The Half Moon’s Il Giardino Restaurant provided the perfect ambiance for the RBTT/CPJ “Best of Italy” wine-pairing dinner held on Monday night. Italian Chef Antonio Petrafesa fulfilled the expectations of the capacity-filled restaurant who wined, dined and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Four major producers from three major Italian wine regions complemented Chef Antonio’s fare. The sudden deluge coupled with claps of thunder and flashes of lightning which began during dinner upped the cosy factor.

Guests were greeted in the courtyard with glasses filled with one of Italy’s favourite sparklers – Prosecco. Delicate and dry, the Santa Margherita Prosecco, from the steep hillsides of the Veneto, was both delightful and refreshing- setting the mood for what was to come. Food and Beverage Manager Giorgio Rusconi, Restaurant Manager Basil Samuels, Jr and Maitre’d Wayne Morris set the stage for a great event combining elegant silverware with smart service preparation.

Italy, a country renowned for its 3000-year-old wine culture, has over 2,000 different grape varietals grown in every part of the country; little wonder that Italians drink wine with almost every meal. The 2007 Villa Antinori Bianco was poured for the appetiser of grilled red peppers, prosciutto di Parma and goat cheese terrine, sun-dried tomato coulis, micro green salad with aged Balsamic and extra virgin olive oil.

My favourite course was the pasta dish – Open Face Ravioli with lobster, shrimp and scallops, white wine and vanilla foam. The very flowery, delicate Banfi San Angello Pinot Grigio 2007 added additional oomph.

The fish course was a parmesan-crusted grouper with sautéed spinach over tomato broth infused with fresh basil; the 2005 Castello Della Sala Bramito Chardonnay was selected to match the complexity of this dish. The wine – 100% Chardonnay with a little oak aging to give it that bit of vanilla and toasty notes as well as backbone.

The Lemon Sorbet infused with Santa Margherita Prosecco cleansed the palates making way for the main course of Classic Tuscan Braised Wild Boar, Porcini Mushrooms and Black Truffle Risotto.

Two Wines and A Dish

We experimented with giving guests an option to create their own wine-pairing adventure by serving two wines with this course. The flagship wine of the evening was the Antonori Solaia 2002. This wine was first made in 1978 vintage and is only made in outstanding years. It is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Franc. Solaia is the vineyard on the sunny side of the Tignanello hill.

A fantastic wine, intense ruby red, Solaia is powerful on the palate yet smooth. The second choice for the wild boar dish was the 1998 Bolla Amarone della Valpolicella. Rich, powerful and round Amarone della Valpolicella is made with 70% Corvina and 30% Rondinella and other local Italian grape varieties. As Amarone comes from the Italian word amaro (“bitter”), most examples have a tartness or slightly astringent edge to them.

Alternatively, you may notice a sweet edge – the result of concentrated sugars picked up by the grapes during the drying process. Certainly, the combination of raisiny and sweet black fruit can make Amarone an irresistible temptation. When asked to cast a vote for the preferred wine the room was 50/50 for the Solaia and the Amarone.

To close the dinner the 2006 Antinori Muffato Della Sala accompanied Il Giardino Dessert Sampler, the Tiramisu Parfait, Balsamic & Red Wine Poached Fig, Sicilian Cannoli. After dinner Caffé & Té con Biscotti Cantucci were served, those who dipped the biscotti into the Muffato had an orgasmic experience.