Northern Italian Wines
/More than one wine writer has said that Piedmont, in Northern Italy, is the country’s greatest wine region. This may come as a surprise to lovers of Chianti, Brunello and the Super Tuscans from Central Italy. While the wines from Southern Italy are gaining prominence and popularity, the big, bold reds from Piedmont and the variety of whites from Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Veneto have been favorites of wine aficionados for years.
The Langhe Valley, near Turin, is the home to two of Italy’s best wines, Barolo and Barbaresco. Both are made from 100% nebbiolo grapes. A Barolo must be aged a minimum of 3 years before release, while a reserve Barolo must be aged a minimum of 62 months. One of Italy’s most renowned winemakers, Angelo Gaja, brought Barolos and the wines of the Piedmont to the world stage, partly by introducing new techniques of fermentation and using new oak barrels for the initial aging of his wines.
Equally good, but not as pricey, are Piedmont favorites Dolcetto and Barbera from Alba and the surrounding area.
The regions of Alto-Adige and Friuli are well-known for white wines. They produce Pinot Grigio that rises above the common, inexpensive versions of that grape that are produced elsewhere.
If there is one region that claims as much notoriety as Piedmont, it would be Veneto, the home to Verona and Venice. Soave, Prosecco, Valpolicella and the magnificent Amarone della Valpolicella are produced here.
Amarone is definitely a “special occasion” wine, not least because of it’s price. This wine is mainly made from the corvina grape, a dark grape whose name means “crow” in Italian. The grapes are picked ripe, then allow to dry for three to four months before being pressed. This process is called appassimento - “to dry and to shrivel” in Italian.The evaporation produces concentrated flavors which is further enhanced by a slow fermentation of 30 - 50 days and then aged in oak for a minimum of two years.
Some of the red Northern Italian wines that you will find at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Italian are shown above. M’tucci’s Twenty-Five has a wide selection of white wines by the glass from the North including: Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, a Pinot Nero Spumante and a Pinot Bianco. The Franco Serra Nebbiolo is available by the glass and is a great introduction to Piedmont wines without spending the big bucks for a Barolo.
Weekend Specials
M’tucci’s Italian
Ravioli - Pickled Fennel Ricotta filling, Green Chile Pork Sausage, Sautéed Mushroom, Caramelized Onions, Asparagus, Red Wine Braising Sauce. $25
24 oz Hand Cut Porterhouse: Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $39
Pan-Seared Ruby Trout: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Sauce $29
Braise - Sackett Farms New Mexico Red Chile Braised Pork, Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Haricot Vert, Pickled Red Onions $27
Weekend Cocktail
The Tie Fighter: Starward Two Fold Australian Whisky, Bigallet China China Amaro, Fresh Lemon Juice, Cane Sugar
M’tucci’s Moderno
14 oz. Hand Cut NY Strip- Traditional Italian Salsa Verde, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, & Grilled Asparagus $31
Pan-Seared Yellowtail - Roasted Artichoke, Sautéed Organic Arugula, Mashed Potatoes, Caper Lemon Butter Sauce, & Smoked Prosciutto Powder $26
Frutti di Mare: Pink Shrimp, Mussels, Baby Scallops, Clams, Baby Clams, Spicy Seafood Sauce, House Made Fettuccine $24
Weekend Cocktail
Rock the Bells: Campo Bravo Reposado Tequila, Aperol, Fresh Lime Juice, Honey Simple Syrup with a Jalapeño Salted Rim
M’tucci’s Twenty-Five
Pescare Pasta - White Clams, White Cockles, Pink Patagonia Shrimp, Grilled Octopus, Marinated Tomatoes, Red Pepper Flakes, House Made Spaghettini, Lemon and White Wine Brodo, Fresh Herbs, Garnished with Basil, Shaved Parmesan and Cracked Black Pepper. $27
14 oz. Hand Cut NY Strip - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini, Smoked Blackberry Bone Marrow Butter $31
Pan-Seared Arctic Char - Garlic Whipped Potatoes, Braised Greens, Stem on Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Butter Caper Sauce $29
Weekend Cocktail
Suns Out Buns Out: High West American Prairie bourbon, Mango & Peach Puree, Grapefruit Bitters, Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup
Live Music for April & May at M’tucci’s Twenty-Five and M’tucci’s Moderno
Thursdays @ 6:30 & Fridays @ 7:00
M’tucci’s Italian has soft cello or violin dinner music every Thursday night beginning at 6:00.
MODERNO
4/15 Lani Nash
4/21 RJ Perez
4/22 Kirk Matthews
4/28 Austin Van
4/29 Cali Shaw
5/5 Eryn Bent
5/6 Nathan Fox
5/12 Sloan Armitage
5/13 Lani Nash
5/19 Alex Maryol
5/20 RJ Perez
5/26 Oscar Butler
5/27 Kirk Matthews
TWENTY-FIVE
4/21 Eryn Bent
4/28 Oscar Butler
5/5 Kirk Matthews
5/12 Amy Faithe
5/19 Austin Van
5/26 Alex Maryol
Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!
