Grandma DeRosa's Lasagna

Along with my passion for good wine is my passion for pasta, or macaroni as we called in when I was growing up in Newark, NJ. My preference for old world traditionally made wine is extended to my preference for food, especially pasta. Simple dishes made with fresh, quality ingredients ring my bell every time. And for me there was no better traditionally made macaroni than my grandmother’s homemade ravioli and lasagna (I once at 43 of her ravioli in one sitting).

My grandparents, like most of the Italians in our neighborhood, came from the Provence of Avellino, Italy and grandma’s cooking was steeped in the tradition of Avellino, especially for holidays like Easter Sunday. The aforementioned ravioli or lasagna were the center of the meal on these occasions. In my opinion these two pastas did not have then, nor now any peer. They were and still are tops amongst my favorite pastas. Typical of Neapolitan cooking these pastas had no meat filling. They were about the ricotta filling and the gravy (Sunday Sauce as it is known today). The gravy meat was served after the lasagna. Easter Sunday usually meant Lasagna, meatballs, sausage, braciole and salad.

I still remember with great fondness and anticipation watching grandma prepare the ricotta filling after she made the pasta. I was always rewarded with being able to scrape the bowl and finish every bit of the ricotta mixture when the lasagna was complete. The flavor and texture will always be amongst my fondest memories. My mother gave me grandma's recipe and I have been making the lasagna for years, especially for Easter Sunday. And keeping with tradition the entire family comes to our house for the sumptuous repast. In addition to the great food and wine, we are now blessed with 3 beautiful grandchildren to share the celebration with.

Grandma DeRosa's Lasagna Recipe

3 lb. ricotta, drained over night
shredded fresh mozzarella
a lot of Italian parsley, minced
grated pecorino romano cheese
6 large eggs
salt & pepper to taste
homemade lasagna noodles (preferred)

It is essential to drain the ricotta in a colander overnight to remove the excess water. If you do not the lasagna will be messy and runny. I have not given quantities of parsley and pecorino cheese. My guide is my memory of what the mixture should taste like from all of my bowl lickings. If I were to measure I would say about 1 1/2 cups of cheese and 4 or 5 tablespoons of chopped parsley. I suggest you taste the mixture as you make it and decide when you feel it is right.

Place ricotta in a colander and allow it to drain it’s water over 3 to 6 hours, or preferably over night. Mix ricotta, eggs, parsley, pecorino, salt and pepper until well incorporated. Adjust flavoring to your taste by adding more pecorino, salt and pepper as needed. Blanch lasagna noodles in boiling water for 1 minute and then remove to an ice bath. Using a 9 by 13 pan, put a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of lasagna on top of the sauce. Cover the lasagna with a layer of ricotta mixture and a sprinkle of the shredded mozzarella. ladle more sauce on top of this layer. Repeat with 5 or 6 more layers. Ladle tomato sauce on top of the top lasagna noodle, sprinkle with romano cheese and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. When done, allow lasagna to sit for 30 minutes so that it may set. It is essential to let the lasagna rest for 30 minutes so that it is nice and firm when you serve it. Serve with meat and additional tomato sauce.

I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with the antipasto, another holiday tradition. In addition to the usual suspects such as roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, provolone, grilled artichokes, etc. Pizzagaina, the traditional Easter Pie, makes an appearance. I purchased the Pizzagaina this year at Buono’s Prime Meats and Deli in Little Falls NJ. Owner Jimmy told me it is made in Brooklyn and he has been purchasing it for more than 15 years. It was truly outstanding…one of the best I have ever had. It had a great moist texture and the meat and cheeses complimented each other beautifully. A bit rich, but OOH so good. This year I also included Rock Shrimp Arrabiatta, easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. Thanks to Mario Carlino, chef/owner of Divina Ristorante, North Caldwell, NJ for the recipe.

Rock Shrimp Arrabiata (Divina Ristorante)

1 lb rock shrimp
sliced fresh garlic
olive oil
vegetable oil for frying
flour
Clam juice
chicken broth
red pepper flakes
chopped fresh parsley
white wine
oregano
salt and pepper

Make sauce in a large skillet. Sauté garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes, add white wine and reduce by 1/2. Depending on how many shrimp you have, add enough clam juice to make a sauce when fried shrimp are added. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth, oregano, salt and pepper.

Coat shrimp with flour, shaking off excess. Pre-heat a deep fryer set at 375º (if you have no fryer, heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan). Fry shrimp for 60 seconds in fryer, remove, shake off excess oil and add to skillet with sauce. Incorporate over medium heat for 30 seconds, add parsley and serve.

With the appetizers we had Non Vintage Parigot & Richard Cremant de Bourgogne Rosé. Since it is from Burgundy and not Champagne, the wine can not be called Champagne even though it is made in the traditional methode champagne manner. No matter what it's called, the wine is terrific. Lively and balanced on the palate it entices your taste buds. The finish is clean and pure, and at $17 a bottle an absolute steal. 56º Wine, Bearnardsville, NJ.

The main course consisted of the aforementioned lasagna with homemade gravy (called Sunday Sauce these days) meatballs, sausage and braciole. The white I choose here was a 2003 Roagna Langhe Bianco Solea. Roagna’s wines are steeped in traditional style wine making. While they are known for their incredible Barbarescos and Barolos, this white is an example of how delicious white wine can be. A blend of about 70% Chardonnay and white Nebbiolo that sees no skin contact during fermentation, it exhibits incredible purity on the palate with an elegant feminine finish. $26. Wine Legend, Livingston, NJ. Oh, one more thing, this is another Louis Dressner selection who I mentioned in my last blog.

For the red wines I opted for a comparison of old and new world. The new was represented by Domenico Clerico Barolo Per Cristina 2001, while the old was represented by 1996 Valentino Rocche Dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano di Perno. Both wines were decanted for 3-4 hours.

Clerico pleasantly surprised me. I expected it to have a lot of oak due to Barrique aging, however the oak was well integrated and the wine was pleasant to drink. It was nicely balanced, showed layers of complexity and had a lengthy finish. What it did not have is the sense of place that a traditional Barolo has. It had no soul and at a hefty $150 - $200, dramatically over priced in my opinion.

The Valentino Rocche Dei Manzonni on the other hand was a beautiful crafted old world Barolo that exhibits an enticing bouquet on the nose with a lengthy finish. The wine is balanced, complex an wonderfully pure & elegant on the palate. The wine has soul and is delicious. It is drinking really well right now. $95. de-vino boutique, NYC.

For dessert I opened a 2003 Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes. While d’Yquem is not my favorite dessert wine, the 2003 is magnificent. I have had this wine on 3 occasions now and it has been spectacular each time. In fact, it may be the best d’Yquem I’ve tasted. It is full of tropical fruit such as bananas & pineapple and vanilla, and most importantly for me it lacks the medicinal finish as I usually experience with these wines, A simply delicious wine. Wines like this unfortunately do not come cheap. Expect to pay around $300.

Until next time,

Saluté

Grammy’s 98th Birthday

This past Monday we celebrated Carol’s mom’s (Grammy as my girls call her) 98th birthday. Yes 98 years young and still going strong.  She has all of her faculties, most important of which is her taste and love of pasta.  Our daughter Lisa & her husband Andy hosted the event at her house, while Carol and I did most of the cooking, save the delicious pepperoni bread Lisa made.  As my mother-in-law’s favorite pasta is Lasagna Napoletana (no meat), I made my Grandma DeRosa’s famous lasagna for her.   I don’t like to brag, but it was, to quote Guy Fieri, “out-of-bounds.”

We began the evening by toasting Grammy with a chilled bottle of 2000 Bellavista Grand Cuvee Pas Opere, a beautifully rich and full-bodied champagne-styled wine from Franciacorta, Italy.  Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes in the classic Methode Champenoise style (a second fermentation occurs in the bottle in which the wine is sold in),  this has long been a favorite with our family.  Not easy to find however.  Wine Legend, Livingston, NJ has the NV Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvee Brut. $32.

To accompany the Bellavista, Carol stuffed Figs that I picked from our fig trees earlier in the day.  She stuffed the sweet and succulent fruits with crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese, slivers of Prosciutto di Parma drizzled them with extra virgin olive oil.  There is nothing like a fresh picked fig and these were incredible.  Fresh Mozzarella slices with tomatoes accompanied the figs on the platter.

The aforementioned Pepperoni Bread (not pictured) complemented the figs and mozzarella, before we settled in at the dinning room table for our sumptuous meal.

We began with the Lasagna with meatballs and sausage.  The beauty of this lasagna is the creaminess of the ricotta cheese filling.   (specifics and the recipe can be found here).

The Lasagna was followed by Carol's Chicken with Sausage, Peppers, Potatoes and Onions. A stand-by Italian favorite at our house for years.  

Of course there was wine to go along with the meal. 

2011 Quintarelli Secco Ca del Merlo Bianco Veronese.  A blend of Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Saorin, this is one terrific wine.  Crisp, fresh, superbly balanced with finesse and focus on the palate, it is simply delicious.  The 2012 is available at 56 Wine, Bernardsville, NJ for $45.

2001 Lopez de Heredia Vina Bosconia Reserva.  Like all Lopez de Heredia wines, this wine is aged in barrel for a minimum of 6 years before seeing additional bottle age before being released.  From the estate's Bosconia vineyard, the wine contains Tempranillo (80%), Garnacho (15%), with Mazuelo and Graciano making up the remainder.  The wine possessed terrific purity on the palate and was beautifully balanced.  It is still a bit young, and will benefit from a few more years of cellar time.  

2001 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva.  From the Tondonia vineyard, it is slightly different that the Bosconia with in that it is made up of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), with Mazuelo and Graciano making up the remainder.  I was disappointed with this bottle, as it seemed to be very tired, with little happening on the palate and a very weak finish.  An off bottle, or something else? I have been reading about concern from LdH lovers that the quality of their Tondonia reds seems to be declining.  I certainly hope that this is not the case.

Both wines are widely available at around $45, and should age well for decades.  Wine-Searcher.

Ice cream cake and all of us singing Happy Birthday "Grammy" concluded a wonderful evening.

Happy Birthday Grammy.  See you next year for number 99!

Saluté

Mangia e Beve in Italia

Carol and I recently returned from a ten-day vacation in Italy with our good friends Tony and Anita.  We visited the Amalfi coast, and a number of small hill towns in the Provinces of Avellino and Perugia.  It was a great trip.   Our ten days were filled with terrific meals and delicious wines under absolutely gorgeous Italian skies.  As Tony likes to say, “Italy is a country in search of a bad meal”.  This trip did nothing to negate his comment. 

Our trip began with a four-night stay at the Palazzo Murat Hotel in the heart of Positano.  What a terrific and reasonably priced hotel this is.  Clean and spacious suites with a complete buffet breakfast for $330 Euro’s a night is indeed a bargain in this day and age.  

Positano is a gorgeous seaside hill town in the heart of the Amalfi Coast.  While it is a big tourist attraction, the restaurants do a magnificent job with fresh local seafood and pastas.  On this trip we revisited a number of our favorites.  At La Cambusa, one of the many beachfront ristorantes in Positano, we enjoyed an assortment of fried fish, eggplant parmigianno and spaghetti puttanesca.

Calamarata alla Calamarelle

Located directly below La Cambusa is Ristorante Le Tre Sorelle, my favorite restaurant in Positano.  Friendly and knowledgeable waiters serve up incredibly fresh seafood.  Highlights on this trip were Calamarata alla Calamarelle, pasta rings with local baby squid in a cherry tomato sauce; Spaghetti with basil and cherry tomatoes; grilled seafood and grilled langoustine.

Polpo Luciano

Also located on the beach and directly adjacent to Le Tre Sorelle is Ristorante Chez Black.  Once again the fish and pasta dishes here are exquisite.  Standout dishes included tender pieces of Polpo Luciano (octopus in a spicy tomato sauce) and Spaghetti with Fried Zucchini.

Whitefish Gratinata

Just a couple of hundred years to the left of Chez Black isCovo Dei Saraceni Ristorante. With food that is equal to the other restaurants we ate at, the wine list is one of the better lists in Positano.  Starters included Risotto with Lobster and Malfatti with Bacala e Porcini, followed by entrée selections of local Whitefish Gratinata and Risotto Frutti di Mare.  Each simply prepared dish was superb and tasted of the sea.  

No visit to Positano would be complete without diving into a plate of Spaghetti con Vongole at Buca Di Baco Ristorante.  Made with fresh baby clams and a hint of tomato, this may be the ultimate pasta with clam sauce on the planet.

Spaghetti con Vongole

We drank some absolutely delicious white wines that complimented our meals in Positano and were very kind to our wallets.  At about $20 a bottle Pieropan Soave 2010 is a crisp, fruity and delicious wine from the Veneto region of Italy.  A blend of Garganega and Trebbiano it is one of the better Soaves produced in Italy.  It is readily available in the states.

The Fiano grape is a white wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Campania region of Italy.  A De Conciliis Fiano Donnaluna 2011 was wonderfully vibrant on the palate and went beautifully with the Polpo Luciano.  At about $20 a bottle, it is a bargain worth looking for. Try Italian Wine Merchants, NYC, DeVino, NYC and 56º Wine, Bernardsville, NJ.  

Another Fiano that we enjoyed was a bottle of 2010 Pietracupa Fiano Di Avellino.   It was wonderfully crisp and round on the palate.  Unfortunately, it does not seem to be available in the states.  

Most of my favorite Italian white wines come from Italy’s most North Eastern region of Friuli-Venezia.  On the border of Slovania, the wines from this region are simply stunning.  We enjoyed a number of them during this vacation beginning with a 2010 Schiopetto Colio Friuliano here in Positano.  This wine is made with 100% Tocai Fruiliano grapes and is fermented and fined in stainless steel.  It is crisp, fruity and has exhibits wonderful balance on the palate.  Good availability at about $25.  

A little further northwest is the Alto-Adige region of Italy, which also produces some wonderful wines, especially white wines such as Kerner.  We enjoyed a 2010 Abbazia di Novacella Kerner.  This bottle was round and elegant with a wonderful finish.  Abbazia Di Novacella is a monestary run by the order of St. Augustine.  The monks make all of the wine.  Finding it may take some time, but at $15 a bottle it is well worth the effort.  

As I alluded to previously, Positano wine lists are on the weak side, especially when it comes to red wines like Barolo. Conterno Fantino is one of the more modern style wine makers (he uses roto-fermentors and ages his wines in French Barrique) who’s wines I do enjoy.  The estate Conterno Fantino Barolo 2005 is a blend of grapes from his single vineyards that do not make it into the single vineyard wines.  The wine was okay but lacked the earthiness and complexity of more traditional Baroli.  At about $75 a bottle, I would pass on adding this to my cellar.  

Approximately 15 miles up the Amalfi coast is the picturesque town of Ravello.  It boasts a magnificent view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, is home to some of Italy’s most beautiful hand crafted pottery (yes we bought some) and has a number of good eating spots such as Cumpa Di Cosimo.  Run by “Mamma Netta”, the food is quite good and the service is friendly.  We filled our bellies with tomato and onion salad, Coniglio (rabbit) and sausage.  We washed our food down with a bottle of 2010 Episcopio Vigna S. Lorenzo.  This was a crisp and delicious local white wine made from grapes that I was not familiar with, Ravello Ginestrella, Pepella, St. Nicholas and Biancazita e Biancatenera.  I don’t think this is available in the US.  If you can find it, expect to pay about $10 -$12 a bottle. 

Ocone Giano Greco 2010 was another local white wine that we thoroughly enjoyed.  Made from the Greco grape it was crisp, vibrant, unoaked with good acidity and balance.  It was a nice compliment to our Pizza Margharita and Gnocci alla Sorrentino at Basilica Ristorante in Sorrento.  At about $15 a bottle, try it if you can find it.

Coniglio Cacciatore

Tony’s grandparents as well as mine come from the Province in Avellino, which is located about 40 miles east of Naples.  Our first stop was to my grandfather’s hometown of Melito Irpino, about 30 miles north of Avellino.  This was the first time I visited this tiny town.  Unfortunately I did not have any living relatives whom I could visit, so we did the next best thing, we stopped for lunch at one of the few restaurants in town, Matullo Trattoria-Pizzeria.  We were very glad we did.  Talk about a great meal at a fantastic bargain, we began with an enormous antipasto that consisted of a vegetable frittata, grilled zucchini, roasted hot & sweet peppers, prosciutto, homemade soprasatta, boccincino, basket ricotta cheese, mashed potatoes with porcini & prosciutto, grilled mortadella, fried mozzarella, potato croquets and baked fagioli (beans).  It was amazing and all for 10 Euros.  The antipasto was followed by an absolutely delicious Coniglo Cacciatore (rabbit cacciatore) for 6 Euros.  A carafe of local homemade Alianico red wine went perfect with both courses.  Alianico is the red grape of choice in the province.  This wine was young, had terrific pure fruit and was served with a slight chill.  It was delicious.  

Lasagna

The next day we visited Tony’s cousins in Santo Stefano de Sole Montevirgine in the suberbs of Avellino.  What a delightful day.  We really enjoyed meeting these wonderful people and in the tradition of genuine Italian hospitality we were treated to a feast at Sunday dinner with the entire family.  The meal was prepared by Tony’s 77 year old cousin Sina and it was “off-the-charts”.  We began with an antipasto of homemade soprasatta, salami and mozzarella.  And of course there were ripe plump figs from their fig trees.  This was followed by a fantastic homemade lasagna that I could have eaten all day long.  Homemade eggplant Parmesan that was moist, light and brimming with flavor; beef braciole and peas with prosciutto, followed the lasagna.  We tried to cry uncle, but to no avail as we were served medallions of stuffed Tacchino (turkey) in a savory gravy and complimented by roasted potatoes.  Everything was cooked in cousin Luigi’s enormous brick oven lending that old world authenticity to the entire meal.  Cousin Luigi’s homemade red wine, Alianico of course, from his current vintage complimented the meal to perfection.  The wine had young, vibrant fruit on the palate with a clean and delicious finish.  For dessert there was homemade Nocellino cake, Baba Rum cake and an assortment of grappas and other after dinner liquors.  Needless to say we left there with full bellies and even fuller smiles. 

Cousin Luigi's Oven

During our two-day visit to the area we stayed at the Hotel Serino in Serino, a lovely hotel with an accommodating staff and at 98 Euro a night, the bargain of the century.  We also dined in the hotel’s restaurant, Antica Osteria O’Calabrisuotto Serino.  Risotto with Castagne (chestnuts) and Asparagus, Fagiano (pheasant) roasted with tomatoes, veal scallopine and homemade Fussili al Forno made up a delicious meal.  We drank yet another Fiano di Avellino, Terradora 2010, with the meal.  It had a bracing acidity and impeccable balance.  $25.

I Capricci di Merion

Our final destination was the town of Tuoro sul Trasimeno in Umbria in the region of Umbria.  We camped out at the historic 9-room bed and breakfast villa I Capricci di Merion situated above beautiful Lago sul Trasimeno.  This was yet another great hotel that Tony sourced.  Our rooms were clean and spacious.  The staff was professional, pleasant and accommodating and the tariff was very reasonable.

Our dinner, with the exception of a delicious Pork Tenderloin bathed in an exquisite wine sauce, was not up to the traditional rustic dishes we had become accustomed to.  The cooking was more Nouvelle Cuisine.  We drank a bottle of Tabarrini Sagrantino Campo Alla Cerqua 2007.  The Sagrantino grape, native to this region, is one of my favorite red grapes from Italy.  It had a nice balance of fruit and spice, however was a bit tannic, suggesting it could use a few more years of bottle age.  About $50.

The next day we visited the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.  Magnificent!  We lunched in a local pizzeria, La Pasterisa, in the town of Perugia.  Here we drank a bottle of 2010 Forchir Ribolla Gialla.  From Fruili-Venezia the wine was crisp and round.  About $10.

Pici with Cingiale Ragu

We dined that evening at Osteria LaBucaccia in Cortona.   The restaurant is known for its Chianina beef and delicious pastas.  Pici is thick, hand-rolled pasta that looks like a fat spaghetti.  It is the traditional pasta of the region.  On this night I had it with Cinghiale (wild boar ragu).  It was magnificent and paved the way for our grilled Chianina beef, which was very tasty.  The wine list here was reasonably priced and well thought out.  We began with Isole e Olena Chardonnay 2010.  This is a great producer of artisanal wines from the Chianti region of Italy.  I have enjoyed his Chiantis on many occasions but this way first taste of his Chardonnay.  It had forward fruit and was crisp on the palate but a bit too much oak for me.  $50.  For red we thoroughly enjoyed a 2009 Salvioni Rosso di Montalcino.  Salvioni is one of the greatest producers of Brunello di Montalcino in Italy.  The rosso is also made from 100% Sangiovese grapes as is the Brunello, but does not see the aging time the Brunello sees.  It is bottled young for early drinking.  The wine had terrific purity, balance, complexity and a soft elegant finish.  $40.

Cappelli Ripiene

From here we were off to lunch at one of Tony’s favorite spots in the area, Siro Ristorante in Torgiano.   After the meal I could easily see why he felt that way.  We all ordered pasta and each dish was superb, but the Cappelli Ripiene, hat shaped pasta bundles stuffed with Scamorza (a cow's milk cheese similar to mozzarella) and eggplant in a fresh cherry tomato sauce, stole the show.  Each bite had you hurrying back for another forkful. Homemade Tagliatelle with a meat ragu and Papparadelle con Lepre (wild hare) also brought huge smiles to our face.  For wines we went with two whites, beginning with a delightful Lungoroti Grechetto 2010.  Made from the Grechetto grape which is one of the local grapes it showed young fruit, vibrancy and nice acidity.  At $7 Euros it was hard to pass up.  I also could not pass up the 2011 Elena Walch Pinot Grigio at $13 Euros.  Elena Walch is a rock star producer from the Alto Adige region of Italy.  Her wines are not easy to find, but widely sought after.  They are beautifully crafted wines.  Rich and fruity, they have a wonderful stony minerality that dances on the palate.

Bronzino alla Cartoccio

For dinner we dined at Ristorante Sottovento on Lago Trasimeno.  As you might expect be situated on a lake, fish is the real star here.  Pristinely fresh Crudo (raw fish) of salmon, tuna & shrimp, Fettucine di Mare, Scallop Gratinata, Lobster Risotto, Risotto with Sausage & Saffron and Bronzino alla Cartoccio (oven baked in a paper bag) made up our menu for the evening.  Each dish echoed the sea and brought huge grins to our faces.  Another Elena Walch white complimented the meal.  This time it was a Muller Thurgau 2011.  The Muller Thurgau grape is a cross between the Sylvaner and Reisling vines and is principally grown in Germany, Austria and the Alto Adige region of Italy.  It is a mild white wine that should be drunk young.   It pairs well with fish and is inexpensive.

Parslied Pasta w/ Vegetable Ragu

Our final meal of the trip was at La Badiaccia Restaurant in Castiglione del Lago. Great food and a spectacular wine list made for a wonderful end to a wonderful vacation. Highlights of the meal were Spaghetti Carbonara w/ black truffles (one of the best versions of this Roman classic I have ever had), homemade parsley imprinted pasta triangles in a vegetable ragu, and Birramesu, a take off of Tiramesu that uses Italian beer in place espresso.  Tony selected a local wine, Bianco del Cavaliere Grechetto di Todi 2010 while I chose a Gravner Breg Anfora  2005.  Made in large beeswax-lined clay amphorae, the wine is a blend Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling Italico, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.   I did not taste the Grechcetto, opting instead for the Gravner.  I have written about this wine in previous blogs.  It is spectacular.  It has a gorgeous orange hue, a compelling earthy bouquet and incredible purity.  This is a unique and quite special white wine that must be drunk at red wine temperature to be fully appreciated.  In fact the wine should be decanted for at least 4 hours before being served.  Once opened it can last for a month if re-corked and place back in your cellar or refrigerator.  It is not a wine for everyone.  You either love it or hate it.  On this evening I was only able to share the wine with Elisa, proprietor/sommelier.  We both enjoyed it immensely.  According to Elisa the 2005 vintage will be his last for Breg.  He will instead only make Ribolla Gialla in the amphorae going forward.  Available at Italian Wine Merchants, NYC for $90.

A rather long post, but it was a lengthy trip.  Needless to say we had a great time and were unable to find a bad meal or a bad wine (fortunately)!

Salut a tutti!