It was great to finally meet Brandino after having known about and sold his wines for so many years. I got to know them first at Forman Brothers imports when I worked there in the mid 1990's. I really loved this classic/French-Italian style dry Merlot. VISTORTA ( 33077 VISTORTA DI SACILE ( PN ) tel: 0434 71135, vistorta@vistorta.it www.vistorta.it - go here for more technical information ) is located in Friuli/Venezia Giulia area of northeastern Italy. Brandino has substantial wine-making investments in Bordeaux as well. He's part Italian, part French if I am not mistaken. We spoke French at our lunch at the Teatro Goldoni. I enjoyed that thoroughly.
At lunch it was just Brandino, Pascal Salvadori and myself : intimate, relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable. Pascal works for Palm Bay imports and he invited me to lunch to meet Brandino. He had several wines for me to sample at lunch, both whites and reds and it was quite the spectacle to be sitting there in the restaurant off to the right-side corner facing the large window to the street and with a wall of masks just above me on my right. I was enjoying taking everything in ; ambiance, decor, various wines, our animated, relaxed conversation in French. Pascal is also fluent in French so it was really enjoyable. I think Bradino got a call from his wife so he spoke Italian into his cell phone.
I have the menu of Lunch Specials signed by both Brandino and chef/owner Fabrizio Aielli ( 1990 K Streets, NW, 202-955-9494. www.teatrogoldoni.com ) who joined us at our table at the end of our meal. It was nice to meet him as well and we all talked in a really comfortable, relaxed way almost as if we had known one another for years.
I ordered the pan roasted Mahi Mahi that was served with a hijiki, carrot, sesame salad, ginger dressing. It was so flavorful, so many distinct tastes all at once and one after the other! The rush! It was topped with crispy calamari and a chili lime honey vinaigrette. I loved it! I could not say enough about it and Pascal's wine selections worked beautifully with all these fireworks-style flavors that just kept popping/dazzling/appearing out-of-nowhere and thoroughly charming and pleasing both me and my palate. What more could I have asked for?!? Not much. I loved looking up above me at all the colorful masks and artworks. They charmed/beguiled me with their color and shapes and faces! I recommend it all - a lovely luncheon with Pascal and Brandino. Thank you both after all these years I still remember this experience fondly.
We have enjoyed selling this 100% Merlot from VISTORTA. We are currently out but I will speak soon to Pascal and order some more for our store. I'd like to taste the current bottling. They have sold really well previously here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits on Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington D.C.
In the pictures are Pascal in the background opening a bottle of the VISTORTA Merlot, me ( Anthony Quinn ) with Brandino, two lovely lady customers with Brandino ( Gaby to his left ). I think they all convey some pretty nice vibes, don't you?
I'm writing this from my desk at the store on Thursday, July 31st, 2008. It's the dead of summer now, hot and humid and hazy. Come see us here at the store and ask about the VISTORTA and other great Palm Bay selections. We have several to offer you. Cheers, TONY
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