Virtuoso Life - May/June 2008 - (Page 67) The highly lauded sommelier – a true maestro who prefers the Italian term bottigliere for his profession – chooses a Tuscan-grown sangiovese. FRANCIACORTA, ITALY HOTEL ESPRIT SAINT GERMAIN L’Albereta L’Albereta is a rambling, vine-covered refuge that embodies Italian comfort and style, but it’s the presence of Ristorante Gualtiero Marchesi that draws me back to this idyllic inn in the Franciacorta countryside. Highly lauded sommelier Antonio Dacomo – a true maestro who prefers the traditional Italian term bottigliere for his profession – chooses the 2003 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte ($90 retail), a Tuscan-grown sangiovese “of very elegant aromas,” Dacomo says, “extremely persuasive and with a huge bouquet of tobacco and vanilla.” The culinary maestro at L’Albereta, Gualtiero Marchesi is legendary even among other top-level chefs and runs one of Italy’s most celebrated cooking schools, La Scuola Internazionale di Cucina Italiana, in Parma. The hotel’s cellar is filled with wines appropriate for the chef’s many creations, which are based on vernacular Italian cuisine but executed with a masterful display of technique and presentation. “Explosive in the mouth, but with impressive, enveloping softness,” says Dacomo of Le Pergole Torte, “this wine is perfect for chef Marchesi’s succulent filetto alla Rossini” (fillet of beef with foie gras and black truffles). Don’t fail to ask the sommelier to recommend one of the charming local Franciacorta sparkling wines as an aperitif. F E E L AT H O M E O N PA R I S L E F T B A N K - 2 8 R O O M S A N D S U I T E S CONTACT YOUR VIRTUOSO TRAVEL SPECIALIST FOR RESERVATIONS Wild with Style Spectacular Canadian luxury “Safari style” tented Resort, located in the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO biosphere reserve area on the western most edge of Vancouver Island. Experience all inclusive “glamping” (the art of glamorous camping for the whole family). Gourmet food, soft beds and adventure activities create family history in an untamed natural setting. Learn about one of the most pristine environments left on earth while experiencing wilderness activities and wildlife viewing designed to satisfy all levels of participation. M AY | J U N E 2 0 0 8 67 Call your Virtuoso Travel Advisor for reservations
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