We drank some excellent wines here at ASSAGGi restaurant in Bethesda with owner Mailisa Allegrini of the ALLEGRINI winery in Veneto, Italy ( valpolicella, Corvina and Amarone land ) on Tuesday, June 15th, 2010 from 1:30-3:30 PM. It was all one big wonderful rush for me of colors and senses combined into tastes and whiffs and sounds and smells, reflections in wine glasses and off mirrors on walls, pouring of wines, serving of hot dishes piled beautifully with arranged edible delights of various textures and forms and smiles and faces of concentration, too - all gathered close round our long rectangular table filled to the max with things to please and to delight and inform.
This was a well-executed/orchestrated event for perhaps six people in the business along with Marilisa and David that works for Winebow Imports? It certainly was intimate, it was comfortable and the food and the wine were excellent. I give actually a big edge to the wine that on this occasion for me was the grand star with the food as a backdrop. That's the way it should be to some extent when showcasing wine. However, in the real world at home gathered around a table with family and friend both food and wine should elevate one's mood and energy levels and perhaps one's ability to appreciate/absorb and overall enjoy?
Marilisa kept looking at my business card when I gave it to her. I arrived late and David stood up and greeted me and showed me to my place. She kept saying that she had met me before? She may be right : I tried to remember when we might have met? I like this pensive picture of her above , in repose for a few fleeting seconds before continuing on? Yes, I believe so.
I sat next to Brandon Thorton pictured above through my wine glass of Cork 57. He helped me with my Canon digital camera and I thank you for that Brandon.
They gave us all a lovely brochure filled with pages about the wines and ALLEGRINI. I am looking at it now, especially at the sheet with the wines we were served for this lunch. There are ten on this list : two dry whites and eight reds : 1) 2009 Pinot Grigio IGT, 2) 2009 Soave DOC, 3) 2007 Corte Giara Ripasso Valpolicella DOC, 4) 2008 Valpolicella Classico DOC, 5) 2006 Palazzo Della Torre IGT, 6) 2006 La Grola IGT, 7) 2003 Villa Giona IGT, 8) 2003 La Poja IGT, 9) 2005 Amarone Classico DOC, 10) 2005 Amarone Classico DOC ( 375ml bottle).
I have much to say as I have notes on these wines written here on this page. I have other things to add, too. However, it is already Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 here at home in northern Virginia at 9:48 AM and so I will post this later today before going to bed. I hope to add more before posting it but I will post it now and finish it over the next two or so days no matter what. In the meantime I just want to share my pictures of this marvelous event with everyone. Cheers and stay-tuned for more really soon. TONY
P.S. By the way, this is Part Two of this blog entry. There will be another to follow really soon as I took so many pictures of this delightful lunch and want to share many with you all.
I love these pictures that I got of Marilisa all by herself. They set the tone for all the other pictures that will follow shortly.
Here are some of my notes that I wrote quickly.
I tried the Soave 2009 DOC after trying many of the reds. I asked David to get me a glass which he did. I did not try it at the time because I arrived fashionably late. Anyway, I liked it and told Marilisa it was like a palate-cleanser, like having some sorbet in-between the courses. She smiled and said : It's a savory glass of water." I liked that a lot and wrote it down immediately.
It was nice to simply listen to Marilisa speak. She knew/knows here wines inside-out, like breathing in and out.
: "Corvina has similarity with Syrah : both have cherry. "
" Syrah planted in 1997 ."
I had never before heard of Syrah being grown in the Veneto region of Italy.
" In total 15 years for La Grola ". the aging potential I believe.
" Aromas of cherries - 15 years or more " again about the 2006 La Grola IGT ( $32.99 ).
" 1983 the grape vines planted " for the 2003 La Poja IGT ( $79.99 ),
I wish I had written more of what Marilisa was saying : I was too busy taking photos and composing them and tasting the wines... my loss ...
I wrote : " Amazing old-world style, lovely nose, silk finesse, velvety ."
" Amazing! Flesh! Always youthful - young, wonderful ."
" Flesh to highlight dried fruit."
" A baby of a wine!"
" Amazing taste - ready-to-drink now ! with food !! "
I will write later in the second blog I post more about these comments of mine and attach them to the wines that I was describing. In the meantime I will keep you wondering as they hopefully make you want to go out and buy some of these wines and try them yourselves?
It was an amazing experience for me. Grazie Marilisa y a presto. TONY
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