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Community Corner

Spuntino Hosts Cantine Argiolas Wine Pairing Dinner Chef Joshua Bernstein's Exclusive One-Night Only Culinary Exploration

Spuntino Wine bar and Italian Tapas is proud to announce a special event to be hosted at Spuntino, its original concept restaurant known for its Wine Bar and Italian Tapas, on Wednesday, August 28 at 7 p.m., located at Spuntino in the Clifton Commons on Route 3 East, 70 Kingsland Road (across from Target), in Clifton, NJ.  Selections from the prestigious Cantine Argiolas will be paired with food inspired by the island of Sardinia, Italy.

 

Chef Bernstein’s savory delights will be perfectly paired with wines including the heralded reserve wine selection “Turriga Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2001.” Wine Spectator declared the reserve selection of Argiolas “Turriga 2001” as “the Best Turriga Ever”. This flagship Argiolas is based on the Cannonau grape.  The 2001 Turriga shows flavors of red cherry and raspberry jam, filled out with spices and a touch of leather.  Bernstein said, “The Argiolas have made their wines with love and Spuntino is offering up some love in return, which should make for a meal to remember.”

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The pairing dinner is presenting five dishes with wines from Sardinia, Italy:  

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·         Tuna Crudo – Fresh ahi tuna marinated in lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and chili peppers paired with Spuntino-made roasted lemon aioli finished with basil oil. The tuna will be being paired with Iselis Bianco Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2012. It is a still white wine made from 85 percent Nasco and 15 percent Vermentino, the hand-harvested grapes are fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and barriques before being aged on the lees for almost two months. Nasco is typically associated with sweeter-style dessert wines due to its perfumed and floral character, and these attributes are still present in this dry, white wine. Brilliant gold in color, white wine shows expressive aromas of jasmine, white peach, honeysuckle, and melon. On the palate, it is exotic and rich, with a full-bodied, creamy texture and white pepper spice in the finish.

 

·         Spaghetti alla Bottarga – Bottarga is a delicacy of coastal Italy that brings the flavor of the sea to our spaghetti that is cooked with garlic, extra virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. The spaghetti will be paired with Vermentino di Sardegna Coastamolino DOC 2012 by Cantine Argiolas; a still white wine made from Vermentino grapes with appellation Vermentino di Sardegna. It is 95 percent Vermentino and five percent other Sardinian varietals. The grapes for this wine were harvested between August and September before being vinified in stainless steel tanks to preserve their fresh, aromatic qualities. Malolactic fermentation was partially carried out, allowing for greater richness without sacrificing the typical effusiveness of the Vermentino grape. Lemon-green in color, delicate aromas of citrus and tree fruits complement undertones of tropical fruits and honey. On the palate, the wine shows a delightfully zesty acidity, which makes it both food-friendly and crowd-pleasing.

 

·         Braised Pork Belly – Pork Belly braised in a combination of Cannonau and Mirto. The pork will be paired with Costera Cannonau di Sardegna DOC 2010. It is a still red wine made from the Cannonau grape and its appellation Cannonau di Sardegna. It includes Cannonau, Carignano, and Bovale Sardo grapes grown in the loose, calcareous soils of the Costera vineyard. This wine embodies the true idea of Sardinian terroir. It is effusive yet deep with a long finish and incredible drinkability. Its maturation period is balanced between barriques and cement vats in order to preserve the fresh, fruit-forward aromas while adding subtle complexity. Ruby-red in color, aromas of ripe black cherries and tree fruits complement undertones of pepper and licorice. On the palate, a full body and velvety tannins make for excellent texture and age-worthiness.

 

·         Roasted Leg of Lamb with Fennel and Fregola – Herbed rubbed whole leg of lamb slow roasted with fennel served with a side of oven roasted Sardinian semolina pasta pearls finished with fresh tomatoes, basil and pecorino Romano cheese. The lamb will be served with Turriga Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2000 from the reserve list at Spuntino. A still red wine, it’s Appellation Isola dei Nuraghi.

 

 

·         Pecorino Sardo – A sheep’s milk, firm cheese from the fields of Sardinia paired with eucalyptus honey. The cheese is being paired with Tremontis Mirto Liqueur NV, a botanical liqueur, is obtained from a blending of the alcoholic infusion of red myrtle berrie or “fiore.” These carefully selected berries come from the best areas in Sardinia for this type of growth. This liqueur is violet red in color with herbal aromas. It is bittersweet on the palate and backed by flavors of mint, eucalyptus, juniper and spices.





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