Vino 2017 Grand Tasting of Extraordinary Italian Wines...ie...Vino 2017 Grand Tasting di Straordinari Vini Italiani

I attended the Vino 2017 Grand Tasting wine event with 95 exhibitors in NYC a few weeks ago and would like to feature some of the wines I found truly 'extraordinary'. One of those is a wine called "Friulano".
Friulano, formerly known as Tocai Fiulano, is a white grape variety of Fruili-Venezia Giulia.
Although Fruili has a well regarded reputation for producing white wines from other varietals, it is the Friulano grape that is by far the most important to the region.
Friulano's smooth acidity and texture make it a versatile food wine, pairing well with antipasto, fish and poultry. I took a glass of this wine back and forth to the food bar just loving how it paired with prosciutto...ie...'salty ham flavor cleansed by tastes of apples', minerals and that smooth acidity alluded to above.
Of course, what one enjoys is subjective. Just like the restaurants I choose to include in my blog, not all pizza's or pasta's are created equal. I write about what I enjoy. If, however, you trust my taste in food, so it will be you will most likely enjoy my picks of  Friulano and a couple others from the varied wine regions of Italy.
And now, I'd like to introduce you to Bert's best!

                           Martina Moreale / Il Roncal Friulano / Friuli Venezia Giulia / info@ilroncal.it

                     

Margherita Bidoli / Bidoli Vini Friulano / Friuli Venezia Giulia / bidolivini@bidolivini.com

Daniele Pasquali / Vespa / ordini@bvfutura14.it

www.bvfutura.it

Elena Gallo / Fattoria di Corsignano/ Tuscany/ info@tenutacorsignano.it

www.fattoriadicorsognano.it

Erik Klein / Quota 101 Organic Wines / Veneto / info@quota101.com

www.quota101.com 

Some vineyards are not yet represented in the USA...ie...no distributor. That said, they will be here soon through the distributors that find them. Until then, seek out Friulano. You WILL love it!

*Wanna know more...just Google "Friulano, an Italian White Wine That Makes Friends Easily"

Next up... 

Typically, at any wine event, I walk from table to table tasting and spitting out white wines and then follow it up doing the same route for the red wines, After that, it's the same route for dessert wines 

With 95 tables to choose wines to taste, it was impossible to do them all.

After about 3 hours I was about to depart when I heard a voice call out "Bert"!

Bert with Sophia & Jonathan @ Pazzione Wine Imports

I turn around and there's Mr. Jonathan Warner of garment center fame. Jonathan bought hangers from B Free back in 2015 and when I went to drop off my Holiday Hanger at his office, he was gone and I never knew to where he had traversed...until now.

Guess what?

He's now a wine importer with great tasting portfolio.

He works as the New York Director of Marketing (although how could it be work if you love it) with Mr. Andrea Posani at Pazzione Imports Wine Imports based out of Bradenton, Florida.

Bert with Andrea

 He and cast members then proceeded to offer me the deluxe wine tasting tour of wines that ARE available.

Jonathan, Andrea, Francesca & Sophia

You know what they say about happy people!

Wanna learn more?

Simply go to www.pazzione.com

Every wine tasted was impressive and that doesn't happen often. 

That's all for now folks. Enjoy my picks!

As always, would love to hear from you with any comments or suggestions...or even reviews.

Remember, it's more fun NOT to be shy!

Mangia Baby!

Bert

BestaPasta

www.phoodographsandfinds.com

www.phoodographsandfinds.blogspot.com

The Best Chinese Spareribs Reside at The Happy Garden in Oyster Bay,N.Y.

When I was a little guy growing up in Los Angeles, I used to sneak over to the local Chinese restaurant after school and before I went home for dinner. The reason: An order of Chinese spareribs for $1.15. Yup...memorable to this day was Hoi Ping's spareribs on Olympic Boulevard in Beverly Hills. That was almost 60 years ago and that taste was brought back to life right here in Oyster Bay, New York at the Happy Garden Chinese Restaurant.
As you can see it says "Take-Out" on the sign in front, however there are a couple of tables for 4 awaiting if you want to grab a few on your way home from school.

Someway...somehow...the food flavors I experienced as a kid stuck with me and when I find these flavors in my travels, I feel compelled to write about them.
I might add that they are all especially satisfying when they are right in your own back yard, so to speak.
The Happy Garden in downtown Oyster Bay is such a place. Beyond the flavor I've been looking for all these years, the meat on these bones is tender and there is plenty of it. Just ask my buddy Randy W. on Facebook. I mentioned an upcoming story featuring the best Chinese spareribs and he knew the place before this was published with 7 !!!!!!! marks.

All you have to do is call Frances and tell her Bert and Randy sent you and your in for the sparerib treat of your life. What the heck...you'll get them anyway with or without the call!

                                              Hostess with the Mostess Frances with Jenny


Her daughter Jenny was there the evening we ordered dinner and was good enough to pose with her mom to make the spareribs look even better...if that's possible.

Thank you Jenny and thank you Frances for your consistency over the years.

See you again soon!

Oh yes...one more thing...
There's another flavor of the past that awaits at Panera Bread. Do you know what is a "bear claw"? It a pastry filled with almond paste that brings back the taste of  the DuPars Pancake House bear claw in L.A, CA


As always, love the comments just below. It's more fun not to by shy!



Mangia Baby!
Bert