Spent most of the day on a plane or waiting for one, but I'm finally here in Verona at Hotel Bologna ... small but comfortable. Slept a couple of hours in the afternoon before heading down to the welcome dinner in the hotel restaurant: Risto Rubiani. Here are some of the wines tasted and the food tried:
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| First wine of the trip: Corte Rugolin 2012 Valpolicella Classico: plenty of cherry and sour cherry with a nice cranberry backing |
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| Our "welcome from the kitchen": Bean Soup - sound much better in Italian |
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| Moving up the ladder in the Valpolicella region to the Classico Superiore range Roberto Mazzi 2010 Valpolicella Classico Superiore - Vigneto Poiega: black cherry, vanilla, chocolate, with nice acidity balancing out the finish (****) Dig the new-fangled date changing method on the label. |
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| Bigoli with duck sauce |
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| I ended up wearing some shaved cheese (not my fault), the up-side is they are some of the best smelling clothes I have. |
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| My two top wines tasted this evening: San Cassiano 2010 Ripasso Superiore (left) - rich plum and black cherry nose, leads to a smooth, rich almost creamy palate full of dark fruit, then the acidity swoops in kicking it up a notch on the finish. (****+) Cantina Valpantena 2011 Torre del Falasco, Ripasso Superiore (right) - mocha, black cherry, cassis and spiced plum aromas which follow onto the palate and adds some anise notes; long lovely finish that pumps up the acidity. (****+) |
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| Risotto with radicchio and Monte Veronese (my first but I can bet not my last plate of Risotto this trip) |
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| Gamba 2009 Ripasso Classico Superiore "Campedel" black and red cherry, plum with a backing of vanilla and cinnamon; maybe a touch hot with alcohol on the nose, but not intrusive - palate full of great red cherry, vanilla and spice and a depth that kept on giving (due to its age?) - (****) |
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| The cheese plate ... I never thought I'd say this but, there is such a thing as "too much cheese" |
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| Dessert: Bonet amaretto with candied orange ... Another thing I never thought I'd hear myself say (about chocolate): this was not a favourite, you just have to like Amaretto. On the other hand the shortbread top was amazing. |
Ending with coffee and mini-pastry, not being a coffee drinker (I know, shocker) I passed.
Tomorrow it's on to the "Welcome Day" and a couple of winery visits before the Gala dinner at Palazzo della Gran Guardia in Piazza Bra ...
We'll catch up with you tomorrow and let you know how it went.
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