Street, stopped by to say hello.
Polpette di Carne-veal and beef meatballs with ricotta and parsley. Tender meatballs in tasty tomato sauce.
Sformato di tartufo nero-Black truffle custard with Parmigiano-Reggiano, grilled asparagus and lemon. Delicate custard tasting of cheese with a black truffle crust.
Insalata di granchino-Crabmeat, peas, croutons and Mediterranean sumac. The flavors of spring captured on a plate.
Brunello di Montalcino 1990 Lisini made from 100% Sangiovese. The are 3,300 plants per hectare in the old vineyard and 5,400 plants in the newer vineyard at 300 to 350 meters. The grapes are hand harvested and a selection takes place. Fermentation and maceration is in stainless steel with skin contact for 20 t0 26 days. Aging is in large Slavonian oak barrels of 20 to 50 ha for 42 months. The wine is aged another 6 to 8 months in bottle before release. This is a traditional Brunello with hints of red and black fruit, blueberries and rasperries and a touch of violet. It was drinking extremely well.
Mafalde Sucamele-Braised lamb, artichokes and glazed lampascioni onions — Tender chunks of lamb in a tangy sauce with mildly bitter lampascioni, onion-like wild hyacinth bulbs.
Lasagna Ennese-Pork ragu – Marsala wine, Piacentinu cheese – Handmade pasta noodles layered with rich pork ragu and a saffron flavored sheep’s cheese from Sicily.
Rosso di Torgiano DOC 1985 Lungarotti 70% Sangiovese and 30% Canaiolo. The soil is clay and sand of medium depth with limestone subsoil. There are 4,000 vines per hectare and the harvest takes place in September/October. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with 18 days maceration on the skins. It is aged for 12 months in oak casks and lightly filtered before bottling. This is a wine with red fruit aromas and flavors, hints of black cherry and a touch of leather and spice with a very pleasant finish and aftertaste.
Tiramisu– Classic mascarpone tiramisu
Zabalone– Zabaione al Ramandolo with mixed berries
The Leopard at des Artistes
Beneventano Falanghina IGT 2017 Donnachiara made from 100% Falanghina. The vineyard is the Torre Cuso, the best location for Falanghina. The soil is volcanic, chalky clay, the vines are 16 years old, the training system is guyot and there are 2,500 vines per hectare. The grapes are not destemmed or crushed before pressing. Cold fermentation is in stainless steel and there is extended maceration. This is a crisp white wine with citrus fruit aromas and flavors, nice acidity and good minerality. It is one of my favorite white wines and my friend always has some chilled and ready to drink
Braising the lamb shanks
Mashed potatoes
On the plate, braised lamb shanks with mashed potatoes and sauteed escarole.
Here’s another picture because it looked so good and tasted so delicious.
Brunello di Montalcino 1999 Lisini made from 100% Sangiovese. The are 3,300 plants per hectare in the old vineyard and 5, 400 plants in the newer vineyard at 300 to 350 meters. The grapes are hand harvested and a selection takes place. Fermentation and maceration is in stainless steel with skin contact for 20 t0 26 days. Aging is in large Slavonian oak barrels of 20 to 50 ha for 42 months. The wine is aged another 6 to 8 months in bottle before release. This is a traditional Brunello with hints of red and black fruit, blueberries and rasperries and a touch of violet. It was drinking extremely well.
Taurasi “Radici” 1996 Mastroberardino made from 100% Aglianico. The vineyards for Taurasi “Radici” are located on two hills, Mirabella vineyard at 500 meters and the Montemarano vineyard at 550 meters. Because of its position on the hill and its altitude, the temperature at the Montemarano vineyard was much colder and the grapes are picked a little later. Harvest is from the end of October into the beginning of November. The vinification is the classic one for red wine, long maceration with skin contact at controlled temperatures. The wine is aged for 24 months in French barriques and Slovenian oak barrels and remains in the bottle for 24 months before release. The barriques were second and third passage. This is a wine with hints of black cherry, plum, spice and a touch of leather.
We finished the dinner with Single Malt Scotch Whiskey from Ardmore Distillery to keep us warm.
Charles Scicolone on Wine