On Tuesday May 24th, 2016, Fred Bollaci, international healthy-gourmet lifestyle expert and sommelier enjoyed attending this fabulous wine dinner at Marcello’s La Sirena, celebrating 30 years as one of the top Italian restaurants and wine programs in the State of Florida! Diners were treated to a selection of wines from the islands of Salina (part of the Aeolian Island-Isole Eolie chain off the northeast coast of Sicily, whose neighbors include Lipari, Vulcano, and Stromboli), and from the island of Sardinia, paired with the exceptional cuisine of Chef/Owner Marcello Fiorentino.
The Hauner family, originally from Austria moved to Salina where they had a family and got into winemaking. Their wines capture the essence of the salty Mediterranean and rich minerality of the soil on this tiny volcanic island, basking in the Sicilian sun and kissed by the mild sea breezes. The whites paired nicely with Marcello’s fantastic, fresh seafood salad- Insalata di Mare with arugula, light and lemony!
In homage to Sardinia- Sardegna, we enjoyed freshly made Gnochetti with a Lamb and Vegetable Ragu, reminiscent of Ossobuco!
The Sardinian wines were represented by Renato Spanu, winemaker. The Vermentino was excellent! Vermentino is the #1 most popular white wine in Italy, and in fact, Sardinia is the only DOCG zone for Vermentino in all of Italy! The other 4 of the top 5 most popular varietals in Italy are red wines. The Vermentino was perfect with the Swordfish over lemony risotto. Then we moved on to reds, one from Salina, and one from Jankara to pair with a roasted pork, and concluded with fresh Florida watermelon- anguria, something Italians and Americans both love, a perfectly refreshing, healthy way to end a great dinner!
Fresh Swordfish from Florida– cooked to perfection!
All the wines featured are reasonably priced- between the $20-$30 mark retail, which make them approachable for everyday drinking. Be sure to get on La Sirena’s mailing list to stay informed about future wine dinners– you won’t want to miss out! The evening was very well done, both informative, and enjoyable with great food and wine. There is a reason Marcello’s has remained one of the foremost Italian restaurants in all of Florida for 30 years, and has been honored with the Wine Spectator Grand Award, one of only several restaurants in the entire state!
6316 S. Dixie Hwy.
West Palm Beach, FL 33405
561.585.3128
