“These were two outstanding wines that were the perfect accompaniment for our Surf and Turf Feast”

The theme for this month’s Italian Food, Wine and Travel (#ItalianFWT) group of food and wine writers is Italian Wines For Cold Winter Nights.

When considering pairing food and wine, do you pick the food first, or the wine?

I usually pick the wine first, but in this case, since it was our Christmas Eve meal, I selected wines I thought would pair well with our Surf and Turf Feast.

Fortunately, I’d recently received two sample wines from Donnachiara Winery.

Disclosure: These wines were provided to me as a media samples. I received no compensation for this post, and all opinions presented are my own.

About Donnachiara Winery

Donnachiara Winery is a family owned and operated boutique winery located in the village Montefalcione, which is situated in the shin of Italy’s “boot” in the Campania region.

The modern winery was built in 2005, but the vineyards have been in the  the family for 150 years. The current Manager Director is Ilaria Petitto and her mother Chiara.  Chiara is the granddaughter of the Donna Chiara whom the winery was named.  Donnachiara saw the estate through two World Wars, on her own because her husband, Antonio Petitto, a surgeon in the Italian Red Cross, left home to care for wounded soldiers.

The winery story is an unusual one in that ever since Donna Chiara, the business has since been run by generations of strong women driven by a love of the family, the land, and wine.

The winery sustainably crafts  the three DOCG wines of Irpinia: Fiano di Avellino,Taurasi and Greco di Tufo.  Additionally they  craft  DOC wines of Aglianico, Falanghina, and Coda di Volpe.

My tasting notes on the wines follow:

2016 Donnachiara Fiano di Avellino Montefalcione – Italy, Campania, Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Color – Pale straw yellow
Aromas – Roast almond, stone fruit, and citrus
Body – Medium-full bodied and well-balance with plush mouthfeel and vibrant acidity
Taste – Ripe white peach, roast almond, lemon, lime, and a bit of grilled pineapple with a very appealing minerality
Finish – Long

100% Fiano|SRP ~ $15.00 USD (91 pts.)

2013 Donnachiara Taurasi – Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG
Color – Ruby red with a violet hue
Aromas – Lifted and appealing blackberry, black cherry, plum, coffee, and cacao
Body – Medium-bodied, dry and elegant with firm drying tannins
Taste – Blackberry, plum, cacao, graphite, and dark roast espresso
Finish – Long

100% Aglianico| 13.5% abv| SRP ~ $29 USD (91 pts.)

The Surf and Turf Feast

Menu

First Course

Sweet Kale Chopped Salad

Second Course

Broiled Lobster Tails and King Crab Legs with Clarified Butter

Third Course

Bone In Prime-Rib Roast and Scalloped Potatoes

Dessert

Pumpkin Pie

The Pairings

There are generally two schools of thought when it comes to pairing wines with Surf and Turf.  They are – either find one wine to serve that will pair well the surf and turf foods, or serve multiple wines.  I done it both ways.  The first way is more challenging for me, but I’ve had some success serving one wine (typically a rosé).  In this case,  it was a no-brainer because I had two great wines and enough guests to consume more than one bottle of wine.

We served the Donnachiara Fiano di Avellino with the the first and second course of salad and the seafood.  We served the Donnachiara Taurasi with the third course of Prime Rib and Scalloped Potatoes.

These were two outstanding wines that were the perfect accompaniment for our Surf and Turf Feast!  

Check out what my fellow Italian wines my fellow ItalianFWT writers are serving for cold winter nights! 

• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm gives us Pure Comfort~~Pasta with a Bottle of Aglianico.
• Jill of L’Occasion posts For Table And Cellar: Warm Up With Italian Wine.
• David of Cooking Chat serves up Healthy Bolognese Sauce with a Tuscan Sangiovese.
• Jane of Always Ravenous pairs Italian Meatballs with Donnachiara Wines.
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator offers 4 Montepulciano Paired with Osso Bucco Warms Up Winter Italian Style plus #ItalianFWT plans for 2019.
• Nicole of Somm’s Table is Cooking to the Wine: Fontanafredda Barolo and Braised Short Ribs with Mushrooms.
• Katarina of Grapevine Adventures encourages us to Get Cosy By The Fire With Italian Wine.
• Lynn of Savor the Harvest writes about Italian Wine To Warm Your Soul.
• Jennifer of Vino Travels is Starting the New Year with the Big Boys: Barolo and Barbaresco.
• Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla pairs a 2014 Camilla Barolo + Filet Mignon in a Creamy Mushroom Sauce.

If you’re up early enough, please feel free to join us on a live Twitter chat at 8am, Pacific time. Follow the hashtag #ItalianFWT.

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