The challenge was exactly the kind we like.
When our friends from Golfprogram asked me to “organize something” for their twentieth anniversary, my instinct immediately led me to think of something different. In our approach there is already a lot that is different — or at least that is the intention: bringing wine where there usually is no wine, but bringing it in a way that allows us to create culture, explaining and guiding people through a journey made of aromas, glasses held the right way, and words spoken to capture at least a bit of attention from those who — in a context that might seem rather inappropriate — expected anything except a “tasting on the fly”.
These are the events that give us the greatest satisfaction. Starting with people who are distracted or expecting something completely different, then managing to capture their attention, sometimes even their applause, their interest in what they have found in the glass, but above all a new perception of what has been served to them. And then the most beautiful thing: hearing them say, “When will you do it again?”
We were talking about a twentieth anniversary. A special event that required an equally special occasion.
Here we are — a provocation of the kind I like, but one that had to be carefully crafted.
Francesco Intorcia had the right responsiveness to support me and suggested a path.
Goodness… a 40-year-old dry Marsala: quite a provocation for those who might have expected a well-chilled white wine at the end of a game on a very warm day.
These were the pairings we designed and then presented:
- Pre-British, paired with a Breton butter and Cantabrian anchovy canapé
- Marsala Secco Riserva 1980 with a bottarga and extra virgin olive oil canapé
- Marsala Superiore Ambra Semisecco 1984 with a bite of Bleu de Pays blue cheese
- Marsala Riserva Superiore Oro 2014 with biscuits made from ancient Sicilian grains
- Marsala Superiore Ambra Dolce 1980 with Modica chocolate
We could probably have done even better, but food is not our profession and simply preparing about fifty double savory-sweet plates was already a feat worthy of the best catering service.
So we begin. Federico takes the floor for the “historical” story of Marsala. I join in for the more technical part, being careful to intrigue rather than bore. Evidently the approach worked, and what we thought might be an extreme provocation for a non-expert audience turned into a pleasant moment of sharing. The surprise of finding wines “so different” was immediately followed by the discovery of pairings that many described as “so surprising…”. Wines that are certainly challenging but that, for some, generated something close to a subtle form of falling in love.
We reached the end quite smoothly. Tired — definitely tired — but happy to have taken this journey together with people who did not expect to take it, and together with an extraordinary wine.
Thanks to Francesco — but next time you’ll have to be there too.
