CorkRules - Episodes | Materia Ristorante Materia

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About this Episode

Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas visit Materia Ristorante, a beloved location that offers fresh and seasonal Italian cuisine, distinctive wines and European hospitality in a charming dining room. The focus here is "la Materia prima" so you know they use the finest, freshest ingredients.

Wines reviewed include:

2017 Elvio Cogno Montegrilli
2018 Inama Foscarino Soave Classico
2017 Tua Rita “Per Sempre”

Transcript: Materia

Materia

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I’m your host Robert Tas along with Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier

Hello Sam, great to have you back for another great wine list.

SH: Hello Robert!

RT: Before we jump in, let’s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine list’s because we know from experience, that sometimes wine lists can be intimating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT: So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

Cork Rules

Materia Ristorante

Overview

Materia Ristorante focuses on Tuscan-inspired fare located in historical Litchfield, Connecticut. They are serving up fresh Italian dishes made with thoughtfully selected local and seasonal ingredients, and of course, have an Italian wine list to compliment these beautiful plates.

Where to start

As we mentioned, this wine list is definitely part of the charm of this Italian-inspired experience. The approachable two-page list offers some beautiful Italian favorites and I’m excited to talk about a few bottles that jumped out to me.

The 2017 Elvio Cogno Montegrilli would be a great place to start. This is a Nebbiolo from Langhe in the Piedmont region, and what’s unique about this Nebbiolo is that they don’t barrel age it so that they can showcase the true characteristics of the grape. The winemakers wanted to differentiate it from Barolos, known for a big presence with those earthy, leathery, and dried fruit profiles. No oak aging on this so it’s going to be super fresh and vibrant which can be a really nice way to start off the meal. It’s got notes of crushed red berries and subtle floral tones, complemented by soft tannins and a long finish. Now, I would go with the Fluke crudo with almond sauce and tomato brodo. This pairing would be very cool because the lightness and vibrancy of this red wine wouldn’t trample over the raw fish, and the tomato broth in the dish is going to be such a delicate compliment to the balanced acid in this wine.

Value

The beauty of this list, and many Italian wines in general, is that there are affordable wines in many styles. This list has something budget friendly for everyone!

A bottle of white that I’d check out is the 2018 Inama Foscarino Soave Classico. Inama is a team of 3rd generation family winemakers in the Veneto region who strive to produce wines that honor how they view their land. Foscarino is made with the ancient varietal Garganega from their vines that are over 40 years old. Soave Classicos also tend to have nice aging potential, so the couple years on this wine are going to add some great depth of flavor.

I love this choice because it’s refreshing and complex. This bottle is going to be bright with notes of stonefruit, tree nuts, delicate flowers and a touch of salinity. Try it with the Burrata ravioli with citrus and lobster sauce.

Another great choice would be the 2017 Il Bugiardo, L’imperfetto, Valpolicella Classico Superiore. This dry red blend from Valpolicella is made using the classic “ripasso method” which means the first fermentation is with the freshly picked grapes, afterwards they get a second fermentation with skins from Amarone- which is a concentrated red wine made from partially dried grapes. This process results in a full, rich, wine with notes of black cherry, herbs, and vanilla. This is going to be a match with the pasta stuffed with braised beef and with Parmigiano fondue.

Celebratory

If you need something to really elevate your night, I’d go with the 2017 Tua Rita Per Sempre. This is 100% Syrah from Tuscany, not only a little ode to the menu’s Tuscan inspiration, but a really beautiful representation of Syrah. When we think of Syrah we might immediately imagine that black pepper earthiness, lots of tannin. But this bottle is going to have balanced tannins and acidity, with all that juicy bold black fruit that Syrahs are known for. It’s also going to slide into those spice notes, which are complimented by the richness and fruitiness. This is a really beautiful vintage that’s going to bring lots of flavor in a really pleasant and enjoyable way. To top it off, try with their roasted beef tenderloin with potato puree and roasted shallot pepper sauce.

Sam, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Materia’s wine list. I can’t wait to go try your great suggestions.

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: Info@CorkRules.com or visit our web website where we have a request form available and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.