Mexico City’s Chontali restaurant transformed into a corner of Tuscany last Saturday, August 16th, becoming the setting for an exceptional wine pairing dinner.
The event, which brought together 27 guests, featured a collaboration between Milanese chef Davide d’Orio and Riccardo Tartaglia Coppe, Co.M. Italia’s representative in the capital, who was in charge of selecting and presenting the bottles offered to those present.
The evening began with a Tuscan pâté paired with an Orvieto DOC white wine. With a history spanning over 2,000 years, this product, native to the Umbria region, is known for its freshness, floral notes, and almond notes, which cleansed the palate and perfectly balanced the pâté’s intensity.
The menu continued with a cream of chickpeas, mussels, and lardo di colonnata, accompanied by a Vernaccia di San Gimignano D.O.C., a pioneering wine in Italy, recognized for being the country’s first DOC designation in 1966. This stellar nectar from the Tuscan vineyards, appreciated by popes and kings, offered notes of green apple and a slightly almondy finish that complemented the creaminess of the chickpeas and the intensity of the mussels.
The third course of the dinner, pappardelle with Tuscan ragù and pecorino from Pienza, was paired with a Morellino di Scansano with a Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin (DOCG), made primarily from Sangiovese grapes, which dazzled with aromas of cherry and berries. Its structure and freshness enhanced the flavors of the ragù and pecorino, creating a spectacular harmony of textures and tastes.
The fourth course featured the classic Florentine steak, served with a rosemary mashed potato garnish. Its perfect pairing was the Sassoalloro Toscana IGT Jacopo Biondi Santi wine, a 100% Sangiovese Grosso. Characterized by bright ruby tones, notes of blackberry, and sweet spices, it balanced the succulence of the meat, while its spicy notes harmonized with the rosemary in the mashed potato.
The grand finale of this remarkable gastronomic journey was one of Tuscany’s most iconic pairings: Cantucci with Vin Santo del Chianti. This sweet wine, aged for at least three years in small oak barrels, is recognizable by its intense aromas of nuts and honey. When the crispy almond cookies were dipped in it, the sweetness and texture merged into a nostalgic experience that capped off the evening with a flourish, leaving a lasting memory for everyone present.
Source: puntodincontro
