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| Two to Tango |
| By Ravi Joshi |
| It is widely accepted that wine and food from the same land have a natural affinity towards each other. Historically, cuisine developed around wine or vice versa. Italy has a very long – and strong – tradition of both. In Italian food, the most logical breakdown of components that comes to mind is pastas, tomatoes, herbs, cheeses and the olive oils. To a connoisseur of wine, these invoke images of Italian wines such as Barolo, Chianti, Super Tuscans…. |
| “Sorrento”, the newly launched Italian restaurant at the Hotel Shangri-la’s Eros in New Delhi capitalized on such affinity and consumer perception. At a dinner they hosted with the La Cave wine store, wines from Castello Banfi – one of the most respected producers from Tuscany – were presented to match the food. Guillaume Blanchard, Regional Manager Banfi SRL, was present to effortlessly guide this evening and to introduce his guests to the culinary passion of his land! |
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Madhulika Bhattacharya, Guillaume Blanchard and Ravi Joshi |
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| As I met Guillaume, I wondered “how a Frenchman was representing an Italian winery?” He told me that Banfi was a melting pot of nationalities – their brand manager in Italy was Japanese! His being French was not at all unusual, before adding that that he was born in France to mixed French/ Indonesian parentage and had grown up in South East Asia. The very diverse nationalities rolled into his personality were probably the reason that Banfi spotted him as the right person for the job in the region. |
| About Banfi |
| Castello Banfi is part of the larger group, Banfi Vintners, that was founded in 1919 in New York by John Mariani Sr. who named the company after an aunt, Teodolinda Banfi, who supervised his early education and greatly influenced his views toward fine wines. In the sixties, Castello Banfi was one the handful few to start growing the Sangiovese in Montalcino and they are credited with ground breaking research on the Sangiovese vine to produce a superior Brunello and the Super Tuscan wines. Hence, no wonder – Banfi consider Brunello their flagship wine. |
| The dinner |
| (Wine prices ex-Delhi) |
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The Banfi wines |
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| Castello Banfi 'Le Rime' Pinot Grigio-Chardonnay (₹ 1570) |
| A near-neutral coloured wine, light and refreshing on the palate. An interesting blend of Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay gives it both volume and crispness. Served with grilled Atlantic sea scallop with saffron potato espuma, green pea tendrils and dehydrated olives. |
| Castello Banfi Chianti Classico DOCG (₹ 3330) |
| A deep ruby wine with a bouquet of dark berries and a velvety palate. Served with handmade ravioli stuffed with 24 month aged Parmigiano Reggiano crême brulée, morels, asparagus, green peas and cherry tomato confit. It was savoured to the finish. |
| Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino (₹ 4180) |
| Made from 100% Sangiovese, this wine could be the younger sibling of big brother Brunello given its conservative tannin extraction. Guillaume informed us that this wine style is intended for earlier enjoyment than Brunello. Sure enough, it was juicy with discernible fruit on the palate. Served with the Amalfi lemon jumbo prawns and zucchini risotto. |
| Castello Banfi 'Poggio Alle Mura' Brunello di Montalcino (₹ 7690) |
| Banfi’s prestige racehorse – the wine comes from a single vineyard sloping down the historic Poggio Alle Mura castle. After a decade-long research, Banfi planted it with selected Sangiovese clones in 1992 and since then it has been consistently producing avant garde wines that have repeatedly stood the scrutiny of renowned wine critics. |
| Deep ruby with a garnet outline, the wine had complex aromas of dark berries, leather and sweet spice. On the palate it conveyed raw power replete with a steely structure and a meaty feel – demonstrating its potential to go the long circuit. Served with a platter of pan seared black cod with wild forest mushroom, oilo negra and nuts, which provided rustic company to this ‘tough guy’. |
| Castello Banfi 'Summus' Cabernet Sauvignon-Sangiovese (₹ 8850) |
| A conversation around Tuscany cannot be complete without dwelling on Super Tuscans i.e. wines produced by incorporating international varietals. Guillaume shared with us that Banfi were the pioneers in identifying the potential of Tuscany towards international varietals. Summus is a blend of Sangiovese (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and Syrah (25%). No wonder that this super powered blend carried the best of both worlds with its abounding ‘robust red wine’ character. |
| Served with pistachio crusted lamb chops, baby carrots, mashed potatoes, Tropea onions IGP and Marsala sauce, the wine had a variety of textures to support its power. |
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At the table |
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| Madhulika Bhattacharya, the owner of La Cave, who supported the wines and presented this dinner has since visited Banfi and some other Italian winemakers whose wines she stocks in her store. She is very upbeat about hosting more dinners around wine and food – a proposition which keep wine lovers enthused for sure. |
| Ravi Joshi was invited by Madhulika Bhattacharya to be part of this exclusive experience. |
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