One of my absolute pleasures of being a food writer has been to taste the flavours of a Chianti. This is a wine recipe from one of Italy’s most charismatic statesman and later Prime Minister, Baron Bettino Ricasoli. But little did I know that tonight I was going to break-up with her and fall in love with the Queen, Barbaresco. The setting was at one of Cyber Hub’s newest opening, Twist and my hosts for the evening were the ever gregarious Gurjit Singh Barry and Magandeep Singh from Wi-Not Beverage Solutions Private Limited. The best thing about spending an evening with these two is the amount of wine knowledge you gather in a bunch.
Before I digress, let’s get back to the setting. Twist is a wine bar with a twist, it serves one of the most unexpected of cuisines. But the Randip Dhingra’s brainchild is such that the food sits pretty well with the huge range of wines available at the restaurant. But the heart of the restaurant lies in its wine bar. Traveling across the length and breadth of Europe, specially Italy, Randip has racked up a wine list that will be the envy of quite a few hotels.
Pairing the white wines
They say love happens at first sight. The Magnum bottle of the Barbaresco had me curious the moment I saw it displayed on the counter but our meeting was still quite a few courses away. The first course was a sparkling Villa Franciacorta Boke Rose 2011. “Do not even dare call this an Italian Champagne” quips Francesco Pensabene (Trade Commissioner of the Italian Embassy) from across the table. Although I had expected a sharp taste at first, but the mellowing effect of the Pinot Noir on the Chardonnay is quite prominent in this wine. We had this paired with a Roasted Chicken Salad and the way it allowed the meat to express itself had me floored.
The next round was a Tenuta Di Nozzole Le Bruniche Chardonnay 2014 and although our original pairing was with a Fish Sale Peppe, it was the Crackling Spinach which created some magic. It totally took away the acidity of the Chardonnay and left in its place a sweet aftertaste. Even before I was going to meet my love for the evening, I had to contend with ex, a Tenuta Di Nozzole Chianti Classico 2014. Her story is pretty interesting too. Starting off as a recipe, it was standardized to be made with Sangiovese grapes exclusively. Although some additions of white wine were permitted later on, but the majority of flavors are that of the “Blood of Jupiter”. As usual, she seduced me with the perfect balance of dark fruits and measured tannins, but I wasn’t going to be a faithful lover. The pork ribs along with dish acted like my best friend trying hard to convince me of folly, but even it’s sweet goodness could’t prevent me for taking the next step.
The love affair with Barbaresco
The Orlando Abrigo Barbaresco 2013 had been hatched in the vineyards of North West Italy. Known as the Queen of Italian wines, she gives off a strong hint of dark berries and Christmas spices. But just like a true woman you need to take some time to turn her on. A swirl here, some gentle cupping and letting her stay on your tongue, she takes me to heights of ecstasy I haven’t reached before. In essence, she is quite the bong. Full bodied while spitting fire sometimes. Although we taper off the night with Creme Brulee and Gewurztraminer that tastes of Roses and Litchi, it is the taste of Barbaresco that still lingers on my tongue.
You can visit Twist at 17-18 Cyber Hub, DLF Cyber City, Gurugram
To learn more about wines, you definitely should go check out Wi-Not.
