On Thursday, January 26, 2017 my friend Stephanie joined me as we attended a Wine Dinner at Il Fornaio, a Coronado restaurant known for serving authentic Italian cuisine. Presented by General Manager Luca Allieri and Chef Giorgio Lo Verde, the multi-course wine and food pairing featured wines from the Seghesio Family Vineyards in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley. The Wine Dinner was advertised:
“Thoroughly mouth watering! Take the opportunity and you will have an evening to remember in a truly must experience. Menu will complement one of the best hidden gems of Sonoma’s Wineries.”
Guests, who made reservations in advance by pre-paying $55 each, were warmly greeted when they arrived. There were no assigned seats, and we were allowed to sit at any one of the four rectangular tables, all beautifully set in a private party room adorned with giant, rustic doors.
Since we were there to celebrate Stephanie’s birthday, I let her choose where she wanted to sit, and she chose two seats for us where we could enjoy the breathtaking skyline view of downtown San Diego lit up at night. As soon as we chose our seats, we were immediately served a glass of sparkling wine, and our mouths started watering as we glanced over the menu at each place setting.
Sitting down for dinner in a communal setting felt mildly intimidating to Stephanie and me at first because out of the nine of us at our table, we only knew each other, but as our evening kicked off Luca set the tone for an evening of fun.
Luca, with his utterly charming Italian accent, started off the evening by greeting all of us, and warmly introducing us to Alex from Seghesio Family Vineyards. Alex gave us a brief, but thoroughly interesting family background about Seghesio Family Vineyards, explaining that it was started by Italian immigrants who came to America in the late 1800s, not only with dreams of a brighter future, but with the grapes from the motherland needed to make that vision a reality. The Seghesios, according to Alex, “became one of the best at what they were doing in Sonoma County.” The first generation of the family “put Seghesio on the map” by making wines reminiscent of the ones they drank back home in Italy, including Sangiovese. Then the second generation “brought it to the next level” and “modernized the winery” as they starting producing wines popular in California, including Zinfandel. Alex credited the third generation of Seghesios involved with the family vineyard for making it a “leader” among California vineyards.
As we prepared to take our first sip of 2015 Vermentino, paired with pancetta wrapped shrimp, garlic and herb mushrooms, and cured bresaola with goat cheese, Luca made everyone smile as he held up his glass and said, “Ching-ching! Buon appetito!” Stephanie and I held up our glasses and clinked our own glasses together, and then began saying cheers to everyone else at our table. It was at this moment that we went from sitting with a group of strangers to enjoying our fine meal with new friends Lily, Debbie, David, Bob, Becci, Mike, and Yun.
The Vermentino had a wonderful zest without being overly acidic. Alex called it “old world earth with new world spices.” I can’t say enough about how much I loved the “Stuzzichini” (small bites). Everything was cooked to perfection. Stephanie especially the loved the mushrooms while the cured bresaola with goat cheese was my favorite.
For our “Per Cominiciare” we were served Vitello Tonnato: veal with tuna sauce. It was paired with the 2011 Sangiovese, which Alex described as lush. He shared an amusing story about how the family smuggled the vines into the country in the shape of a Christmas wreath. Sangiovese is one of the varietals I enjoy most, and I was quite pleased as I sipped Seghesio’s.
One of the most interesting aspects of attending a dinner like this is that guests don’t have to decide what they want to order as the menu is already set for them. I’ll admit that veal with tuna sauce isn’t something I would have likely ordered for myself, given the choice. Stephanie and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows as we appraised the dishes set in front of us, and decided that we should follow the same advice we give our kids . . . “Take a no thank you bite.” (You have to at least try something before you’re allowed to decline it.) I’m glad we practiced what we preached because I was pleasantly surprised. The veal was sliced thin like carpaccio, and the tuna sauce, while emitting a hint of a fishy aroma, paired nicely with it. This wasn’t Stephanie’s favorite course, and she shared, “I think this is an acquired taste.”
Chef Giorgio Lo Verde came out of the kitchen in between courses to talk with us about the dishes he prepared as well as speak to his dinner guests, giving the Wine Dinner such an intimate feel. I appreciated how he explained from which region in Italy the dishes were derived. He smiled broadly as he observed everyone savoring each bite.
The “Primo Piatto” (course of a meal consisting of a pasta dish) featured Pappardelle con Ragu e Porcini: wide saffron ribbon pasta with Bolognese ragout and Porcini mushrooms. It was paired with a 2013 Barbera, which Alex explained was a red wine with hints of strawberries and blueberries “without the oak and the spice that you see in Sangiovese.” Once again, he shared an anecdote about how the vines for this varietal were smuggled into the country, and if it hadn’t been for another passenger who brought in a big wheel of cheese that customs agents were focused on, the Seghasio family might not be producing this wine today.
The pasta was hearty and delicious, and Stephanie said, “It feels like traditional, home cooking.” As we drank the Barbera, Stephanie commented that she liked it even more than the Sangiovese. Lily, who sat with us, said, “Each wine they serve keeps getting better and better.” Debbie, who sat next to me, and I agreed that we preferred the Sangiovese to the Barbera, but we definitely enjoyed both. It made for such engaging conversation as everyone at our table shared their respective opinions.
The “Secondi Piatto” (main course of a meal, often consisting of meat or fish) was paired with the 2013 Old Vine Zin. Alex told us how the vines for this varietal were fifty to seventy years old. He described the Zinfandel as having “tons of depth” with hints of “white pepper.” He added that even though it’s high in alcohol it’s finely balanced.
The first of the Secondi Piatto we were served was the Branzino all’Arancia: Corvina sea bass pan seared finished with blood orange sauce; served with broccolini. What a vibrant looking dish! When Debbie saw the sauce on the fish, she said, “Blood orange! Yum-o!” She noted how delicious the sweet onion in the sauce was, and once again I agreed with her. “Beautiful” is the singular word Stephanie used to describe the presentation of this dish. She thought the aroma was “bold” but liked the mild taste of the fish along with the cracked pepper. The sea bass was delectable, and I appreciated how the broccolini was cooked to perfection; it was still slightly crunchy but definitely not raw. Yun laughed as she said, “I wish I could cook like this!”
We continued the “Secondi Piatto” with the Cotoletta al Gorgonzola: breaded pan-fried pork chop finished with a mascarpone-gorgonzola cheese sauce; served with potato pancake. Stephanie remarked, “All of it’s delicious! It’s nothing I would’ve ever ordered. I love the potato pancake.” Looking at all of the food still on her plate, Debbie lamented, “I’m so full. I can’t enjoy it.” Lily echoed her saying, “I like it, but I’m so stuffed.” Fortunately the wonderful team of waiters was able to wrap up our leftovers because it would have been a pity to waste such decadence. Bob said, “I can’t wait to revisit it tomorrow,” and Yun added, “Definitely generous portions tonight!”
For our “Dolce and Caffe” we were served Coppa Croccante con Crema al Passito: “Sbrisolona” cake crumbles topped with Passito wine cream and chocolate sauce. Dessert is usually not my thing, but I’ll confess that I relished every bite of the Coppa Croccante con Crema al Passito. It was the perfect sized dessert, and even though it looked rich, it was very light and not overly sweet. I’m not a coffee drinker at all, but in the interest of doing a proper food review, I had an espresso with the dessert course, and, much to my surprise, I really liked it! (I only wish I had ordered the espresso decaf instead because I had a hard time falling asleep later that evening.)
What an incredible night Stephanie and I had at Il Fornaio’s Wine Dinner . . . great food, incredible wines, and wonderful company! I am already looking forward to attending another Wine Dinner there!
Lily and David have been to several other Wine Dinners at Il Fornaio, and said that the wine dinners that are hosted outside are even more exceptional because the view is unencumbered and the acoustics are better. (My only complaint for the entire evening, and it’s minor at that, would be that it was sometimes a little hard to hear because there were thirty-six guests all animatedly speaking to one another as we discussed each wine and food pairing.)
The next Wine Dinner will feature Napa Valley’s Domaine Carneros. It will take place on Thursday, February 23, 2017 at 6:00 pm. To RSVP and pre-pay call 619-437-4911.
Additional Comments from Others in Attendance at the Wine Dinner on January 26, 2017:
“I own the Robert Renzoni Vineyards in Temecula, and I want to say that the Seghesio wines that we tasted tonight were just outstanding.” – Fred Renzoni
“I just want to say that I really enjoyed my experience at Il Fornaio this evening. This is my second wine tasting here, and I have to say that this one was even better than the first, even though the first one was fabulous! Tonight’s was beyond fabulous between the food and the wine and the company. I think the crowd enjoyed it, and it was an excellent experience.” – Becci
“It was a lovely evening with wonderful company! The food was delicious, and the wine was paired excellently with each dish.” – Lily
“Another terrific dinner tonight featuring Seghesio as the featured winery. As usual Chef Giorgio put together a tremendous menu with impressive dishes to complement the wine. Luca made sure everything ran smoothly, and Alex with Seghesio Family Vineyards gave us meaningful details in regards to the winery’s history and the origins of the vineyards, which was all important to us enjoying the flavors. Overall it was excellent! We look forward to coming back again!” – David
