Join us during the Month of April as we celebrate the Scavino Estate with our April Wine Features
and as we host Elisa Scavino, winemaker at Paolo Scavino.

Paolo Scavino “Sorriso” Langhe Bianco 2013 $8 glass / $36 bottle

Italy | Piedmont | Langhe | Castiglione Falletto

Paolo Scavino is an historical winery in the Barolo region. It was founded in 1921 in Castiglione Falletto from Lorenzo Scavino and his son Paolo. Farming has always been a family tradition and passion. Paolo Scavino is an historical winery in the Barolo region. It was founded in 1921 in Castiglione Falletto from Lorenzo Scavino and his son Paolo. Farming has always been a family tradition and passion. Enrico Scavino together with the daughters Enrica and Elisa, fourth generation, run the family Estate. Since 2000, the Langhe D.O.C. SORRISO®, is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Viognier. A fresh white wine vinified and aged in stainless steel with distinctive character and finesse. A unique combination of these three varietals in the Langhe region which comes from the belief in our noble terroir able to enhance the elegance and complexity of the grapes.

Pale yellow with emerald hues. Fresh and charming nose with white flowers, sage, yellow and orange fruits in addition to mineral notes. The delicate flavors continue on the palate where a soft texture is combined with sapid and cleaning acidity.

Paolo Scavino “Vino Rosso” 2013 $8 glass / $36 bottle
Italy | Piedmont | Langhe | Castiglione Falletto

Rosso is a blend which represents our autochthon varietals: The grapes from the younger vines of the Estate combined together, offer a fresh, aromatic, charming wine with a Piedmontese character.

Brilliant ruby-red with purple hints. Expressive, continuous and delicate aromas of red cherries and spices. Fresh in the nose and in the palate. Supple and joyful structure where the flavors are persistent and of a light nature.

A delicious red which expresses the brightness of the youth, to drink over the next year or two. Pretty easy with food pairings. Nice to combine with vegetarian dishes as well as with light antipasti, white meat, bluefish, fresh goat cheeses.

We love this business for a few key reasons, one being the diversity of wines we are fortunate to enjoy on a daily basis. Often, we find our palates stretched in new ways as unique varietals and blends are brought to us by our faithful purveyors. This month, Luci Ancora & Ristorante Luci will showcase three wines – we’re changing things up a bit to kick off the Fall Season.

Berlucchi ’61 Cuvee Brut $9/glass | $45/bottle

The first wine, Berlucchi ’61 Francicorte Brut, comes to us from the Francicorta Area of Lombardy, Italy.  DOCG bottled on site near Borgonato, Brescia, this wine utilizes the Metodoro Classico method of fermentation. A bit less expensive than the traditional champagne method, but allows for full expression of this 75% Chardonnay / 25% Pinot Noir Blend which offers white fruit, hints of spice, and tropical notes alongside balanced acidity. We love it with Luci’s Spaghetti Carbonara or as a starting wine with Tempura Vegetables aka Fritto Misto at Luci Ancora.

From Berlucchi

” Berlucchi’s Cuvee 61 celebrates the magical decade of the sixties. in Milan, it was a time of optimism, experimentation and designers, artists and chefs.Cuvee 61 encapsulates all of that creative spirit which continues with today’s fashion and style.”

Maybe that’s another reason we love this wine – it possesses the same embodiment of the 1960’s that established the Smith Family traditions that Luci Restaurants reference today. Offered at $9/glass $45/bottle through September 2014.

Zyme “From Black to White” Bianco 2012 $9/ glass | $42/bottle

September is the month for transitions – new routines, sweater weather,  and crisp autumn stolls with crisp leaves beneath your feet. With this in mind, we selected Zyme‘s Rondiella Blend. “From Black to White”  symbolizes the fortunate discovery of a black Rondinella vine growing in the vineyard which produced white tinged grapes. Typically a black grape varietal, this Rondinella offered a unique viticulture opportunity. Through the patient task of selectively breeding the vine, the grapes were further refined to a fully white grape, thus the name “From Black to White.” In a similar way, the change in seasons brings something new and unexpected.

On the palate, this bianco remains full and complex with rare viscous texture, an expansive bouquet offering mint, herbs, and citrus complements in the nose while remaining nearly endless through the finish. In the Luci Kitchen, we enjoy serving Zyme Bianco with herbaceous dishes including Caprese, Pesce del Giorno, and Asparagus Antipasti. Offered at $9/glass | $42/bottle through September 2014.

Santa Anastasia “Passomaggio” Nero D’Avola Blend 2010 $10/glass | $50/bottle

Our third wine for September comes from the South. Santa Anastasia “Passamaggio” has been a long time favorite at the Luci Restaurants. Known for its rocky terrain, the island of Sicily is a prime growing area as its geography offers warm days and cool evenings which aid in the gentle ripening of the grapes which in turn allow for character development. In addition to the climate, the rocky soils add dimension to the wines produced here.

Passomaggio is comprised primarily of the indigenous varietal Nero D’Avola at 70% but also allows for 30% noble Merlot to be added to the blend. We love this wine for its richness and weight, making it a beautiful food wine most notably in its layers. Offering spice, licorice, and red fruit, Passomaggio’s tannins and red fruit freshness are maintained through barrel fermentation. Best with medium to fuller flavored dishes especially grilled, red meats, and aged cheeses. We recommend with Manzo ai Ferri, Pollo Brasato, and Maiale Arrosto. Offered at $10/glass | $50/bottle through September 2014.

Cin – Cin !

Reward Your Palate wines are also available for retail purchase through Thomas Liquors
located at Grand & Prior Ave in Saint Paul, MN.

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Throughout March, Luci Ancora & Ristorante Luci are highlighting two featured wineries

Matteo Corregia & G.D. Vajra

Enjoy Matteo Corregia Arneis & G.D. Vajra “Kye” Freisa through March at Luci Restaurants.

Matteo Correggia Arneis 2012
Italy | Piedmont | Roero | Canale d’Alba

“When Matteo Correggia inherited his father’s estate in 1985, the wine-growing boom was a long way off, and farmers on the left bank of the river Tanaro grew fruit and vegetables alongside vines that were used for making wine for a few close friends.

Matteo was a young farmer who was very keen on wine growing. He decided that his project was simple and for this reason, he would not give up.

With grapes produced in over 20 hectares of vineyards and managed personally, the Matteo Correggia Concern produces a wide range of wines. The wines are naturally the products of the ground where grapevines put down their roots: sandy ground that has little clay or silt and is very loose and therefore extremely suitable to produce rich and refined bouquets.”

The Arneis produced here is of exceptional quality. Bright and bracing, yet full of minerality and lush fruit. This Arneis has a long lees (6 months). Giving it vivaciousness and depth. With notes of stone fruit, lemon, and citrus peel, this Arneis is suitable as an aperitif, beautiful with seafoods or alongside fresh cheeses and light appetizers.

“The Correggia winery continues to set the pace for other wineries in the area, providing topics for discussion and food for thought. This is the way of things ever since the much-mourned Matteo showed just how much potential there was in an apparently marginal area. Today, Ornella and her exceptional staff is a champion of sustainable viticulture. Correggia’s natural approach means working the land in the full awareness of the surrounding environment. It’s another field in which Correggia is leading the way, sensibly and without ostentation.” – Gambero Rosso Italian Wines 2009

GD Vajra “Kye” Freisa 2009

Italy| Piedmont | Barolo

“We produce Barolo and the wines of our beloved land. We believe in Beauty, craftsmanship, attention to detail, and creativity with respect for tradition. As a family-run winery, we are artisans, working together with a young team who embraces our same passion and enthusiasm. We work the vineyards because it is the foundation for quality without compromise, but most of all because we love doing it! Our wines are elegant, complex and delicate. They have the personality and identity that we like to find in every glass on our table. ”

Freisa, is a lesser known variety in spite of its close and ancient relationship to Nebbiolo. A history which has no rival when compared to more productive and easier varieties to grow. With its strong personality, Langhe DOC Freisa Kyè pays tribute to this noble variety cultivated in Langa.  The optimal moment for harvesting Freisa is constituted by alternating warm Autumn days and cool nights: generally during the second half of October. The destemming and elimination of the most acidic parts along with the greenest tannins, is an essential practice for this variety. The rather long fermentation process allows the grape tannins to transmigrate into the wine. For this quite wild variety, the second fermentation, malolactic, is also just as important. An aging of 12-18 months depending on the vintage, starts in Slavonian oak barrels and barriques, giving necessary balance to the wine.

With deep ruby red color. Nose of red berries, tobacco, roses, and white pepper with hints of hay and wild herbs. Full bodied with balanced acidity and alcohol, this wine is sapid and rich with a long  finish of black fruits and spices.

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