White corn, basil and red onion fritter

On the first Thursday of each month Vertical Wine Bistro treats patrons to a free 1 ounce pour of two featured wines. As an added bonus a representative from the vineyard takes on the role of guest sommelier, pouring the wine and describing its origins.

At the Tasting Thursday I attended, wines from the Italian vineyard Marchese Antinori were served. Giuseppe Cossu,

Giuseppe Cossu Guest Sommelier

representative of the winery, served as guest sommelier for the evening. Giuseppe told us that the Antinori family has been making wine for over 600 years.

Our first pour was a Bramito del Cervo Chardonnay from Umbria. Crisp and light, it was a little more acidic than California wines. With this we savored the white corn, basil, and red onion fritter topped with cured salmon and crème fraiche. What a wonderful combination of flavors and textures! The fritter was crispy with the sweet taste of onion and corn while the salmon tasted of salt and the sea – all topped with the creamy tartness of crème fraiche.

A light fruity Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico accompanied mini-grilled cheese

Mini grilled cheese sandwiches

sandwiches. The sandwiches – far from ordinary – were toasted raisin bread filled with a mixture of blue cheese, honey and walnuts with wilted radicchio. Almost a dessert, these sandwiches blended with the Chianti beautifully.

Pan-seared sea scallops topped with corn, applewood bacon and lobster sauce arrived at our table and were promptly devoured. The sweet caramelized scallops married with the flavors of the salty bacon and rich lobster sauce.

A ruby red Brunello di Montalcino with cherry and red berry flavors

Pan seared sea scallops

accompanied roasted lamb rack. The lamb was accompanied with fava beans, artichokes and feta cheese, giving the dish a distinct Mediterranean twist.

"All day long pulled pork” accented with prunes and topped with a triple cream cheese was served with a Napa Valley Zinfandel. This was a great example of what a Zinfandel can taste like when it’s done right (so often, it’s not). Hints of spice combined with notes of berries and cocoa highlighted this delicious wine. The pulled pork was tender and juicy and was accompanied by a creamy grilled polenta. continued