Damilano Barolo, 2001

Barolo wines are made from 100% Nebbiolo and carry a reputation of being some of the best wines in the world. Damilano makes Barolos with single vineyard designations from their prestigious estate vineyards in Liste and Cannubi, but they also buy grapes from other areas of Barolo to make this non-designated Barolo. This Damilano Barolo made the Wine Spectator “Top 100” list, back in 2005 and was recognized as a great value from Barolo coming in at about $33. Tonight we decided to open a bottle of this Barolo that has been resting in our wine cellar for the past 5 years. The wine has a dark ruby color with a purple rim. On the nose is pleasant aromas of blackberries, cherries, mushrooms and some cellar floor. This is a full bodied wine with flavors of black plum, black raspberry, cranberry, cola, tobacco, tea and red cherry. There are abundant velvety tannins that are will integrated with the vibrant fruit and earthy flavors. This wine is drinking well now, but should continue to evolve for the next 5 to 10 years. We enjoyed this excellent Barolo with an outstanding dinner at Cantinetta in Bellevue. This wine paired well with some Ricotta Gnocchi with Braised Lamb and the Wild Boar Ossobuco...Yum!

La Cattura, 2006

This red wine comes from Poggio al Casone, located in Tuscany, near the famous town of Pisa. This red wine is 90% Teroldego and 10% Syrah. The Teroldego grape is a lesser known Italian variety that is usually grown in northern Italy’s Trentino-Alto-Adige zone. Recent genetic testing has shown a close relationship between Teroldego and the Syrah grape. In the glass, this wine has a dark ruby color with a purple rim. This is a medium to full bodied wine with rich flavors of black plum, red raspberry, cola, black pepper and earth. There are abundant smooth tannins and crisp acidity that complete the package. There is no evidence of vanilla or oak. This is an interesting wine that is fruity and earthy with a bold profile, but still an excellent wine with food. We enjoyed this 2006 La Caturra with some Braised Pork Loin Back Ribs, Basil-Garlic Mashed Potatoes and some Parmesan Crusted Asparagus.

Paso A Paso, 2008

Bodegas Volver, under the direction of Spanish oenologist, Rafael Cañizares seeks to create "new world" wines with the maximum expression of the Tempranillo grape. This winery is located in La Mancha and the 40 year old vineyards are planted in harsh sandy soil with a river rock base. These grapes benefit from hot dry days and cool nights of central Spain. The Paso A Paso is 100% Tempranillo that is hand picked and slowly macerated and fermented, then aged for 6 months in French oak barrels. In the glass this wine has a dark black/purple color and is nearly opaque. There is an expressive bouquet of spicy cherry, pencil lead, wild blueberry, black raspberry and violets. This is a full bodied wine with chewy dark concentrated black fruit, sweet tobacco, deep minerality and considerable tannins. Firm, focused and fresh, there is impressive concentration and opulence with an oak and mineral accented finish. This is a exceptional value for big Tempranillo wine. The 2008 Paso A Paso can be found at Esquin Wines, in Seattle, for about $11. This wine will pair well with hearty stews, grilled meats and sharp cheeses.

Zenato Valpolicella Superiore, 2007

The Zenato winery has about 175 acres of vineyard located in Lugana, northwest of Verona, in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. For over 50 years, Zenato has been producing wines that showcase the lovely wines of the region. This pleasant Zalpolicella is made from 85% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, and 5% Sangiovese. This wine is produced in a traditional method by de-stemming and crushing, followed by 6-7 days maceration with the skins. The wine is kept in temperature controlled steel tanks for malolactic fermentation then matured in Slovenian oak barrels for 12 months prior to bottling. The color is a deep, dark red with a crimson hue. The nose offers fragrances red cherry, dried cranberries, sage, leather and some dusty earth. This is a medium bodied wine with flavors of chocolate covered cherries, red raspberry, toasted almonds, coco and violets and baking spice. There is a nice structure with a velvety texture from smooth tannins and a crisp edge from vibrant acidity. The finish is long and flavorful. This Zenato is ready to enjoy now, but can be cellared for a few years. Consider this wine with a Herb Crusted Pork Roast or an Autumn Mushroom Risotto. We purchased this Valpolicella fron Esquin Wines, in Seattle, for about $12.

Six Prong Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, 2007

This new release from Six Prong is a Cabernet Sauvignon blend from the Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington’s Columbia Valley. The Alder Ridge Vineyard was first planted in 1996 and is now a site that produces excellent grapes for many excellent wines from that region. The list of wineries using these grapes include Columbia Winery, Betz Family, Hightower, Novelty Hill, Syncline, Matthews Cellars, Andrew Rich, Owen Roe, Maryhill, Chatter Creek, Ash Hollow, Forgeron Cellars, Long Shadows, Ste. Michelle, and Covey Run. This Six Prong Cabernet has a deep ruby/purple color that is nearly opaque. A heady bouquet evokes ripe blackberry, cassis, plum, chocolate and wet rocks. This is a full bodied wine that displays bold, intense flavors of spicy cherry, cassis, black raspberry, licorice and cedar. This wine is still quite young and burly. There are aggressive chewy tannins that seem to compete with the layer upon layer of ripe fruit. There is a decent level of acidity that is trying to get things to balance. This wine might be very rewarding if laid down in the cellar for 3-5 years. We purchased this bold Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon from Pete’s Wine Shop, in Bellevue, for about $14.

Paolo Manzone Fiorenza Barbera d'Alba, 2007

The Paolo Manzone winery is located in the Piedmont district of Northern Italy amongst the rolling hills between Alba and Dogliani. This small producer grows estate Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiola on south-facing slopes of clay and limestone. All their grapes are picked by hand and the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and refined in mature French oak barrels. The Fiorenza Barbera is 100% Barbera from 20-25 year old vines and is made in the typical style of the region. Barbera is known as the “King of Food Wines” due to its abundant acidity, medium body and smooth tannins. This is a medium bodied wine with a deep ruby color and pleasant aromas of cherry, blueberry, prune and cellar floor. Very flavorful in the mouth, the Fiorenza shows abundant red and black fruit with black cherry, red raspberry, cranberry and plum. There are additional flavors of tar, light oak and dried herbs framed by zesty acidity and smooth, subtle tannins. This wine will pair well with any hearty Italian dinner or some good sausage or sharp cheese. We purchased this excellent value Barbera d’Alba at Pete’s Wine Shop, in Bellevue, for about $10.

Palestra, 2008

Last summer we enjoyed a few bottles of the 2006 and the 2007 Palestra and found both quite delightful and very reasonably priced. Now we just enjoyed a bottle of the newly released 2008 vintage, and once again, we are impressed. The Encostas do Douro Palestra is a blend of Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. All these grapes are indigenous to the Douro Region of Portugal. This wine has a dark ruby color and a rich nose of black cherry, plum, cocoa and black pepper. This is a fruit forward, medium bodied wine with flavors of dark berry, black cherry, cranberry, flint and lingering black pepper. This wine has a gentle and rich mouth feel from abundant, but well integrated tannins. The finish is soft and elegant with no harsh edges. This 2008 vintage of the Palestra reminds me of the 2007 vintage and is another example of a great table wine, from Portugal, that can be found in the Seattle area for about $10. We enjoyed this nice wine with some Grilled Chicken Sausage with Fontina Stuffed Hatch Chili Peppers. This wine is worth seeking out and is now available at Pete‘s wine Shop, in Bellevue..

Ruffino Modus, 2001

Tonight we enjoyed this “Super-Tuscan” with a fantastic Italian dinner. We have cellared this 2001 Modus for the past 5 years and time has added beautiful depth and complexity to this wine. This Ruffino Modus is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot. For over 130 years Ruffino has been one of the leading Chianti wineries. I have been a fan of the Modus wines since their 1999 vintage. This wine is deep ruby red, nearly opaque with garnet hues. The nose has aromas of black cherry, licorice, plum, chocolate, leather and baking spice. This is a full bodied wine with an impressive chewy texture that is robust, yet smooth. There is a solid core of juicy black fruit, stewed prunes and dark berry flavors complemented by cocoa, tobacco and some earth. There are good levels of mature tannins with rolling acidity that contribute to a long, satisfying finish. Presently, you can purchase the 2006 vintage for about $30 and it should have many of the same delicious characteristics of the 2001 . We purchased this wine at Pete’s Wine Shop, in Bellevue, for about $25.

Volver, 2007

The 2007 Volver is a single vineyard wine made from 100% Tempranillo from the La Mancha area of central Spain. The wine is aged for 14 months in new French oak. This is another wine imported by Jorge Ordonez and is a good example of the great quality wines that can be made from the Tempranillo grape. The wine has a deep purple color with a lovely nose of black cherry, raspberry, smoke and vanilla. On the palate it is a full-bodied wine with of ripe black plum, blackberry, cherry jam, ground coffee and a touch of oak. This wine is very “New-World” with a rich mouth-feel, bold fruit, abundant creamy tannins and a long, balanced finish. The 2007 Volver is delicious now, but should continue to develop with a few years in the cellar. We purchased the wine from Pete’s Wine Shop, in Bellevue, for about $15.

Cantinetta, Bellevue

• rustico, elegante and delizioso: a great addition to downtown Bellevue

During the past decade there has been amazing growth in Bellevue with newly constructed high-rises, an ever increasing population and a slue of new restaurants. A welcomed trend is privately owned restaurants that offer a level of service, quality and atmosphere that is unmatched by the corporate “big-boys” like Maggiano's, P.F. Chang's and The Cheesecake Factory. The newly opened Bellevue Cantinetta is an off-shoot of the popular, quaint Seattle Cantinetta tucked away in a Wallingford neighborhood.
Located at street level on Old Main Street, Cantinetta is a small restaurant (by Bellevue standards) with a warm atmosphere of a Tuscan Trattoria. The dimly lit, high ceiling room has massive windows, Italian country chandeliers, re-claimed wood floors, warm brown tones and hefty rustic wood furniture. Dining options include small, medium and large rectangular tables, an outdoor sidewalk section and a curved rustic bar to enjoy a glass of wine or a complete meal.

The menu is small and precise showcasing fresh house-made pastas, Tuscan inspired antipasti and entrées created with local organic and seasonal ingredients. The young chef is the talented Tomer Shneor who is originally from Haifa, Israel and has spent time in some of New York’s finest restaurants. We had an opportunity to speak with Tomer as he walked us through the menu and highlighted the details of various preparations and the quality local ingredients. The chef is excited about sourcing fresh, local produce from the Bellevue Farmers Market.

The menu is organized in traditional Tuscan fashion with Antipasti, Contorni, Primi, Secondi and Dolci. Kate and I decided to order something from each section and share our picks. We brought a bottle of Giuseppe Campagnola Le Bine Valpolicella Classico Superiore, 2006 which we new would be a great compliment to our meal. We started with the antipasti of Heirloom Tomato, Burrata, mizuna. The presentation was simple and elegant with chunks of fresh orange and red tomato, a cut ball of creamy white Burrata cheese and a mound of well-dressed delicate greens. Our primo plati was fresh Tagliatelle with summer corn, house made pancetta and fresh Shitake. The perfectly cooked pasta was delicate and delicious and the sweet summer corn was deftly balanced by the smoky/salty pancetta and the earthy shitake mushrooms. Our secondi was fresh Halibut with caramelized Zucchini. The super-fresh Halibut was cooked very well with a crispy pan-seared crust and a moist flaky interior. The fish was plated over a puréed sweet yellow pepper sauce with caramelized yellow and green squash. For the contorni ( side dish) we ordered the Eggplant. The eggplant was fantastic and quite memorable with a preparation that includes marinating for at least 24 hours, then slow cooking with olive oil and tomato creating intensely flavorful morsels…yum. For dessert (dolci) we had the warm Chocolate Budino. This was a perfect dessert to savor as we finished off our lovely Valpolicella. The Budino (Italian for pudding) was rich, voluptuous, creamy chocolate heaven made with olive oil and perked up with a delightful sprinkling of sea salt. Kate told Chef Shneor that she would love to have the recipe!

Overall, Cantinetta is a great addition to the Bellevue dining scene. The restaurant is warm and inviting, the service is attentive and professional and the food is simple, elegant and delicious. We look forward to trying every item on the delightful, inspired menu. We will definitely return in the near future; this could be the start of a long and satisfying relationship. Cantinetta is located at 10038 Main Street in Bellevue, Washington.