Buongiorno, Tutti!
Our next Taste & Learn takes place Saturday, October 29th, from 4-6 pm, and you’ll not want to miss it! We will feature the exceptional wines of Passopisciaro, which is located in the hills of Sicily’s Mt. Etna and—in my opinion—makes the best wines in all of Sicily. They come from grapes grown on 100-plus-year-old vines planted at the highest winegrowing altitude in Europe, at more than 3,000 feet.
This Taste & Learn will be particularly notable as the wines come from the same region as our chef, Francesco DiCaudo. In celebration of this event, Chef Francesco has partnered with the winery’s export manager, Letizia, to create an extraordinary menu representing traditional dishes enjoyed by the winery’s staff during the harvest. (It so happens Chef Francesco and Letizia knew each other in Sicily and used to ride the same train to school. They didn’t meet up again until Ferraro’s last event featuring Passopisciaro wines!)
Dishes will be served family-style, so come hungry! Letizia will discuss the wines, including the superb Passobianco Chardonnay, which has never before been available in Las Vegas.
The complete menu follows:
First Course
Passobianco Chardonnay, 2014
Pairings:
- Marinated white anchovies
- Artichokes, asparagus and smelt fritters
- Cod salad, Messina-style
- House-made pickle and marinated vegetables
Second Course
Passorosso, 2012
Pairings:
- House-made oven-roasted ricotta cheese
- Eggplant caponata with cocoa powder
- Stuffed bread with olive oil, oregano, peppers, pecorino cheese and black olives
Third Course
Contrada Sciaranuova, 2013 (single-vineyard, 100% Nerello Mascalese)
Pairing:
- Pasta Ncasciata – baked pasta with meat sauce, mozzarella, ricotta and eggplant
(I had the pleasure of having this pasta during my last visit to this area and all I remember is I had three servings—WOW!!!)
Fourth Course
Contrada Rampante, 2013 (100% Nerello Mascalese grown on vines aged more than 100 years)
Pairings:
- House-made sausage stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and caciocavallo cheese
- Farsumauru – “veal rolled for an important occasion”
- Roasted bell peppers and potatoes with broccoli affucati
I cannot overstate what a tremendous event this will be. Taste & Learn continues to be a popular occasion, so make your reservations immediately.
We look forward to seeing you on October 29…
Grazie e arrivederci,
Gino Ferraro
Taste & Learn is $65 per person all inclusive (tax & tip). Reservations are required. For more information please call 702.364.5300, or to make a reservation CLICK HERE.
