Last night we had dinner at Amavi Retaurant. There were six courses each paired with a Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchiere winner imported by Palm Bay Imports.
First was a 2000 Altemasi Riserva Graal Brut from Trentino - light, citrusy, with good mousse, it was a standard Champagne blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, just a lot lighter than real Champagne. It did pair nicely with a pan-seared Diver Scallop, wrapped in prosciutto, on creamy polenta with fried capers and basil pesto. The only problem with the dish was that the prosciutto was crispy and tasted more like bacon.
Next was the best Greco di Tufo I’ve had, a 2007 Feudi di San Gregorio ‘Cutizzi’ a single vineyard Greco di Tufo from Campania - complex, stony, rich fruit, good acidity, and a long finish. It was very good with a Shellfish Bruschetta “Amalfitano”, mussel. clam, and shrimp on a rich toasted ciabatta with a tasty garlic, red pepper, limoncello sauce.
Third was a 2004 San Patrignano Sangiovese ‘Avi’ from Emiglia-Romangna - bright ripe cherry fruit, with still significant tannins, good acidity, and a medium long finish. It was tasty with Ricotta Ravioli Bolognese (veal, pancetta, and parmagiano in a rich tomato sauce under the nice ravioli). The food tamed the tannins somewhat.
Then we had the main course of grilled Australian Rack of Lamb with caponata, balsamic, & pan-fried risotto with a 2005 Planeta ‘Burdese’ from Sicily. The Aussie lamb wasn’t particularly flavorful and was a bit tough. It did go reasonably well with the Planeta which wasn’t too bad for a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot, and Cab Franc - the usual herbal notes were mostly missing and replaced with dull fruit; it was only lightly tannic.
Dessert was a roasted pear tart with honey, almond, and Gorgonzola Dolce. It was nice, if a bit large, and well matched by a 2005 Anselmi ‘I Capitelli’ from the Veneto.
Then we finished with a plate of Venetian cookies and a couple intense double espressos.
The best thing about the dinner was having nice wines from regions other than Piemonte & Toscana.