Avignonesi Wine Dinner at Cafe Maxx

“Most bad," the host concluded. "If you ask me, something sinister lurks in men who avoid wine, games, the company of lovely women, and dinnertime conversation. Such people are either gravely ill or secretly detest everyone around them.”

― Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita

I have always said I don't trust people that don't drink wine....

And I have always said that Vino Nobile de Montepulciano is the best value in Tuscany for a high level wine.  You can get a similar quality wine that you can find in Montalcino for close to ½ of the price and Avignonesi this is one of the benchmark wineries from this region.  Join us as we welcome Giuseppe Santarelli director of Sales for Avignonesi winery from Montepulciano to town as we sample the new releases from this winery along with a few older releases that Giuseppe has sent in for this evening.

Join us as we showcase the newest releases from this winery along with a special five course menu prepared by Chef Oliver Saucy   The fee for this tasting is $95 + tax, for reservations call 954-782-0606.

Avignonesi Dinner at Café Maxx with Special Guest Giuseppe Santarelli
Wednesday, November 11th
7:00 PM

Reception
Mini crab cake with remoulade
Lobster pot stickers with mango chili sauce
Molten brie toast with fruit chutney

NV Ca Del Bosco Brut Cuvee Prestige Franciacorta
Price: $37.50    Sale $33.00    Case $383

Identity. A virtue found in the etymology of an ancient word: idem, or being the same. Cuvee Prestige, the essence of Franciacorta, Ca' del Bosco style. A jewel created in 2007 from thirty year's experience. Only the finest Chardonnay (75%), Pinot Nero (15%) and Pinot Bianco (10%) grapes from 134 vineyards, vinified separately and skillfully blended with reserves of the finest vintages (at least 20%) go into the magical rite of Cuvee creation. It will take 28 months of refinement on yeasts before this wine is ready to express all its richness and identity. A classic, well-balanced Franciacorta, pleasantly fresh and crisp. Perfect for any occasion.

First course

Pan seared jumbo sea scallop, pear and almond tart almandine lemon beurre blanc and caramelized pear & chayote compote

2014 La Staffa Verdicchio Castelli Jesi
Price: $17.00    Sale $14.96

(90 Points) Here’s a quintessential Verdicchio from one of the denomination’s rising stars that opens with a fragrance of spring flowers, hay and flint. The palate delivers fleshy white peach, pear and almond flavors, along with mineral notes and bright acidity that results in a refreshing finish. Fun to drink now or hold 2–3 years for additional complexity.  Wine Enthusiast

Second course

Cran-raspberry  BBQ Wagyu flank steak sage and prosciutto Yukon potato hash and roasted butter squash

Avignonesi Rosso di Montepulciano 2011
Price: $20.00 Sale $17.60 Case $204

Medium ruby red color with typical varietal aromas including strawberries, raspberries, fresh blood plums and cranberries with hints of rosemary and thyme. A burst of fruit on the palate leads way into velvety tannins balanced by a fresh acidity and a long lasting, delicately spicy finish.

Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2011 
Price: $32.00 Sale $28.16 Case $327

These wines are made from 100% Estate fruit, they cut the production to do this and they are all biodynamically farmed, 100% Sangiovese with minimal use of new oak, 2nd and 3rd passage.  Fresh plowed earth, dark spices, coco and some floral notes, nice complexity with dark cherry and wild strawberry fruit, dried meats, opens up nicely but needs some time.  A good amount of freshness and dark cherry fruit with fresh herbs and some dark earth and spice notes nice complexity here, balanced finish.  Finish 40+ Excellent

Third course

Braised lamb osso bucco, sundried blueberry and mint risotto, red pearl onions and manchego

Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot 2006  

(93 Points)  Sweet spice aromas of cinnamon and vanilla come at the heels of bright berry fruit and cherries. This is a plush, modern Merlot (with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon for extra texture and dimension) that offers well-integrated layers of fruit and oak spice. The mouthfeel is round, soft and long-lasting.— (3/1/2010) Wine Enthusiast   by M.L.

Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot 2010  

The 2010 vintage offered the perfect opportunity to explore the finer, more elegant side of Merlot. A long growing season, brought on by a cool and damp spring, was followed by a summer which saw a bit more rain than usual and a hot, dry autumn, offering a perfect picking season. This gave the grapes all the time they needed to develop a perfect balance in their fruit, structure, fragrance and freshness."

Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot 2011
Price: $64.00 Sale $56.32 Case $653

This is from their vineyards in Cortona with a high amount of blue clay, Desidario is the name of the famous bull that lived on the estate, and let's just say he was the breeder of big bulls that made the beefsteak Florentine famous- this is the breeding stock. Dark earth forest floor like aromas to the dark plum and blueberry fruit very intense with notes of mocha and fine herbs, nice complexity on the nose. A big and chunky wine on the tongue but has wonderful freshness and balance through the finish, dark spices and plum and cherry fruit to the end. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

 Fourth course

Roasted elk rib eye, thyme and green peppercorn demi glace  wild mushroom & porcini polenta pudding and truffle oil

Avignonesi Grifi Toscana IGT 2010
Price: $60.00 Sale $52.80 Csae $612 

This is a blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon the best of the two terroir a they stopped making this in 1996 because of the demand for Vino Nobile. A good hand of dark currant and dark cherry fruit, licorice spice and notes of rosemary and fine herbs, this wine has lots of everything, it has the most complex bouquet of all the wines with dark coco and spice. A very rich wine on the tongue this wine got the most votes for first place and seemed to be the crowd favorite, and this wine had some immediate appeal even though it has wonderful structure there is a lot of ripe juicy fruit to the palate and a long mineral laced finish with dark spices and a good hand of that fresh earth that defines Tuscan wines. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +

 Avignonesi Grifi Toscana IGT 2011
Price: $64.00     Sale $56.32     Csae $  653

(95 Points) The 2011 Grifi is more than a worthy successor to the 2010 and although different, is just as delicious.  The 2011 is a blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Cabernet which is slightly odd because the former is the darker wine. Deep ruby with violet highlights at the rim, the 2011 displays aromas of berries, plum, mint and flowers. Flavors follow the nose with loads of concentration with added notes of leather and anise. Again, the terroir comes through with lots of integrated, dusty, powdery tannins. Overall, a fleshier experience relative to the structure of the 2010.  I love it.- John Fodera, Tuscan Vine

Dessert

Honey grilled fig filo purse with basil and lemon crème brulee

Avignonesi Vin Santo (375ml) 2000
Price: $231.00    Sale $203.28

The grapes are laid out for 6 months on straw mats in the “appassitoio” (drying room). They are then softly pressed and the must is transferred in “caratelli” (50-liter oak casks) for a slow, natural fermentation with the aid of an indigenous yeast known as “madre”.

Ageing: 10 years in “caratelli”

Sweet and intense, yet characterised by a fragrant acidity, this Vin Santo is unique in every way, feautring a never ending bouquet and a sensual taste. It is intense and full-bodied with a rich texture and an intriguingly sweet and spicy bouquet of candied citrus fruits, figs, honey and aromatic herbs.

A bit about Avignonesi Winery:

The winery is named after the Avignonesi family, the founders of the original estate. Constant research and development aimed at expressing the true character of the Montepulciano terroir has, over time, earned the winery a well-deserved place among the flagship producers of Tuscany. In 2009, Avignonesi was acquired by Virginie Saverys who has since introduced organic farming methods to craft distinct, genuine wines with an even stronger character, and has acquired additional vineyards and a state-of-the-art winemaking facility in the Montepulciano appellation.

We believe that the life force of the earth and the uniqueness of our terroir are at the heart of our brand. Avignonesi is reborn from the soil of our vineyards with each vintage in wines that mirror the subtle flavours of the site and the special traits of each year. Our wines express the richness and beauty of the Montepulciano territory.

We respect the heritage of Montepulciano, where Sangiovese wines have been produced for centuries, and we wish to contribute to its future by being the finest representative of its heritage that we can be. We respect the innate character of each wine and seek to follow its natural evolutionary path from the soil to the cellar and - finally - to the bottle.

    “Healthier wines for healthier people, but also a healthier land and a healthier environment to pass on to future generations.”