L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano PAGE  20 Low Calories, Seasonal Wines at the New Seasons 52 The British Isles have some of the coldest salmon waters in the world. That and a vigorous spawning grounds, make this wild Scottish Salmon a delicious culinary masterpiece. Two weeks ago, I revealed my Top Ten Wine Tastes highlighted by a Riesling discovery, the Selbach Mosel, Germany 2011, that fit with this Cedar Plank Salmon. Seasons 52 has an award-winning wine program of over 100 selections, 52 of which are offered by the glass, in the restaurant and the wine bar which also offered mixed drinks. It is FRANK MANGIO I've known for some time now that the most vital district in San Diego County is that business and residential area between University City and Del Mar. If you take a good look at a county map, it's the geographical center of this vibrant part of Southern California. It's no surprise that stunning new restaurant formats have positioned themselves in two multifaceted shopping centers in this dynamic consumer magnet. The first dining room we'll visit is Seasons 52, with a front porch location in University Town Center. Seasons 52 is a fresh grill and piano bar that provides a dining experience with no menu item more than 475 calories. The Executive Chef at the UTC location is Steve de Barril who oversees lunch, dinner and snacking, from signature flatbreads to entrees that change weekly with seasonal and farmers' market visits. You must order the Scottish Wild Salmon on Cedar Plank. Maris Laipenieks of Davanti in the Del Mar Highlands Center, introduces Italian Wine Importer Luciano Brussolo and his family of Piemonte Wines. the work of International Master Sommelier George Miliotes, one of only 180 in the world. Miliotes commented he likes to find wine "before they become famous. I love the Mosel River District. I visit as much as I can with a smile on my face," he revealed. Try a few sips before stardom at Seasons 52. Free valet parking all day. Call 858-4501252 for a reservation. Davanti's Introduces Rocking Piemonte Reds Davanti's Enoteca in Del Mar Highlands Center and Little Italy San Diego is no stranger to TASTE OF WINE. Under GM Maris Laipenieks, the format of fresh, upscale small bite Italian, tested in Chicago, has been a hit in San Diego. We've featured them twice. So when I got the call to taste a new lineup of Italian Piemonte reds, I made sure I was there on time. It was Davanti's first wine dinner and Executive Chef Jaysen Euler who collaborated with Italian Wine Importer Luciano Brussolo to put the passion on the plate for the packed house. Brussolo paraded out his heavy hitters and sparklers: wines like Soave, Gavi di Gavi, Barolo and Barbaresco. But the wine with the buzz around the table was the 2010 Damilano Barbera d'Asti DOCG ($15). Barbera is the Chianti Classico of the north in Italy. This is a friendly, accessible red that makes any food taste rich and flavorful with its high acidity. Barbera is best served at 65 degrees. The coolness brightens the wine's red berry texture and hints of vanilla. On this occasion, Chef Jaysen chose to go with a "Tartara Di Cervo" with the Barbera accompaniment: a venison, quail egg and frisee salad with truffle oil complexion. The wine is at home with other dishes as well, like cold cut appetizers, rich beef roasts and stews and medium aged cheeses. For more on this wine and others from Piemonte, see www.viaswine.com. Frank Mangio is a renowned wine connoisseur certified by Wine Spectator. He is one of the leading wine commentators on the web. View and link up with his columns at www.tasteofwinetv.com. Reach him at mangiompc@aol.com. THURS DAY,   JANUARY  17,   2013 Spotlight on winemaker Antonio Fattori DAVID WhITE This week, we're featuring Antonio Fattori, the owner and winemaker of Fattori Wines in northern Italy. Fattori is a third-generation winemaker. The family began making wine at the beginning of the 20th century, when Antonio's grandfather planted 17 acres of vines in Veneto and started producing and selling wines locally. His son officially took over in 1970, expanding the operation by purchasing more vineyards and making more wines. In 1979, Antonio — who had studied winemaking at both the University of Enology in Conegliano and the University of Dijon — took the helm. Today, Antonio owns 161 acres of vineyards, and they're all located within three miles of the winery. What is your general winemaking philosophy? In my opinion, it's too much to say that one has a winemaking "philosophy." We are craftsmen. I believe first and foremost that a winemaker must have knowledge of his terroir — his soils and specific territory. It is only by having an intimate knowledge of your land that you are able to transform it into a vineyard and to turn your grapes into wine. I don't believe that a lifetime is enough time to gain all that knowledge. I also don't believe in flying winemakers — they make wines without soul. These wines may be richly flavored, but they say nothing about the terroir or where they are from. I want to create wines that will be taken seriously, that are long-lived with minerality. I also want them to be enjoyable – wines that are important but also fun. What's open in your kitchen right now? The Fattori Danieli 2009 Soave DOC. Who are your favorite winemakers in history, through personal account, or their wines? Daniel Schuster is my favorite winemaker. Wine is my life and my passion and I've been living around it since I was 15 years old. I have traveled a lot and met many people in the wine industry, and Schuster left the deepest impression on me. In 2001, I visited him in New Zealand and tasted a Chardonnay in his cellar that was 20 years old, yet light, elegant and refined. It was the exact image of a wine that you wouldn't think could age, yet it was 20 years old. What's the best wine you've ever tasted? The most interesting? That same Chardonnay from Daniel Schuster in New Zealand. What's the oldest bottle in your cellar? The most expensive? That would be a bottle of Azienda Agricola Marion Amarone from 1988. What's your biggest challenge as a winemaker? I would say it is the chemistry and all the chemical evolutions that take place. I would like to make a white wine without using sulfur dioxide that is as good as those made using conventional vinification techniques. I am almost there, but not quite yet. What's your favorite wine region in the world — other than your own? I like the South Island in New Zealand — it answers almost all of my desires. There are two magnificent wine regions there, Central Otago and Marlborough. David White, a wine writer, is the founder and editor of Terroirist.com.

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