Nerano Hosts Their Inaugural Monthly Wine Dinner

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Nerano, an upscale Italian restaurant owned by the Toscana Restaurant Group in Beverly Hills, hosted their first in a series of monthly wine dinners.

For this inaugural dinner, in their swank BG Lounge, Nerano’s Sommelier Samantha Johnston and Executive Chef Michele Lisi teamed up with Marchesi Antinori Wines ambassador Alessia Botturi to pair their wines with a five-course dinner.

Nerano & The BG Lounge
9960 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
http://www.neranobh.com/

This dinner was what dreams are made of for an Italian food and wine aficionado. Not only does Nerano have a solid reputation in LA as one of the favorite eateries among Hollywood power-players, but Antinori is also a company that can trace their history back to 1385, making them one of the oldest Italian wine producers. This Italian wine powerhouse is 26 generations owned and popularized in the US in the “Super Tuscan” boom of the 1970’s.

From left: Col de Salici Rosé Brut NV, Tenuta Guado Al Tasso, Vermentino 2015, Castello Della Sala, ‘Cervaro,’ Chardonnay 2014, Guado al Tasso, ‘Il Bruciato’ 2015, Antinori ‘Tignanello’ 2014 

The first course began with a Stuzzichini, crostini topped with Apulian Burrata & Green Tomato Marmellata and Bruschetta with Grilled Rustic Crostino, Diced Campari Tomato, Arugula & Parmigiano Reggiano paired with Col de Salici Rosé Brut NV. These lighter crostinis were perfect little bites to start us off. I believe dinner should always begin with bubbles, so this blush with fruity notes of berries, was a delight. 

Left: Stuzzichini Right: Bruschetta

Crudo Di Ricciola

The second course, antipasti, was the Crudo Di Ricciola with Pacific Yellowtail, Crispy Capers, Fresno Chili Peppers, Rainbow Micro Greens & Citronette paired with Tenuta Guado Al Tasso, Vermentino 2015. I used to work at an Italian restaurant, and the Vermentino, a lighter bodied, Sardinian white was always my favorite wine. I was a little bit tickled when Alessia announced it would be a pairing. If you love Sauvignon Blanc, you’d love Vermentino, and it pairs very well with the Pacific yellowtail and the spices from the pepper.  

Burrata Caprese

The third course was the Burrata Caprese with Heirloom Tomatoes, Apulian Burrata, Tomato & Arugula paired with Castello Della Sala, ‘Cervaro,’ Chardonnay 2014. This is such a classic dish that never goes out of style. But what surprised me the most about this was the wine selection. 

I had a big Chardonnay obsession in 2007, specifically any bottle from Alexander Valley. They used to be so buttery, lightly oaky and very easy to drink. I don’t know what’s going on in the wine world, or perhaps my palette changed over time, but I just haven’t been into chardonnay anymore.

Alessi’s selection, the ’14 Castello Della Sala, ‘Cervaro,’ had restored my faith in Chardonnay! It’s lightly acidic, refreshing but still rich, savory and there’s just a hint of oakiness. The oakiness is not over powering like many of the other’s I’ve sipped on as of late. This was my favorite wine selection of the night, cause I love to be surprised!

Orecchiette

Next up was the Pasta course, house-made Orecchiette with Colorado Lamb Ragú, English Peas, Tuscan Mint & Fiocchi di Burrata paired with Guado al Tasso, ‘Il Bruciato’ 2015. This was my favorite food course. The orecchiette was chewy and al dente, the lamb ragú was savory and earthy. 

Tagliata di Manzo

For Secondi, the main course, we were served Tagliata di Manzo, a USDA Prime New York Steak with Yukon Gold Potato Focaccia & Sautéed Spinach paired with Antinori ‘Tignanello’ 2014. As you can see from the image above, this was one juicy cut of steak! The focaccia potatoes are very similar to scalloped potatoes, but the cheese is a bit more caramelized, which I loved.  

Dolci of Panna Cotta e Frutti di Bosco

The courses complete with a Dolci of Panna Cotta e Frutti di Bosco, a Tahitian Vanilla Panna Cotta with Fresh Wild Berries, Orange Zest & Vincotto paired with Fattoria Aldobrandesca, ‘Aleatico’ 2011. The vincotto is a fig balsamic vinegar but don’t let that scare you off! Once the panna cotta is mixed up with the vincotto, it becomes lightly tart but still soft and creamy. 

The wine pairings selected for the 14 guests, chosen by Alessia personally, validated Antinori’s staying power. Through this dinner, Alessia proved that Antinori wines truly offer something for everyone and for every occasion. 

According to Samantha, there will be one more dinner next month, with a guest wine maker. After that one in August, they won’t do another wine dinner until October or November due to harvest. But they will come back and Samantha hints there may be a spirits pairing on the way as well. 

Pricing for Nerano’s Antinori Wine Dinner was $140 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity. There were limited availability and reservations were required.

For information on the next dinner, please follow posts on the Nerano Facebook page for announcements.  

 

  • Thanks to Nerano for their generous hospitality. Although my meal was provided by Nerano, all opinions are my own.

Julianne

Actress and Founder of Girls on Food: I was born and raised in the suburbs of Sacramento, California. I grew up a typical “McDonald’s kid”. I was very picky about what I ate and refused to try new foods. No fun, I know. My Mom started taking me on trips to Europe when I was a teenager and that’s when my palate for finer foods began to develop. Some of my most memorable favorite meals include Veal Bolognese in Rome, Gyros in Athens, Paella in Lisbon and Duck L’Orange in Paris. While this helped me grow out of a fast food phase, I still eat out quite a bit. I know I should be at home cooking, but I love dining out. I started working in restaurants in various front of the house positions at age 15. Since my start, I’ve worked in every casual restaurant setting you can think of: a teriyaki stand, brewery, sushi nightclub, trendy Mexican, family-style Italian, American diner, pizza parlor and even a BLT themed food truck. I can't help but notice that many of the LA food bloggers don't have any sort of background working in a restaurant. A lot of my perspective on food and dining out comes from my years of experience in the biz. Since starting this blog, I have shot appearances on a couple of cooking competition shows as a taster (including MasterChef Junior and another upcoming show). We have also started producing a Youtube Channel. IMDb page here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2023647/ For this site I contribute content from all over Los Angeles (and the world) to showcase my favorite fine-dining spots, steakhouses, exclusive supper clubs, Hollywood nightlife and our very own #GOFx events, which I plan and coordinate.

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