BAR BRICCO WINES OFFER FINE TASTE OF ITALY
Food and drink pair perfectly in flavourful blends that bring out the best in both
If you walk into a spuntini bar in Italy, you will likely have a glass of wine along with some traditional cured meats and cheeses or as the adage says: when in Rome … carne e formaggio (sounds musical and delicious — even when I try to pronounce it). The next best thing would be to recreate these flavours, either at home or head to one of my favourite bars in Edmonton, Bar Bricco at 10347 Jasper Avenue.
The decor and atmosphere will whisk you off to Italy (figuratively, of course) along with their splendid menu consisting of smaller dishes designed to share. But don’t be fooled by the small plates, Bar Bricco doesn’t need to be a place just for a bite before dinner; there’s heartier fare such as pasta and crostini.
Allen Anderl is the unsung hero at Bar Bricco — co-owner, general manager and the man behind the brilliant wine list (as well as the sister restaurants Corso32 and Uccellino) — and I’m betting if you’ve had the good fortune to eat there, you’ve seen him.
Anderl says that the salumi (sliced, cured meats) and cheese served at Bar Bricco are imported from Italy, except for one meat, the house-made Porchetta.
When I asked for wine and salumi pairing recommendations, Anderl offered this advice: “What grows together you should consume together, so the food and drink from a region go well together. So, for example, a lot of cured meats originate in Emilia-Romagna where the wine, Lambrusco is their specialty.”
Depending on the cured meat, you will want to find a style of wine that will complement it. The two Lambruscos on Bricco’s wine list are both made from the same grapes, Lambrusco Salamino, but the styles are completely different because of the winemaking techniques.
While larger productions such as Medici Concerto are easy-drinking and more complex, lighter versions that were fermented in bottle, such as the Ferrand, pair extremely well with fatty and salty salumi.
“For red wines you will want to avoid heavy reds, look for something a bit lighter with a bit of spice on the palate,” says Anderl.
If someone likes Pinot Noir and is exploring Italian varietals, he suggests a Nerello Mascalese as a great option. It’s a lighter-styled red wine from Sicily; textured and rich, with a spicy note that pairs perfectly with dry-cured salami.
Bar Bricco is open Tuesday through Sunday at 5 p.m., but it’s closed on Mondays and the odd weekday for private functions. So, if you’re looking for a venue for a special event …
There are also different events at Bar Bricco so you can check out their website for information. Right now, there is a Sopranos Night, which pays homage New Jersey-Italian style fashion and cuisine, and dressing up is encouraged but not required.
They are sold out for this year but there will be another in January.
Anderl is constantly changing the wine-by-the-glass and the feature wines so even if you are a regular you can have the opportunity to try different varietals and styles of wine from both iconic and smaller lesserknown producers.
Take this opportunity to compare styles of a wine made in the same region with similar grapes such as Lambrusco, Chianti or a Pinot Grigio (offered by the glass) to discover the marked difference of production techniques.
So, head on over to Bar Bricco (no reservations!) and enjoy the experience of a glass of wine and a plate of Italian salumi. Salute!
MEDICI ERMETE CONCERTO $25
This wine is made by a larger producer, and it’s what Anderl refers to as “a very comfortable wine.” A dry but fruity (grapey) and intensely darkcoloured Lambrusco made using the Charmat method, where bubbles are produced in a stainless-steel tank. Concerto is slightly frizzante or foamy wine with dark berries, plums, raspberry, black currants and floral notes with nice acidity. Pairs perfectly with the Mortadella, a popular cured pork from bologna.
QUARTICELLO FERRANDO LAMBRUSCO $32
Made from the same varietal as Concerto (Lambrusco Salamino) but using the traditional champagne method where the bubbles are created in the bottle using, without filtration, natural yeasts and less skin contact so you’re getting a much lightercoloured wine with bright acidity — a tart, slightly bitter and extremely dry wine. Pairs perfectly with Porchetta. Bright and intense aromas and flavours of sour cherries, pomegranate and herbs. A fizzy/foamy wine that is referred to as a Pet Nat, a naturally petulant wine that pairs brilliantly with fatty, cured meats.
RADIKON PINOT GRIGIO $55
Not easily recognized as a Pinot Grigio, especially by what Anderl describes as a murky orange colour. This is a wine made using red wine winemaking techniques but using white grapes, so the grapes have a long skin-contact time, creating colour and tannins. A natural wine, grown using biodynamic farming, with no artificial preservatives and lowmanipulation to let the wines evolve naturally; an older style of winemaking where you get a very interesting white wine with more earthy, sour cherry notes. If you like sour beer such as a lambic beer, you’d probably like this wine. The wine is a coppery colour, the nose is complex with a heavier body on the palate than most white wines but staying fresh. Pair with Prosciutto or a Culatello.
LE CASEMATTE PELORO ROSSO TERRE SICILIANE $23
This is a blend of 70 per cent Nerello Mascalese and 30 per cent Nocera — two of Sicily’s exciting varietals. A wonderful red wine with concentrated aromas and flavours of small red berries, cocoa, anise, spice and floral notes. A wonderfully dry and juicy crowd pleaser with fresh acidity, rich fruit flavours, mineral notes, and vibrant tannins. Allen says the spice in the wine pairs perfectly with Finocchiona, a Fennel Salami — delicious.
Juanita Roos opened Color de Vino, a fine wine and spirits store, with her family in 2014. She has travelled to wine regions around the world and completed the prestigious WSET Diploma from London, England, the prerequisite for the Master of Wine program. Send your questions about wine to info@colordevino.ca.