That was the vibe during a special night downtown, when a celebrity winemaker’s wares were paired with a local chef’s specialties.
Seventy people showed up for the feast Wednesday night at Zinc on Chapel Street. The night featured wines by Joe Bastianich (pictured) and food by Zinc’s own Denise Appel.
Bastianich has changed the face of Italian food and wine with his mother, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. A wine-expert regular on TV, he owns wine operations in Italy and swanky restaurants in New York and is the Co-author of Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy.
Wednesday night he was bringing the spirits to be paired with food crafted by Zinc Chef Denise Appel. As guests arrived, they were greeted with crespelle and crostini, and glasses of 2007 Bastianich Rosato from Friuli, Italy, poured here by Jeannette Caufield.
The four-course meal cost patrons $125 each. “It’s great when the chef interprets my wine from a culinary perspective,” Bastianich said. “I had zero input into tonight’s menu, but the flavors are very vibrant.”
The wines featured Wednesday were special blends from the Bastianich label, bottled in Friuli and Toscano, Grosseto, Italy. “Wine is very personal,” he said. “But I’m more attached to the white, because it is from Friuli, where my family is from.”
Chef Denise Appel and event manager Elizabeth Ciarlelli relaxed as dessert was served. The wine buyers Ciarlelli works with recommended Zinc as a place to showcase Bastianich wine. “We decided to go to Joe about an event and he was happy to do it,” Ciarlelli said. “Bastianich wine is delicious and unusual… He’s not bound by traditional structures; he produces interesting blends.”
“Asian food is my background, but my training was in Italian food,” said Appel. “Tonight, we have a little bit of Italy, and a lot of local.”
After watching Joe Bastianich on his mother Lidia’s cooking show, Bill Hesbach, pictured, was excited to learn about the wine directly from its creator. Hesbach said the first wine, the Rosato, was good, but a bit too sweet.
Liz Jacovino, Appel’s partner, agreed, but said it paired perfectly with the appetizers.
Joel Waggener and Ali Parmelee, pictured, work in marketing and manage Zinc’s website. During the day on Wednesday, the married couple learned that their 21-week unborn child is a girl.
“It’s a little bit like torture not to be able to enjoy the wine,” said Parmelee.
Two weeks ago, Margarita and Robert Emerson ate at Zinc for the first time. Margarita heard about Wednesday’s event on NPR, and the two decided to come to the event.
“We lived in New York city for 30 years, and this restaurant and Ibiza compare with anything you would find there,” Robert said. “Our favorite wine was the Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Picolit blend, I’ve never had anything like it. We plan on ordering it.”