Bellini: Bubbly Prosecco with peach nectar $10

Prosecco: Chilled sparkling white wine $10/30

Vino e Frutta di Stagione: One liter of red wine with fresh seasonal fruit $17

Brachetto: A unique sparkling red wine $15/45

Mozzarella di Bufala: fresh imported Italian buffalo mozzarella served atop fresh fennel in light lemon vinaigrette $22

Burrata con Ciliegino: fresh imported Mozzarella with a milky, tender heart served with cherry tomatoes, Italian olive oil and basil $22

Insalata della Nonna: mixed green salad with mozzarella $8

Ceci, Cipolle & Pomodori: chick peas with red onions & tomato $7

Insalata di Finocchi: fresh fennel salad with apples, grapes and oranges $8

Insalata di Pera e Gorgonzola: Mixed greens topped with fresh sweet pears and Italian gorgonzola drizzled with a balsamic reduction $12

Parmigiano Reggiano: chunks of aged Parmesan with balsamic vinegar $12

Bocconcini di Mozzarella con Speck: mozzarella wrapped in Italian smoked ham $11

Prosciutto e Melone: sweet cantaloupe wrapped in imported prosciutto di Parma $13

Insalata Frutti di Mare: chilled seafood salad of shrimp, calamari and pulpo $13

Carpaccio di Pulpo: Mixed greens topped with tender slices of octopus and a lemon, celery and olive relish $13

Funghi Trifolati: mushrooms with spicy tomato sauce $9

Vongole Oregenate: baked clams, 6 for $10

Carciofi alla Griglia: fresh grilled marinated artichokes $10

Polpette: homemade meatballs in tomato sauce, 4 for $10

Salsiccia in Salsa di Pomodoro: freshly made Italian sausage in red sauce $10

Carciofi Ripieni: stuffed artichokes $13

Zuppa di Cozze e Vongole: bowl of mussels & clams in red or white sauce $17

Pizza Margherita: fresh homemade pizza w/tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella & basil $15

Pizza ai Quattro Formaggi: four cheeses: gorgonzola, mozzarella, provolone & ricotta $15

Pizza alla Joe: homemade pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella & ricotta, cherry tomatoes, black olives, anchovies, and basil $17

Pizza Norma alla Nina: homemade pizza with tomato sauce, fresh ricotta cheese, ricotta salata, mozzarella cheese and eggplant. $17

Pizza di Bufala: fresh homemade pizza w/tomato sauce, Buffalo mozzarella & basil $20

Pizza di Burrata: fresh homemade pizza w/tomato sauce, creamy burrata & basil $20

Antipasto alla Francesca: long hot peppers and sun-dried tomatoes stuffed with fennel seeds, garlic, imported Italian anchovies, soaked in extra virgin olive oil $15

Antipasto Italiano: for two $25

Formaggi Speciale: specially selected Artisanal Cheeses for two $25

Spuntino Special

Insalata del Giardino: Cucumbers, radish, green and red peppers, tomatoes, green beans, and onions in light vinaigrette. $8

Zampe di Porcellino: Braised pigs feet served in red sauce with cannellini beans. $9

Zampe di Gallina: Chicken feet served in a hearty tomato and mushroom sauce. $8

Melanzane Ripiene: Eggplant boats stuffed with rice, mozzarella, ground beef, peas and ricotta cheese then baked in red sauce. $12

Bruschetta: Four slices of toasted focaccia layered with a mix of savory toppings. $10

Sarde Salate: Salted sardines dressed in a spicy olive oil and served with a side of toasted focaccia bread. $10

Canolicchi di Mare: Razor clams sautéed with garlic, red peppers and parsley in white wine. 4 for $10.00

Lumache alla Diavola: Whole, large conch cooked in a spicy tomato, garlic and wine sauce. $10

Lumache alla Palermitana: Salad made with large conch mixed with garlic, parsley and and lemon. $10

Capesante con Guscio: Broiled scallops served in shell in a lemon and oil sauce. $12

Coda di Vitello: Tender veal tails braised in white wine with lemon zest, onions and peas. $12

Il Cervello di Joe: Breaded sweetbreads served over a bed of mixed greens. $12

Il Cuore di Joe: Lamb hearts sautéed in onions and garlic with cherry tomatoes. $12

“Le Palle di Joe”: Lamb testicles marinated in balsamic vinegar with fresh herbs, grilled and served over a bed of greens. $12

Lasagna alle Verde: Vegetarian lasagna layered with ricotta, mozzarella, zucchini, carrots, parmesan cheese and tomato sauce. $10

Polpettone ai Carciofi: Meatloaf made with ground beef, pork and chopped artichokes stuffed with spinach and fontina cheese then topped with red sauce. $8

Cannelloni con Ragu

Homemade crepe pasta filled with mozzarella and ricotta cheese and topped with ragu. $15

Gemelli con Salsa e Fungi

Gemelli pasta simmered with porcini mushrooms and grape tomatoes. $15

Linguine con Vongole

Linguine pasta sautéed in a light sauce with clams, parsley, pepper flakes and white wine. $15

Coniglio alla Cacciatore

Pieces of rabbit stewed with potatoes, peas, carrots, wine, onions and garlic in red sauce. $22

Cotolette di Pollo con Salsa ai Funghi

Breaded chicken cutlets baked in a marsala sauce with mushrooms and served with roasted potatoes and escarole. $20

Involtini di Vitello

Veal cutlet rolls stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto then baked in the oven. $20

Filetto di Bassa

Bass filets baked in the oven with diced tomatoes, red onions, garlic, kalamata olives and white wine. $20

Bistecca con Patate

Seasoned and grilled skirt steak served with roasted potatoes. $24

Capuzzelle

Half of a sheep’s head stuffed with breadcrumbs, rosemary and garlic then baked in red wine. $20

Aragosta Ripiena

Lobster stuffed with bass, breadcrumbs and fresh herbs then coated with Italian olive oil and baked. $28

Branzino al Cartoccio

Whole Mediterranean sea bass baked in foil with a lemon-herb sauce. $22

TONIGHT’S SPECIAL DESSERTS

Tiramisu di Nutella: lady fingers dipped in espresso then layered with chocolate hazelnut spread and ricotta then topped with whipped cream. $10

Semifreddo alle Mandorle: Almond parfait served with a drizzle of melted chocolate. $10

Barchetta di Ananas: Boats of pineapple filled with strawberries and glazed in a lemon and orange juice sauce. $10

DESSERT WINES

Bellini Prosecco with peach nectar $10

Prosecco $10/$30

Vino e Frutta di Stagione Liter of red wine with fresh seasonal fruit $17

Brachetto $15/$45 Reciotto di Soave $11/45 Moscato Passito di Pantelleria (Sicily) $12/45 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (Tuscany) served with biscotti $14/55 Tessere Raboso Passito “Rebecca” served with dark chocolate $14/60

SODA

CHINOTTO * ARANCIATA * LIMONATA  $2

WATER

PELLEGRINO: SPARKLING * NATURAL  $3

BEER

TAPPETO – BLONDE LAGER $7

VERDI IMPERIAL – STOUT $11

COFFEE

CAPPUCINO * AMERICANO * ESPRESSO

$3

DOUBLE ESPRESSO

$5

Please Take Note: To keep our prices down, Enoteca is now a CASH ONLY establishment.

Giovanna Gambino wasborn and raised in a small town called Passo di Rigano, minutes away from Palermo, Sicily.

“I have many picnics with my family, I will never forget my many relatives. Even though I was at a very young age I can still remember the feeling of eating under the olive trees, eating our favorite homemade fettucine with fresh tomato sauce and Ricotta Salata, many times topped with fried eggplants. We would eat on a wooden plank called Scannature. The men would cook on an open fire most of the time a small pork and roasting artichokes under it so the drippings would make them that much more delicious.

I came to the US in 1964 with my mom and younger brother to be reunited with my father and my older brother who was getting married a few months later. I celebrated my 10th birthday after only a month after arriving in America. After my brother’s wedding we all lived in the same house and I had no one my age to play withso I started becoming interested in watching my mom and sister in law in the kitchen, and sometimes they would let me help. It wasn’t until after I married at the age of 20 that i discovered my real passion for cooking, taking family recipes and often giving them a twist. Even today I’m proud to say that cooking really relaxes me. My favorite recipe is Anellette al Forno, Rigatoni Imbottiti, Cavatelle inside round purple eggplant just to name a few. Cooking at Enoteca Maria was my first experience in cooking outside my family and it’s been very rewarding, I only wish I’d come to cook here sooner.”

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702304356604577338111398106338-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwMzExNDMyWj.html?mod=wsj_share_email

One such establishment is Enoteca Maria, an Italian restaurant on New York’s Staten Island. Read More…

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/21/149001050/italian-nonnas-bring-taste-of-home-to-staten-island

The current lineup:

Enza Damasco, Caserta
Adelena from Casola, Napoli
Carmelina from Marcianise, Napoli
Nina from Salerno, Campania
Rosaria from Chieti, Abruzzo
Rosa from Schio, Vicenza
Teresa from Agrigento, Sicilia
Giovanna Gambino, Sicilia
Loredana from Carini, Sicilia

Other grandmas who have cooked at Enoteca Maria:

Christina from from San Giuseppe Iato, Sicilia
Gaia from Milano, Lombardia
Valarie from Sciacca, Sicilia

http://www.tonionny.com/watch-it-the-pasta-special

Watch It!
The Pasta Special

From ravioli to manicotti, linguine to fettuccine, [Toni On!] delves into the past of my favorite food, plus shows you the best places to eat.

St. George: Staten Island’s Cultural Hub

Take the cheapest boat cruise in NYC with host Dave Evans, who guides us through the hottest neighborhood in the ‘fifth’ borough - St. George, Staten Island. Discover historic artifacts, a Chinese Scholar’s garden, homemade Southern Italian cuisine, and take a walking tour of Staten Island’s bohemian art community. Get to know St. George - $9.99 style.

At 7:30am the Fox crew arrived. Upon seeing the special menu the nonnas had prepared for the broadcast, the producers had a sampling of the food taxied over to the studio for the show’s hosts, Gretchen Carlson, Steve Doocy, and Brian Kilmeade. The grandmothers dedicated a recipe to each of the three.

The show cut in live three times for a look at the grandmas preparing food and to interview Enoteca owner, Joe Scaravella. Visit the Fox & Friends website to see part of the broadcast!

The Fox & Friends Breakfast Menu.

A Staten Island restaurant with no head chef and no set menu is replacing “Bon Appetit” with “Mamma Mia!” The 35-seat Enoteca Maria takes home cooking to a whole new level by bringing in genuine Italian grandmothers to cook for customers. Each night, one of eight nonnas ties on an apron, checks out the ingredients in the refrigerator and rustles up a down-to-earth meal.

The women are from different regions of the pasta-loving nation who have no problem cooking restaurant-style after years of feeding big families. Tired of their husbands nitpicking over their specialties, they jumped at the chance to slave over a hot stove for grateful diners at the St. George eatery.

Read the whole story in the Daily News!

Cook Teresa Scalici at Enoteca Maria restaurant in Staten Island. Photo by James Kaivon/Daily News

On just a fifth of an acre, Mr. Scaravella’s garden overlooks the harbor, Brooklyn and the Verrazano Bridge. Every patch of soil is occupied by a wide variety of foods including arugula, watermelon-sized squash, peaches, figs and San Marzano tomatoes. Last year Mr. Scaravella found room to plant 30 Sangiovese vines; he spent much of this afternoon crawling up and down the hill weeding his little vineyard. Read the full story from the Wall Street Journal….

To surprise New Yorkers who have tasted it all, sometimes it takes a leap of faith—and a trip to Staten Island—to experience a meal that warms the belly and the soul. At Enoteca Maria, six women chefs (five of whom are also full time grandmas) from different regions of Italy take turns firing up the stove. What’s for dinner? Depends on who’s cooking and which ingredients nonna finds in the fridge. Goodbye, Predictability. Hello, Iron Chef: Italian Grandma.

Read the rest of the review at Off Manhattan.

I know what your thinking, all the way to Staten Island for food? Totally understand, I never thought I would say this either, but I truly found this gem a ferry ride away. People who are lucky enough to have a Nonna (Italian for grandma) always brag about how great their meal was. I’ve always been jealous, and tried to invite myself to such dinners, unsuccessfully. But hey, their nonnas got nothing on me anymore, I found 6 nonnas who will cook for me any night of the week at Enoteca Maria…beat that! Love owner Joe’s concept of having a different nonna cook traditional local dishes from family recipes each night. Every nonna is from a different region in Italy and everything is made fresh from scratch.

Read Cindy’s full review here.

Adelena’s Gratinado di Pollo. Photo by Cindy Zhou

Adelena’s Torta di Ricotta and Nutella. Photo by Cindy Zhou

by Franco Tontoli
Corriere Del Mezzogiorno
(English translation by Alma Benussi)

Carmelina Pica has been cooking at Enoteca Maria in Staten Island, New York for two years.

MARCIANISE - “My sister told us about her success in New York, cooking in that restaurant she works in along with her italian friends, and what surprises us is that this success has been hitting Italy too! We’re very happy for her, Carmelina is a very modest person and she really deserves all this satisfaction after spending so many years of sacrifice being an Italian immigrant in the United States.”

Those are the words of Giovanni Tartaglione, who points out his sister in the photo taken in the kitchen of the Enoteca Maria. Carmelina and her “stepsisters” (her new family of cooks in the Staten Island restaurant) are well-known in New York thanks to all the delicacies they serve each night at the tables of the Enoteca Maria, a restaurant that didn’t reach its success through restaurant guides or reviews but with the massive passing of the word between food lovers around New York City who take the ferry from Manhattan and the other boroughs heading to the Italian Enoteca in St. George, Staten Island.

The Nonnas cook with fantasy, smiles and conviviality that give extra flavors to their dishes. Those are the main features of Italian people, very appreciated in Staten Island which has around a half million citizens with 44% of Italian origin. The team of cooks was put together by an Italian-American—Joe Scaravella—a real talent-scout who added to his wine bar a great restaurant. The restaurant, though, is still primarily an Enoteca as the sign says. Joe has been very smart in creating a team of cooks from talented Italian housewifes who turned into chefs. They all come from different Italian regions and their cuisine belongs to their regional traditions, full of echoes of their hometown.

At a local green market, Carmelina picks fresh herbs to cook with at Enoteca Maria.

Carmelina Tartaglione, who has been married with Pasquale Pica for almost 50 years now, keeps delighting the custumers with the culinary heritage she brought from Marcianise to the USA, full of memories of smells and tastes she learned from her mother, who had to feed eight children and a husband.

“Carmelina spent a month here with us last September, her first time back in Italy after three years. She has been missing us a lot during these years and now she had the chance of spending some time with us, making up for the lost time. We are eight brothers—Francesca, Vincenzo, Michelina, Antonio, Alfonsina, Elvira, Carmelina and myself. We’re very close to each other. Carmelina left Italy at the age of twenty-two after marrying Pasquale who used to work as a sailor between Italy and America. She became American in 1961. She has three children: Mike, a  pharmacist, Tony, and Patricia. She started working for her husband’s brother Bruno in a grocery store where she started making her own fresh food to sell at the counter. Joe Scaravella got to know her and wanted her in his restaurant,” said her brother Giovanni.

Carmelina calls home every Sunday, telling her brothers and sisters about the satisfaction she gets along with all her “stepsisters.” “Carmeli­na,” Giovanni continues, “always knew how to cook our specialties, our simple dishes: pèttole and fagio­li, salsiccia and friarielli, vegetable soups, fried anguille and marina­ted ones, the pancotto, the frittelle with squash flowers, the scagliuozzi. Those simple dishes are so delicious that it’s impossible not to love them. I can see how they are important for all those Italians who live abroad.”

Carmelina Pica (left) takes a break with fellow cook, Adelena Masana at Enoteca Maria. Photos by Glen DiCrocco

The dinners at the Staten Island restaurant are all different; the cook from Milano gives her best with risotti and cotolette alla milanese; the cook from Abruzzo with strangolapreti, stringozzi, maccheroni alla chitarra; the Sicilian cook is the queen of fish-based dishes, like her pasta with anchioves. You have eight restaurants in one, not the ordinary spaghetti with meatballs italian joint, but the most delicious and rare dishes of the old italian traditions.

“It’s true,” says her brother Giovanni, “my sister keeps repeating it: she just speaks and cooks Marcianise. And you should see how people love her!”

_____________________________________________________________

Original Italian Publication

I SUCCESSI DEI CASERTANI EMIGRATI NEGLI STATI UNITI
Carmelina, ecco la nonna-cuoca 
che spopola a New York
Partita da Marcianise nel 1961, da casalinga è diventata star della cucina all’Enoteca Maria

MARCIANISE — “Mia sorella ci ha raccontato del successo che ottiene a New York, nel ristorante in cui cu­cina con altre amiche italiane e ci stupisce questa notorietà arrivata anche in Italia. Siamo contenti, Car­melina non è tipo che si monta la testa, merita le soddisfazioni per i tanti sacrifici affrontati nella sua vi­ta da emigrata.”

Parla Giovanni Tar­taglione, pensionato della Gte, sta­bilimento un tempo fra le colonne portanti della occupazione a Marcia­nise. E indica, nella foto, la sorella con la bustina da cuoca. Carmelina e le sue sorelle, cioè quelle acquisite tra i fornelli della Enoteca Maria di Staten Island, distretto di New York, furoreggia­no per tutto quanto di buono metto­no nei piatti portati in tavola. Non c’è stata indicazione con graduato­ria fatta di simboli tipici delle guide gastronomiche ad affollare i tavoli del ristorante; è bastato il passapa­rola che s’è fatto sempre più fitto fra buone forchette, gente che a ta­vola non va per le spicce e non c’è sera alla settimana che dal traghet­to non sbarchino pattuglie di incur­sori, forchette in resta, diretti al­l’enoteca italiana a New York.

Le nonne-cuoche lavorano di fan­tasia, col sorriso e giovialità, ingre­dienti che rendono più saporite le vivande. Tutte caratteristiche, que­ste, degli italiani, qualità subito ap­prezzate nell’isola di Staten Island, quasi mezzo milione di abitanti di cui il 44% di origine italiana. A mettere insieme il gruppo è sta­to un altro italoamericano, Joe Sca­ravella, un talent scout della ristora­zione che ha così arricchito il suo lo­cale, già tipicamente italiano, tra­sformandolo da enoteca a ristoran­te. Ma, per scaramanzia, ha lasciato la vecchia insegna. Joe ha naso fino, dalla prima del­le sue cuoche, aveva saputo di un’amica di questa che ai fornelli era brava e poi di un’altra e poi di un’altra ancora e la ‘brigata di cuci­na’ s’è arricchita di otto comandan­ti. Da varie regioni provengono le cuoche ed è stato naturale assegna­re a ciascuna piena libertà di cucina­re tutte le tipicità dei rispettivi pae­si.

Carmelina Tartaglione, sposata con Pasquale Pica e quasi vicina al­le nozze d’oro, la clientela continua a deliziarla con tutto il bagaglio culi­nario che negli Stati Uniti s’era por­tata nel cuore da Marcianise, ricor­di di odori e sapori e tutto quanto aveva imparato dalla mamma, casa­linga a fronteggiare marito e otto fi­gli di robusto appetito.

Racconta Giovanni, il fratello: “Carmelina è stata da noi tutto il mese dello scorso settembre, man­cava da tre anni ed ha fatto il pieno e gli arretrati di quanto le è manca­to di noi. Otto fratelli, Francesca, Vincenzo, Michelina, Antonio, Al­fonsina, Elvira, lei ed io, sempre molto uniti. Carmelina sposò Pa­squale, un compaesano che era ma­rittimo sulle navi che facevano la spola tra l’America e l’Italia, aveva ventidue anni e dal 1961 diventò americana. Ha tre figli, Mike che è farmacista, Tony e Patricia. Per gua­dagnare qualche dollaro cominciò ad aiutare Bruno, fratello del mari­to, che gestiva una salumeria, qui cominciò a cucinare qualche pietan­za che persone che là hanno sem­pre fretta portavano a casa. La voce arrivò a Joe Scaravella e fu arruola­ta.”

Carmelina ogni domenica telefona a turno a fratelli e sorelle e fa il resoconto del­le soddisfazioni che raccoglie, insie­me alle sue ‘consorelle’. “Carmeli­na” — dice ancora il fratello — “sape­va già cucinare le nostre specialità, tutti piatti semplici: pèttole e fagio­li, salsiccia e friarielli, le zuppe di verdura, le anguille fritte e marina­te, il pancotto, le frittelle con i fiori di zucca, quelle di farina di grantur­co che noi chiamiamo ’scagliuoz­zi’. Insomma, niente di eccezionale ma che soprattutto fra italiani al­l’estero ed anche fra i locali diventa­no piatti che fanno furore.”

Le serate, nel ristorante di Staten Island, diventano anche confronti culinari a tema, la cuoca milanese ci dà sotto con risotti e cotolette; quella abruzzese sfarina con stran­golapetri, stringozzi, maccheroni al­la chitarra; quella siciliana si sbrac­cia in pasta con le sarde e pietanze di pesce. Insomma, la formula è da otto ri­storanti in uno che non sono le soli­te spaghetterie e polpetterie. Ma piatti prelibati della migliore tradi­zione della cucina casareccia italia­na.

“E’ proprio così” — conferma Gio­vanni — mia sorella lo ripete sem­pre: io parlo e cucino solo marciani­sano. E devi vedere come sbandiera­no i tovaglioli.”

St. George — Enoteca Maria is looking for a few good nonnas.
  
Since the St. George restaurant opened in 2007, it has capitalized on the behind-the-scenes talents of the Italian housewife.

A rotating staff of cooks—“ladies,” owner Joe Scaravella calls them—prepares dishes representing eight unique regions of Italy and anonymous, centuries-old recipes preserved along matrilineal lines.
   
The Enoteca is looking to cement its niche by hiring six new “grandmothers.”

“Everyone is looking for their grandmother’s cooking,” says the goateed, round-spectacled Scaravella, known for chatting with customers on the subject of wine. He refers to the mission in what he acknowledges is improper Italian: “guarde per nonna,” literally, “looking for grandma.”

Anna Maria (Nina) Picariolo of the Bronx, by way of Salerno, one of the eatery’s eight cooks who take turns as chef-of-the-day, joined the staff when she read about the restaurant’s opening in the Italian newspaper, Oggi. She starts her work day inventing a menu drawn from her region’s culinary traditions and the ingredients in the Enoteca refrigerator. Ms. Picariolo, who speaks Italian, said through a translator last week that Enoteca makes her happy because the menu never repeats. It’s wholly different from cooking at home, she said: “A casa – me no like.”
 
Each cook has a chance to showcase her skills and bask in patrons’ adoration.

“Adelena (Masana, of Naples) dotes on her husband and sons and I’m sure they complain, ‘Why didn’t you make this? This one has too much salt….” These women are easily taken for granted,” said Scaravella of one of his most prized chefs.

The proprietor is seeking cooks who would work about two days a month.

They needn’t be grandmothers, but they must bring their heritage to the table, Scaravella said.

The restaurant’s youngest cook by far is Alma Benussi, 26 and a dark-eyed beauty, who lives in Milan and visits the restaurant to cook for pleasure. Her cooking inspired Scaravella to write in his Facebook update: “If you close your eyes, you’ll swear that your grandma is cooking in the kitchen, and if you open them, you’ll see what she looked like 50 years earlier.”

The Enoteca opens around 3 and serves roughly 50 to 100 guests a night. The menu changes daily, but the frutta di mare salad and capozzelli (stuffed sheep’s head) are regular menu items.

The restaurant and its lineup of cooks will be featured on an upcoming episode of WABC-TV’s Rachael Ray Show on October 9.

“The ladies come in here and they get applause,” said Scaravella. “It’s about time they get credit for what they do.”
    
Tevah Platt covers the North and East shores of Staten Island. She can be reached at platt@siadvance.com.

On Saturday, February 20th, Enoteca Maria was proud to have Milena from Monza, Milano as our guest cook. Milena is the owner of the Alla Stanga Enoteca in Milano and prepared her favorite recipes paired with wines she had shipped directly from her Enoteca to our Enoteca.

The wines featured for pairing:

“Lavinia” Barbera del Monferrato, a very pleasant, young and richly fruit-filled wine.

La Vigna Vecchia” Barbera d’Asti, fermented from a high quality grape that exemplifies the best characteristics of traditional Barberas.

“La Vita” Moscato d’Asti, a small batch wine with complex and pleasant aromatic characteristics perfect with sweets to finish a meal.

Click to download the full menu.

Alma Benussi helps Milena from Monza in the kitchen at Enoteca Maria

One of the dishes prepared by Milena from Monza

The crowd at Enoteca Maria.
Photos by Nick Fevelo

A restaurant’s best friend is an educated customer.
By Pamela Silvestri
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Today I’d like to salute Staten Islanders who enjoy their wine and want the best possible experience with it. By the way, if you fit into this category of customer, people in the food business think you’re a high maintenance type of diner. A bartender I once worked with called this class of customer a “wine snob,” a term that actually I think is rather flattering. After all, what wine snobs do is make a waiter work for his money.

If you’ve done tours in the front-of-the-house as a server or bartender, you can spot a wine snob a mile away. He’s the one who asks about selections by the glass and isn’t satisfied until the brand is disclosed. He might go so far as to peek behind the bar to make sure wine isn’t coming from a box, a magnum or — visible shudder — a tap system. And if a neighboring patron stinks of perfume — how can one taste what’s in the glass when there’s a mouthful of White Diamonds wafting into the glass at the same time? — he asks for a seat change or just quietly leaves the restaurant.

Of course, there is that silly behavior that gives oenophiles a bum rap. A patron whiffs the screw cap or plastic cork — the latter stoppers hail from pulverized cork mixed with plastic and glue — and perhaps makes a face. What could one possibly tell from sniffing materials that don’t necessarily absorb aroma? Oh, this drama of such wine-os makes for great war stories. And when a patron furiously swirls house bubbly such as Prosecco in a glass and declares it as “just OK” — swirling in this capacity shakes out the bubbles, goofy! — or complains about the wine selections but forgets to look around at the venue — uh, places that specialize in greasy burgers don’t necessarily have to carry wines above swill grade — rest assured that this pretentious dance will be the topic of later booze-fueled staff discussions.

Rest assured, the wine snob is a waiter’s best friend. He’s the one who increases check averages, perhaps orders more than a single bottle in one sitting and who will reward the staff handsomely when they do their homework. (Free tip: Customers appreciate waiters who steer them correctly).

It would be wonderful to see more restaurants do what Enoteca Maria in St. George does so well: Catering to some astute palates and pushing wine snobbery to the limits. Co-owner Jody Scaravella presents every wine on the list by the glass and by the bottle. The restaurant opens fresh bottles for customers who order vino by the glass. Good quality wine goblets are presented to guests whether they buy by the bottle or glass.

Note other restaurants such as Angelina’s in Tottenville reward guests with the better stemware only when customers order full bottles. I know a couple who brings their own stemware to restaurants that don’t supply decent glasses of their own.

It’s not so bad to be fussy about wine. And I think most restaurants should be putting much more thought into their selections by the glass. It’s 2009, after all, and I do think most Staten Islanders are fairly educated on the subject. At Jean’s Fine Wines in West Brighton, for instance, regular Friday night wine samplings bring out educated palates. The typical customer can describe wines with words like “buttery,” “barnyard,” “acidic” and the like.

At Basilio’s Inn in South Beach, owner Maurice Asperti, fusses over his wine selections. And it shows: His wine list features affordable decent bottles that he’s taken the time to test drive himself.

Several things could improve wine service on Staten Island, in my opinion. First, servers need to be educated on house pours. Wines shouldn’t be introduced as, “What’ll it be? Red or white?” Surely there’s a brand name associated with the wine. Wine discussions should happen at the restaurant pre-meal meeting. Second, customers can be more demanding on the subject and become, well, a wine snob of sorts. Start asking for the better stemware. Request that wine by the glass is served from a freshly opened bottle, especially if it’s early in the day and clear the bottle has been cracked the night before. Staten Islanders really need to fuss more over the standard pour.

Pamela Silvestri is the Advance food critic and Food editor. Her restaurant articles appear each Thursday in AWE, the Advance’s weekly entertainment section.

INFO BOX: Wine Etiquette Keep hands off the bowl of the glass. Wines can heat up from the action. Plus it leaves unsightly smudges on the glass. Don’t wear heavy perfume or cologne. It tinkers with fellow diners/winos taste buds. Ask questions. If you’re indulging on a bottle, say, that is more than three years old it’s not unreasonable to ask how the wine has been stored. Drink wines at the right temperature. Nonvintage bubbly, many Spanish and Italian whites, fino sherry, Manzanilla should be served well-chilled. Full-bodied whites (Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, some reds like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais) benefit from being cool, around 58 degrees. Medium to full-bodied reds and ports are ideal at room temperature.

Visit the Food Section on SI Live.

(Reprinted with permission from the Staten Island Advance)

Gorgonzola Cremificato is a famous Italian creamy cow’s milk blue from Lombardy of quality unrivaled by other young or “dolce” Gorgonzolas. Although inoculated with the same blue mold found in spicier blues like Roquefort, this delicate, soft, and unctuous blue is mild and subtly sweet with fresh, grassy undertones. It’s frequently used in Italy in sauces or fresh breads. Gorgonzola Cremificato is the perfect dessert cheese and pairs well with Muscat or other similar fruity dessert wines.

Piave is named after the river Piave, whose source is found at Mount Peralba in Val Visdende, in the northernmost part of Veneto in Italy. The land surrounding the ancient river is integral to the character of the cheese: it is where the milk is collected, the curd cooked, and the cheese aged until hard. Piave, deliciously nutty and pasteurized from cow’s milk, has an intense, full-bodied flavor, reminiscent of Parmigiano Reggiano. It has a concentrated, sweet crystalline paste with a full tropical fruit flavor and slight almond bitterness.

La Tur From the great wine region of Piedmont comes La Tur, a dense, creamy blend of pasteurized cow, goat, and sheep milk. Runny around the perimeter with a moist, cakey, palette-coating paste, its flavor is earthy and full, with a lingering lactic tang. The effect is like ice cream served from a warm scoop. Goes well with Prosecco where the effervescence whisks away the richness while matching the mild acidity.                                

Pepato Maybe spilling peppercorns into the sheep’s milk was an accident, but this is one Sicilian marriage that has lasted for centuries. Pepato (peppered) is similar in texture to Asiago Aged three months, soft and seriously sheepy, this tasty table cheese with spicy salt and pepper balance makes great change of pace for the provolone lover. Pepato pairs nicely with Italian reds such as Amarone, Bardolino or Barolo.                                                           

Taleggio is a semi-soft, washed-rind stinky cheese made from cow’s milk in the Valsassina region in northern Italy, near Lombardy since the 9th century. It is characteristically aromatic yet mild in flavor and features tangy, meaty notes with a fruity finish. The texture of the cheese is moist-to-oozy with a very pleasant melt-in-your-mouth feel. The combination of the soft texture, pungent aroma, and buttery flavors is great on fresh crusty bread. Taleggio pairs nicely with Italian Nebbiolo wines, as well as a wide range of reds and whites.

Enoteca Maria’s Artisanal Cheese Plate is served with four complimentary additions:

Mostarda Mentoveno di Pere (Pear Mustard)
Grappoli d’Uvo (Grapes)
Miele e Noci (Honey with Walnuts)
Torta di Fighi (Fig Cakes)

The judges chose Enoteca Maria of St George as winner of the First Place traveling trophy. Enoteca’s award-winning pasta was a Sicilian Lasagna prepared by Nonna Teresa Scalici and consisted of layers of pasta with speck, prociutto, eggplant, peas and cheeses covered in her traditional tomato sauce. Enoteca was a last minute entry, and arrived at the Pasta Bowl with nothing but three trays of lasagna, aluminum chafing dishes, a spatula and a few business cards. This was a case of the food talking for itself: no frills, just good homecooking.

Valarie Delsante accepts the first-place trophy on behalf of Enoteca Maria. Photo by Melinda Gottlieb

Pat from the millefiorifavoriti/blogspot writes a great review of Enoteca Maria complete with photos of the food her and her husband enjoyed. Here’s an excerpt:

No matter who is in the kitchen when you go, each meal at Enoteca Maria begins with a generous and complimentary tray of antipasto, selections vary each time. We had small tastes of broccoli rabe, roasted cauliflower and potatoes, marinated eggplant and onion focaccia.”

We were treated to another complimentary dish of a small bowl of beef stew, cooked in tomato sauce. My husband was in heaven, as it taste exactly like his mother use to make it, with big chunks of celery, carrot and potato….

Read the entire review at Mille Fiori Favoriti.

The grandmothers of Enoteca Maria will reap the benefits of the harvest and use this bounty of herbs, vegetables, and fruits in their time-honored recipes. They have already begun using select herbs at the Enoteca.

This is the very first biodynamic garden in the five boroughs of New York City!

Visit Numina Biodynamics to see how the seeds are being sown.

During a recent visit to Pavia, Joe had the good fortune of meeting the renowned wine maker Jean Francois. Of his Bonardo, Joe says, “Bonarda is a grape varietal that has been grown in Oltrepo Pavese for ages. It’s smooth and luscious with notes of blackberries, cinnamon and almond.“

The winemaker is Jean Francois Cocqard, who brings his experience from Burgundy to Italy, to produce a wine with soft fruit and earth. It is a perfect match for meat filled ravioli and hot antipasti.

Joe adds, “This grape is traditionally used to make Lambrusco style wines. The winemaker breaks with tradition to create an incredible still wine at an incredible value.”

At his Enoteca, Joe also serves the Mazzolino’s Blanc, cultivated from a a tiny producer in Oltrepo Pavese in Lombardia. Joe explains: “This Chardonnay is rich and complex with notes of hazelnuts, vanilla and citrus. A French winemaker combined French technique with Italian soil to produce an exquisite wine that is delicious when served with risotto, lobster, and creamy pasta dishes.”

When Joe visited the winery’s cantina, Jean Francois, the winemaker, swore he could see France from the hills of Pavia!

Read about Tenuta Mazzolino receiving the high honor of the Tre Bicchiere Award for their Pinot Noir!

Mazzolino BONARDA (Lombardia) 2007 $11/33
Mazzolino PINOT “NOIR” (Lombardia) 2003 $30/90
Mazzolino Chardonnay “BLANC” (Lombardia) 2005 $18/54

Visit the Tenuta Mazzolino website.

From the first day she arrived at Enoteca Maria, Teresa Scalici took great pride in her role as a nonna in the restaurant. She says she feels like her own boss in the kitchen and even goes to the local market on Saturdays to pick out fresh vegetables. Working at the Enoteca is an extension of family and good food.

Born in the southern coastal town of Agrigento in Sicily, famous for its Greek architecture, Teresa started cooking at ten years of age when her nonna taught her to make fresh ravioli. She moved to New York City in 1966 with her husband.

She now enjoys teaching her thirteen-year old granddaughter how to cook the same recipes handed down to her from her nonna. Teresa particularly enjoys baking both sweet and savory deserts but her favorite recipe is her award winning Lasagna. Made with prosciutto, speck, eggplant, peas, ricotta and a mix of cheeses, her lasagna won the judges first place trophy at the Staten Island Community Resources Annual Pasta Bowl in 2008.

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Anna Picariolo “Nina” was raised in Salerno, a southern town near the famed Amalfi Coast in the region of Campania. She loves cooking at the Enoteca because it feels like cooking at home and enjoys making people happy with her recipes. Back in the “old country” her grandmother cooked over a wood-burning stove. Nina especially enjoyed her oven-baked pasta.

She also learned a lot about cooking during her twenties from a cousin who owned a restaurant. But working in Italy was a difficult life, working many hours for little pay. She moved to New York City in March of 2003. Nina values her freedom here, the opportunity to learn more and adapt to a new culture. At home, she likes to cook with her eldest daughter.

At Enoteca Maria, Nina’s style lends itself to savory dishes such as her favorite Pesce alla Pasta (Fish with Pasta).

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Adelena Masana was born and raised in Naples, in the Campania region of Italy which is known for its rich history, art, culture and gastronomy. She learned to cook from both of her grandmothers and her mother. She remembers the rustic Neapolitan cuisine of her childhood fondly. The first dish she learned to prepare was Pasta Fagioli and then a sweet classical dessert called Pastiera. 

She came to America in 1990 and took up residence in Brooklyn. Her favorite recipe is Tagliatelle alla Mantavana, but she loves everything about preparing a full-course traditional dinner with pasta, salads, meat and dessert.  Of her six children, it is one of her sons who carries on the tradition of cooking back home in Naples.

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Rosaria Montaldo, a proud grandmother of two, has been cooking at Enoteca Maria since June of 2008. She was born in the region of Abruzzo in a small town in the province of Chieti. The region is known for its agriculture and producing wine, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, olives, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Traditional products are saffron and liquorice.

Rosaria remembers her grandmother’s cooking well, since she grew up living in the same house. Lamb is a popular dish in the Abruzzo region and Rosaria enjoys preparing Costolette d’Agnello all Griglia—grilled lamb chops. Her favorite pasta dish is Maccheroni alla Chitarra—macaroni pasta made on a guitar-like instrument—another staple of Abruzzese cooking.

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Rosa comes from a long tradition of food and recipes being shared and passed along from generation to generation. Though she remembers her nonna’s cooking, Rosa says that she actually learned to cook from her mother. As a child, Rosa would help her mom prepare pasta con Sugo di Pomodori e Tonno on Friday evenings. She also learned to make Fegato all Veneziana (calf’s liver) and her older sister showed her how to cook Osso Bucco.

Today, Rosa is grandmother to seven grandchildren. She shares her love of cooking with her two oldest, Briana and Nicholas. Rosa loves being able to share her family’s recipes with the hungry customers at Enoteca Maria.

Carmelina Pica was born in the small town of Marcianise in Naples, Italy—the city famous for pizza and historic landmarks like Castel Nuovo. She came to America as a young woman with her husband and took up residence on Staten Island where she worked several years at a Salumeria. She cooks the traditional, classical cuisine of Naples. She’s our snow bird spending six months in New York and six months in Florida. Carmelina says that cooking at the Enoteca feels like family to her.

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Valarie Delsante is a second generation Italian-American who was born on Staten Island into a large family where the Italian traditions were strong and an integral part of her childhood. Though her grandparents arrived in New York at the turn of the twentieth century, they retained the customs, folklore and culinary specialties of the regions they came from.

Valarie learned to cook from her maternal nonna, ‘Lena’ and her mother, Maria, both exceptional cooks who embraced the cuisine of Sicily with all of its unique and exotic flavors. She fondly remembers spending summers with her nonna, riding the subway to markets all around the city in search of the finest Italian ingredients, then bringing them home to prepare dinner.

Valarie, a mother of two, has had many interesting professions over the years and says if given a choice she would rather be cooking. Her favorite recipes include Manicotti and Calamari Ripieni as well as her nonna’s Sicilian Cheesecake.

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Gaia Bagnasacco comes from Milan, known for its abundance of cream, milk, and cheese in the region of Lombardia. She spent much of her time in Tuscany and learned to cook from her mother who hosts a bed and breakfast in Siena where Gaia fused the cuisine of Milan and the Tuscan region into her own brand of traditional Italian cooking with a contemporary flair. Gaia regularly returns to Italy to visit family.

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Christina Carrozza was born in San Giuseppe Iato, just south of Palermo which lies on the northern coast of Sicily. Like many villages and towns in the region, its inhabitants rely on the production of corn, olives and grapes for their livelihood. Each September the village holds a Festival of Grapes and Wine where these commodities and other agricultural produce is displayed. (wikipedia)

While she was still a young girl, Christina’s family moved to Bergamo, north of Milan in the province of Lombardia where she learned how to cook from her grandmother, mother, and aunt.

One of her favorite recipes is Farfalle all Pescatore—bowtie pasta with mussels, calamari, and shrimp–a dish she not only enjoys preparing but also eating with her family. Christina is very grateful and proud of her Italian heritage. She currently resides in Brooklyn with her family.

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After being totally spoiled by home-cooked meals while on maternity leave, this palate scoped out several restaurants for possible review: Only Enoteca Maria made the grade for a solid three-star rating.

This eatery certainly sets the bar for quality Italian food in the borough. In short, this is not your abodanza/gravy type of joint. Instead, Enoteca’s style translates to simple, tasty edibles that can be pleasantly rough around the edges. Indeed it has little hang ups – we’ll get to that later – but wholesome home-style cooking is the ultimate reward from this St. George kitchen.

Enoteca came to Staten Island in winter 2007 with a unique concept: Female cooks from various regions of Italy played chef with a different lady starring behind the stove every day. The idea turned out to be a winning one that whet the appetites of bloggers citywide.

It is still a little wine bar that serves dinners (no more lunches–boo!) and flavorful accoutrements on heavy robin’s egg plateware, an attractive backdrop for colorful food. Too bad these neat table settings make reasonably sized portions appear small, and plates typically are cool to the touch, something that pulls heat out of food.

Gifts from the kitchen–tasty amuse bouche like sundried tomato strips with pignoli nuts or garlicky cauliflower come with hunks of foccaccia – start the meal. Not so amusing for some patrons: They arrive after the food order is placed, hence no bread basket goodies on which to nibble.

Along with apps, entrees and handmade pastas, the menu features spuntino (small plates) like chick pea and grape tomato salad seasoned with oregano, an artichoke swollen with seasoned breadcrumb or quartered then marinated and grilled with balsamic vinegar. Polpette (meatballs) are intensely garlicked with distinct meat flavor, a nice chemistry that happens when few fillers clutter the meat mixture. Sliced mushrooms in “sweet tomato sauce” are very good, although the sauce looked unappealingly heavy with oil.

And pizza–as in the explosively flavorful four-cheese variety which melds gorgonzola, provolone, mozzarella and parmesan–is like no other pie on S.I., something perhaps a home cook might pull together in his own kitchen using top notch ingredients.

One recent evening, cook Adelina made gnocchi in a few shining flavors–sundried tomato, spinach and potato–turning out those steaming dumplings with pleasant pillowy-doughy texture. Vibrantly colored sautéed fresh veggies shared a plate with a fist-sized puff pastry pocket folded with floured chicken breast bits, oozing mozzarella and tangy orange marmalade, a seemingly simple combination that delivered sophisticated, contrasting flavors.

Zuppe di Pesce (housemade seafood soup) was thick with calamari yet shy on broth. Salmon with capers and olives featured a fish that was overcooked and devoid of flavor. Perfectly steamed whole Branzini bass came tucked in a crumpled mass of aluminum foil. Basted in its own juices with fresh garlic and herbs, it was thoroughly delightful despite a messy presentation. A few items listed on the menu teased but weren’t always featured, including capunatz (sheep’s head) stuffed with breadcrumb. With dessert, cookies were grainy and could be better. Biscotti, presumably a staple sweet in the repertoire, was notably absent on our visits. But an island of vanilla semifreddo (half-frozen gelato) floating in espresso was extraordinary.

Enoteca’s patrons have expressed mixed emotions on service, something worthy of mention.

Fans of the place enthuse over the relaxed atmosphere and the owner’s attentiveness. A server (or the owner himself for that matter) might replenish a beverage on the house, bring over a freshly prepared side dish for sampling or add fruit to an almost finished pitcher of house wine. Some find this behavior to be over-solicitous. Others, like myself, find the gestures to be unpretentious, incredibly warm and a sign of good service from one of the borough’s finer establishments.

Menu: Enoteca (Italian translation: wine bar) serves home-style regional Italian food cooked by several different female cooks straight from The Boot. The menu has a staple spuntino (a menu of small plates meant for sharing as appetizers), but for the most part offerings change nightly depending on the featured gal in the kitchen.

Atmosphere: Narrow storefront houses marble floors & tabletops, pearlescent subway wall tiles & caged glass bulbs making for a sophisticated industrial décor. Seats 30 (only two seats at the bar). Acoustics can be brash and loud but for some customers this is part of Enoteca’s unique charm.

Hours: Abbreviated menu of appetizers, salads & pizza Wednesday-Sunday, 3 to 5 p.m. Full menu starts at 5 p.m. and runs to about 11 p.m. Evening hours can be erratic so call before paying a visit.

Prices: Apps generally run under $10; most entrees under $20. Major credit cards accepted.

Drinks: Bellinis (seasonal fruit floated in wine), plus an interesting Italian wine inventory with all bottles offered by the glass. Oenophiles will love the proper vino stemware & the staff’s enthusiasm for allowing sample sips.

Specs: Street/meter parking is plentiful after 5 p.m. Municipal parking lot is across the street. Check the St. George Theater schedule: When shows are playing, neighborhood parking is tight. Wheelchair access is very awkward but doable at a few tables. Bathroom is too tiny for negotiating a wheelchair.

(Article reprinted with kind permission of The Staten Island Advance)

We’d love to read your stories and see your photos of grandma.

Does your grandmother have a favorite recipe? What’s that delectable dish she makes (or used to make) for you on Sundays? Is there a special photo of grandma you’d like to show?

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- Send us an email (content at enotecamaria dot com) with your stories, recipes or photos. We’ll do our best to publish your story and photo on our In Celebration section of this site.

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We look forward to hearing from you!

I have been to Sicily, twice; Naples, twice; Rome three times; Agrigento and Ragusa once, and Enoteca Maria for the first time last week. My visit to this eatery was like going back to Italy! The food was great and fresh and original and simply divine. The eggplant dish (appetizer) was unbelievably rich and tasty. The home Anti pasta was a palate pleaser, texture so fine, if food could be silk, this Antipasta was the “bomb.” My main entree, the baked fish, was just so original, so native, no home cooked, that I thought of my Puerto Rican great grandmother’s cooking…… Italian - Puerto Rican? Yeah, they are both “LATIN!” - our languages that is…. The dessert was the pear fruit cake, OMG! The bill was about 100.00 for two, but the price was well worth it (my dinner guest had two entrees!, a great wine and a vinaigrette, pear, salad, to DIE FOR!!!! ) . I can’t give this place Five Stars, because to do so would place it in Heaven, and I want this place to stay on Earth.
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I used to live on Central Ave when this place first opened. I never visited it until last night. My best friend and I sat at the two stools at the bar. (We always prefer to be served at the bar; more of an at home experience). The decor which consists of exposed brick walls, iron antiques on the walls and counters, and extensive wine selections makes the place unlike any other.
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Our meal last Saturday was unbelievable, and Joe’s wine recommendations elevated the already delicious food. This might have been the best meal I enjoyed in a very long time. Great food, tremendously full wines, good prices and a staff truly making it a memorable visit. Even though I was stuffed, I couldn’t resist asking for an order of white bean and sausage soup to go (for lunch the next day).
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I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my two trips to Enoteca Maria. My interest had long been piqued by the concept behind the place where six Italian grandmothers take turns in the kitchen so that every night restaurant patrons enjoy traditional home cooking from a different region of Italy! It thus pays to do research and look up the restaurant’s website as to which grandmother is cooking the day of your visit, and what the menu will be like.
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This place is so unique, and I am happy to see the addition to the community there. They literally hire Italian ladies who love to cook, and on the night that they are cooking, THEY are the head chef. There is proof of this through the open kitchen where you can see these cute ladies hard at work (on an electric stove no less)! The result: feeling like you were invited to a dinner at someones lovely home. Even down to the serving dishes, it feels so homey. The food is quite delicious, as the menu offers traditional italian dishes that were most likely their own recipes.
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I love this place. It is simple and beautiful. The food is not simple but beautifully presented. There are different chefs–so the menu varies–like home-cooking with the same surprises. I like this idea as I never know what the meal will be like, as oppposed to my normal favorite restaurants where I can’t wait for a particular dish.

Read full reviews on Yelp.

VIN FRIZZANTI

Vallis Mareni OMBRA Prosecco (Veneto) $10/30
The bouquet is fruity, intense and elegant. Clear scents of golden apples come through a floral background: Extremely long finish. The wine is bottled four times a year to maintain absolute maximum freshness!

BRACHETTO D’Acqui “Pinetto” (Strevi) 2008 $15/45
This unique wine represents one of the best offerings of Aqui viticulture. Aromas of rose, soft fruit and spices are followed by a balanced palate between sweetness and soft acidity. A pleasant soft and creamy effervescence increases the drinkable pleasure. Fabulous paired with fruit tarts, biscotti, and pastry, or simply by itself.

VIN ROSÉ

Ciavolich Divus CERASUOLO Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 $11/33
Since 1853, the Ciavolich family has continued to cultivate fine wine grapes from vineyards located between Chieti and Pescara in Abruzzo. A medium-bodied cherry red rose, persistent and fruity. Ideal served with seafood soups, fresh cheeses and salami.

Alberto Longo Negroamaro Rosé ‘DONNADELE’ (Toscana) 2007 $13/39
This 500-case production rose is unique for a 100% Negroamaro Rosé in that the color is a lighter salmon or pink onion skin color. However, it still retains the intensity and persistent bouquet with rich fruity and floral notes. Donnadele has a fresh, delicate taste with excellent structure. Hand-picked in October, fermentation is carried out in steel after short contact with must and skins. Excellent with lighter fish dishes cooked in oil, butter or lemon!

VINI DOLCI

RECIOTTO di Soave 2005 (Veneto) $11/50
Third generation winemaker, Gino Magnabosco’s Monte Tondo’s Reciotto is made from 100% Garganega. The grapes are left to dry in rooms called “fruttai” to increase sugar content. Ideal with fresh cheeses, cream desserts and for all festive occasions!

MOSCATO Passito di Pantelleria (Sicilia) $15/55
100% Zibibbo grapes from Sicily make this sweet wine perfect to pair with cheese, with desserts or with chocolates. The harvest takes place from the 15th of August to the 30th of September, then selected bunches are set out to dry in the sun on stones for 30 to 40 days–being turned by hand several times. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel and is not completed until summer.

VIN SANTO del Chianti Classico (Toscana) $17/60
The Vin Santo has been produced since the 14th century in Tuscany. It has always been known as the wine of friendship and every household–rich or poor–was never without it. It is served at any time of day, although most prefer it at the end of a meal. Vin Santo is still considered to be a symbol of Italian tradition! The grape varietal is Trebbiano and Malvasia del Chianti. It goes great with cheese, by itself, or served with biscotti.

Tessere Raboso Passito “REBECCA” 2002 $20/90
A perfect dessert wine for dark chocolates! The grapes are air-dried for two months to extract more sugars, and then fermentation occurs in steel tanks. The Passito is finally aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. Deep ruby-red in color, “Rebecca” has a nose of blackberry, currant, and hints of coffee and wild cherry.

ITALIAN BEVERAGES

Bellini $8
Bubbly Prosecco with Peach Nectar

Vino e Frutta di Stagione $15
Red wine (one liter) with fresh seasonal fruit

Sodas $2
Chinotto, Aranciata, Limonata

Coffee $3
Cappucino, Americano, Double Espresso, (Single Espresso $2)

NORA (Piozza) $9
6.8% ABV / 12 ounces
Style: Ancient Egyptian-style Spiced Beer
Violet rose and citrus fruit aromas, full bodied with a bitter finish. The beer is contrived using an ancient Egyptian recipe made with kamut grain, flavoured with ginger and myrrh uncovered in the Mesopotamia, which is the suspected origin of beer. Great with fish and spicy meats. Read an in-depth review of Nora at 52beers.
                                

SUPER BALADIN (Piozza) $9
8.0% ABV / 12 ounces
Style: Belgian-style Strong Pale Ale
Super Baladin, brewed by Birrificio Le Baladin, originated from an old recipe created toward the end of the 9th century following the style of the Belgian abbey beers. Amber color, apricots, banana and almond aroma. Great with salmon steaks, grilled fish, gamey sausage, cheese.
                                

WAYAN (Piozza) $9
5.8% ABV / 12 ounces
Style: Saison-style Ale
Another unique beer from Teo Musso, a talented brewer in the small Piemontese hilltop town of Piozzo, close to the famous wine villages of Barolo and La Morra. Musso spent time at Brasserie a Vapeur in Belgium to hone his craft. Made from seventeen different ingredients–barley, wheat, spelt, oats, rye, different types of hops and spices besides coriander. Wayan has a golden color, with citrus and spice taste and aroma. Finishes with an extra long lemon-pepper linger. Great with everything.
                                

SCIRES (Lurago Marinone) $9
7.0% ABV / 12 ounces
Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer
Brewed by Birrificio Italiano with little to no head, using sweet dark cherries called “Durone di Vignola,” a typical Italian variety. Ripened under the warm Italian sun which meet a blend of sour beers, one old and the other young.
                                

Albino Armani TEROLDEGO “io” (Trentino) 2006 $10/30
The traditional wine of Trentino, Italy (made from the Teroldego grape) this fine wine comes from Albino Armani, who specializes in rare indigenous grapes of the region. It has dark aromas of blackberries and black pepper that dance on the palate, a fantastic match for rabbit, duck and game as well as hearty risotto. Joe says: “The Teroldego is a rare and hard to find grape. This wine is definitely worth your attention.”

SCURATI Nero D’Avola (Sicilia) 2007 $10/30
Scurati is the name of a beautiful Sicilian cave located near the winery. Nero D’Avola is a native grape to Sicily and this wine is aged in restored cement vats for seven months and then continues to age 3 more months in the bottle. This full bodied Nero D’Avola has silky tannins and a long finish. Only 75,000 bottle production. Joe says: “This red is bigger than its price: a real crowd pleaser!”

Castello di Modanella Organic CHIANTI (Toscana) 2006 $10/30
Outside of Siena, Castello di Modanella can only be reached by a dirt road. The vineyards surround the 12th century Modanella castle that now produces 100% organic wines. This Chianti was produced the old fashioned way—in cement vats! This allows the wine to develop with no outside influence. This wine is delicious with pork and meat dishes.

Mazzolino BONARDA (Lombardia) 2007 $11/33
Smooth and luscious with notes of blackberries, cinnamon and almond, Bonarda is a grape varietal that has been grown in Oltrepo Pavese for ages. The winemaker is Jean Francois Cocqard, who brings his experience from Burgundy to Italy, to produce a wine with soft fruit and earth. It is a perfect match for meat filled ravioli and hot antipasti. Joe says: “This grape is traditionally used to make Lambrusco style wines. This wine-maker breaks with tradition to create an incredible still wine at an incredible value.”

Garofoli Rosso Conero “PIANCARDA” (Marche) 2005 $12/36
From the oldest winery in the Marche Region, five generations of Garofoli have produced wine like this rustic red from the chalky Marche soil. This Rosso Conero is a full-bodied red with structure, produced solely from Montepulciano grapes. It is matured in traditional oak casks for at least one year before release. It combines the typical aromas of cherries of Rosso Cònero with an imposing but pleasantly soft structure. During his visit to LaMarche in 2007, Joe discovered that this wine is typical of the region and enjoyed by the local inhabitants.

Tenuta Le Querce IL VIOLA (Basilicata) 2004 $12/36
Aglianico is a red grape variety that is widely diffused in Basilicata and somewhat less so in the province of Avellino in Campania, where it is also known as Gnanico, Agliatica, Ellenico, Ellanico and Uva Nera. It is of extremely ancient origin and some experts argue that it was being cultivated even before the foundation of Rome. Ruby red in color, it is fragrant with aromas of spice, vanilla, berry and cherry; harmonious and persistent. Perfect when paired with vegetable soup and stewed rabbit, veal or lamb. Joe says: “Look for this Aglianico grape in a Barolo-like wine called Taurasi.”

Tenuta Statti GAGLIOPPO (Calabria) 2007 $12/36
This 2007 Gaglioppo literally bursts from the glass with super-ripe dark cherries that are beautifully balanced by the wine’s freshness. This truly elegant wine offers remarkable clarity and transparency for a wine from the south. During ancient times, Romans drank this wine before, during and after events at the Coliseum.

COLLE TICCHIO “Cesanese del Piglio” (Lazio) 2007 $12/36
This lovely wine is made entirely in stainless steel, with no wood aging. As a result, it retains the ripe fruit flavors and freshness that make it a perfect meal wine! It is typical of the viticulture of the Lazio region, and traces its origins back to the late 1700s. Ruby red in color, tending toward garnet with aging, it is a soft, medium-bodied wine with delicate aromas of bright fruit. Pair this wine with hearty pasta dishes as well as lamb or sausage. Joe says: “This wine is rare and wonderful…you would be hard pressed to find it served anywhere else!”

Il Nuraghe Cannonau VIGNARUJA (Sardegna) 2005 $13/39
From the island of Sardinia, this Cannonau (thought to be a brother of the Grenache grape) is medium bodied, with notes of plums and spice. The winds off the Mediterranean Sea bring flavors of sea salt to match the fruit. With smooth tannins, this wine is the perfect match to grilled meats and hearty pastas. Joe says: “This fruit forward crowd-pleaser is typical to the region of Sardinia.”

Castello di Bossi CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG (Toscana) 2004 $14/42
A typical rich Chianti Classico from Tuscany, this wine is full of flavor and body. The deep red notes and long legs give you a preview of what is to come. It is a wonderful wine right out of the bottle then gets better as it breathes in your glass. Great with red sauce, stands up to sausages and pork. Joe says: “This fat Chianti is a beautiful expression of the Sangiovese grape.”

Castello di Modanella SANGIOVESE Campo d’Aia (Toscana) 2003 $15/45
This organic wine is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes a single vineyard. It is a bright ruby-red with aromatic notes of ripe cherries, cinnamon and leather. On the palate it is well-balanced, medium bodied with hints of red fruit and earth: a perfect match for braised and grilled meats, lasagna, and meaty pasta dishes. Joe says: “2001 was a fabulous year for this wine and for this region.”

San Giovanni Leo Guelfus ROSSO PICENO (Marche) 2005 $15/45
This is a very impressive varietal blending of Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes. Its dark hue introduces intense, appetizing ripe fruit aromas and hints of flowers. The same aromas gently emerge on the palate, where acidity and tannin combine superbly into a gauged softness. It expresses warm well-developed aromas with its very traditional fruit. Great balance and charming wine: pairs well with hearty pasta dishes, meats and cheese.

Antonelli MONTEFALCO Rosso (Umbria) 2005 $16/48
A classic blend from Montefalco, Umbria, this wine is made from 65% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot. Antonelli is one of the top producers of wines in this region, creating this full-bodied wine with ample flavors of berries, leather and earth. This delicious wine pairs well with rare red meat, tagliatelle with ragu and aged cheeses. Montefalco is a little town on a mountaintop in Umbria. Joe says: “If you stand in the piazza at the center of town, you can see for miles and miles.”

Alberto Longo PRIMITIVO (Puglia) 2007 $16/48
The newest wine from Alberto Longo, the Primitivo is the most recognizable of Puglia’s varietals. Even if you’ve never heard of it, you’ve likely met the wine as Zinfandel, proven to be its genetic equivalent. However, the cousins are not identical: the Italian often comes off more rustic and much less intense than its American counterpart. Longo’s Primitivo offers great acidity with a fruitier nose, lighter body, and rounder tannic structure. This is a great summer red, perfect with meats, cheeses and pastas.

Alberto Longo Negroamaro “CAPOPOSTO” (Puglia) 2005 $16/48
The six circles on the label represent the winery, taken from the numerous archaeological finds of the area. This Capoposto made from the Negroamaro grape. It is deep ruby red with purple highlights and an intense and persistent bouquet. It is rich in wild berry and smoky notes. The palate is full bodied and well rounded with soft tannins. Serve it with duck, lamb and veal. Capoposto means “head of the place” and the wine was named in honor of Alberto Longo’s father.

RIVE Barbera D’Asti (Piemonte) 2006 $17/51
The grapes for the Rive are handpicked, de-stemmed, crushed and then inoculated with selected yeasts. The “must” is then terminated in temperature controlled stainless steel vats with pumping over four times a day. Pressed just before dryness and then racked to a mixture of new (2/3) to one year old (1/3) it is then placed in French oak barriques where it undergoes fermentation. The color is dark and the pigmentation very deep, with lots of depth and dimension to the fruit.

Tessere RABOSO Piave “Barbarigo” (Veneto) 2002 Not Available
The Tessere estate in northern Veneto was founded in 1979 by Ilario Bincoletto, an entrepreneur with a passion for wine. In the beginning, most of his wine was sold to other important wineries. This Raboso is a highly tannic and highly acidic wine aged for 2 years. Deep ruby red in color with a wild cherry nose it can be enjoyed with game, grilled meat and seasoned cheese. Joe says: “2002 was a great year for the Raboso, but 2004 leaves much to be desired. Let’s hope that the next vintage will be a good one!”

Accordini Valpolicella RIPASSO (Veneto) 2005 $19/57
This amazing red comes from a miniscule producer in the heart of Valpolicella. It is made in the “Ripasso” style, where the fresh Valpolicella wine is passed over the dried Amarone grape skins after its pressing to make the wine more luscious. This “ripasso” has an intense ruby-red color and its bouquet is intense, delicate and ethereal with scents of spices and vanilla. Its flavor is warm, full-bodied with the scent of fruit that recalls Amarone. Riopasso is best served with all kinds of meat, including white meat, stews and mature cheeses.

Tenuta dell’Abate Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah “GIAFFARRO” (Sicilia) 2005 $19/57
This is a wine with great personality. Tenuta dell’Abate, translates to “the Abbot’s Estate” and is owned by the Romano family in central Sicily in the town of Caltanisetta. The soil of the 58-hectare property is limestone, and the elevation is higher in this region with more moderate temperature at night. Giaffarro is 60% Cabernet and 40% Syrah. Fermentation occurs in small steel vats open to the sky. Afterwards the wine is aged for 10 months in small oak barrels, then 6 months in the bottle. This is a complex and elegant wine, with notes of forest fruits, black pepper and chocolate on the nose with light to medium tannins. 1000 case production. Joe says: “This is a typical Sicilian blend: much extracted and very jammy. It is sure to please even the most sophisticated palate.”

Casale Cento Corvi KOTTABOS Rosso (Roma) 2004 $19/57
Located only 25 miles north of Rome lays the estate owned by the Collacciani family. It is an area rich in history along the consular route from the Etruscan Necropolis to the sea. For centuries the 15th century “Casale Cento Corvi” farmhouse was a popular stopover to change horses and sample wines. Kottabos (which refers to an ancient Sicilian game of flinging wine at statuettes!) is a Merlot/Sangiovese blend that is designed for saucy red meats.

“Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso” ZANATO (Veneto) 2005 $19/57
This red is a blend of 80% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, and 10% Sangiovese. As soon as the dried grapes for the Amarone are fermented, selected batches of Valpolicella wine are “re-passed” over the Amarone’s lees, thus starting a second fermentation that slightly increases the alcohol content and gives the wine deeper color, increased extract, and more complex aromas. Ripassa is refined in tanks for six months and then aged in small oak barrels for 18-24 months. Deep rub-red in color with a complex nose of dried fruit and licorice, Ripassa represents one of the most important milestones in Zenato’s history. The wine offers rich aromas of blackberry jam, currant, chocolate, coffee and tar that linger on the palate and are sustained by a round and structured body: recommended with grilled meat dishes. Joe says: “This blockbuster wine requires decanting but it is well worth the ten minute wait to allow the Ripassa to open fully.”

BARBERA d’Alba Vigna Ròca Neira (Piemonte) 2003 $20/60
This Barbera is a black cherry explosion. Brothers Bruno and Gianni have created a dry, full-bodied wine that is warm and balanced, with well integrated tannins. The color is brilliant ruby red with violet reflections. Ideally, this wine should be served alongside dishes of typical Piemontese cuisine as well as with both white and red roasted meats. Joe says: “This wine is a rocket right out of the bottle! You can expect an explosion of cherries on your palate.”

San Giovanni AXEE Rosso Piceno Superiore (Marche) 2001 $20/60
Axee means ‘in this way” in local dialect and this is definitely the way to make Rosso Piceno! Axee is an excellent example of a modern, bigger, blacker and plusher Rosso Piceno. 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese, this wine is great with fowl, red meat and aged cheeses. The Axee is another of San Giovanni’s typical regional wines, and well worth the price.

Tenuta Rocca Langhe Rosso “ORNATI” (Piemonte) 2003 $24/72
You’ve heard of Super Tuscans; now sample a Super Piemonte. The wines age separately in French barriques for two years before blending. This wine has it all–intense garnet red color, cherry fruit with hints of dark chocolate and tobacco, and suitably tannic. Great when served with all roasted red meats. The Ornati wine from the Langhe hills of Alba comes from the blending of 35% Barbera, 35% Nebbiolo and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Joe says: “This is a masterful blend of these three big hitters.”

BUIO BUIO (Sardegna) 2004 $24/72
100% Carignano del Sulcis grape grown in soil which is a combination of mixed clay with minerals. It is aged for eight to ten months in French barriques. The color is a bright, consistent, dark ruby with crimson reflections. It carries the aroma of fresh fruit with a red berry fruit bouquet, along with undertones of spices and new wood. It pairs well with game, wild boar in sweet and sour sauces and seasonal cheeses. Joe says, “Buio means dark and the Buio Buio represents the reserva of this wine: an extremely jammy and raspberry nose that perfumes the air upon decanting.”

CIGNOZZA Peregrinus (Toscana) 2003 $25/75
Cignozza was founded in 1997 when Roberto del Buono, then only 34, took over his father’s estate. Truly a small production wine at 3000 bottles, Roberto puts the corks and labels on himself. An intense 100 percent Sangiovese wine. Ideally served with grilled meats, game and aged cheeses. Joe says: “Cignozza is another Super Tuscan wine, typical of this region.”

Alberto Longo Nero di Troia “Le CRUSTE” (Puglia) 2005 $25/75
This region has close links to the Aegean people and to the Roman Empire. Alberto Longo’s wine cellars are found in a farmhouse built in 1800. Le Cruste is truly a special wine with a persistent bouquet of wild berries, balsamic notes and very silky tannins: Great with a wide range of meat and poultry. Joe says: “Hints of asphalt and black licorice on the palate, this is a most interesting wine and one of my favorites.”

POGGIO al CHIARE (Tuscana) 2000 $30/90
This Tuscan wine is medium ruby garnet in color with sweet mineral and cherry aromas. A full-bodied wine that tastes fleshy in the mouth with a tannic finish: 95% Sangiovese. Great when paired with stewed dark meats and roasted or grilled red meats. This is yet another Super Tuscan red and on Joe’s list of “must try wines.”

Mazzolino PINOT “NOIR” (Lombardia) 2003 $30/90
From the Noir vineyards of Tenuta Mazzolino, located in Lombardy, Italy, are exclusively in a hilly position with a southern exposure. The vines are specially imported from Burgundy and produce a ruby red, intense and complex wine that shows a bouquet of red fruits, roses, leather and pine. The palate is full, rich and persistent. Only 10,000 bottles produced per year.

MARION Valpolicella Superiore (Veneto) 2003 $32/96
An unusual Valpolicella produced by a small family owned winery, unusual in the sense that this wine is almost treated as if it were an Amarone. Half of the grapes are left on the plant to become extremely mature before harvest, while the other half are dried on mats for an extra month before pressing. The result is a super-luscious red wine with aromas of red berries and violets. This wine is best matched with braised meats, hard cheeses and rare steak.

Falasco AMARONE della Valpolicella (Veneto) 2003 $33/99
An amazing and luscious Amarone: the king of wines from the Veneto. The grapes are dried from September until January, losing about 40% of their water weight before pressing. This wine is aged in oak for 2 years before release. This Amarone is an extremely full-bodied (but balanced) wine with ample notes of dried fruit, baking spices and leather. This wine is so full bodied, it is often called a “vino da meditazione” or a wine to sip and contemplate. It is lovely with braised meat dishes as well as cheeses.

Terradora TAURASI (Lazio) 2001 $33/99
This beautiful dark rich wine from Rome is 100% Aglianico grapes. History traces this wine back to before the founding of Rome. It is aged 24 months in French oak. Dense and full of dark fruit flavor the Taurasi goes great with game, cheeses & grilled meats. Considered the ‘Barolo of the South’, this Taurasi is best when decanted and allowed to breathe for a few hours. Joe says: I suggest that you call ahead when ordering this wine to give it proper time to open up.

Antonelli SAGRANTINO di Montefalco (Umbria) 2001 $33/99
100% Sagrantino: this bold and robust red comes from the heart of Montefalco, Umbria. Made by Filippo Antonelli, the head of the consortium of Sagrantino, this wine is made in a classic style. Sagrantino is one of the most structured wines in the world, with abundant notes of dark fruit, leather and earth. It is best paired with strong meats, lasagna and even barbecue!

Cordero di MONTEZEMOLLO BAROLO (Piemonte) 2003 $35/105
Elegant, smooth and velvety, this Barolo has evident notes of berries and truffles as well as pansies. It is rich and complex with classic flavors from the Nebbiolo grape. The winery has been in the Cordero family since the Middle Ages, and is one of the only wineries to have the majority of their vineyards in plots surrounding the winery. The Monfalleto vineyard is dominated by the presence of a cedar tree that serves as a point of reference for the whole Valley.

MONTE TONDO AMARONE (Veneto) 2002 $40/120
This 250-case wine is quite unique. It is a young “drink now” Amarone, smooth and captivating with elegant full body and a long finish. Made from 70% Corvina and 30% Rondinella it is excellent with all kinds of red meat, game, and aged cheeses. Joe says: “The Monte Tondo has hints of cinnamon and spice on the palate and it is one of my favorite Amarones.”

Accordini Amarone “ACINATICO” (Veneto) 2004 $50/150
Amarone della Valpolicella is the unquestioned king of the wines of Verona. It is obtained via the ancient production of Recioto which becomes dry and bitter purely by chance. As a result, since the beginning of the 20th century it has been called “Amarone”, from the adjective “amaro” meaning “bitter”, though it is by no means bitter. The unique and unmistakable feature of this wine is its production by original grapes of Valpolicella: Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara, which are considered great treasures of this area. Another unique characteristic of this wine is the process of vinification: grapes are dried till February or March. It is a fine example of dry red wine refined in wooden barrels. Amarone is a wine of great importance, since it is the product of a rare micro-climate, exclusive vines and special wine making techniques. This unique process yields a rich and concentrated bouquet of dried fruit and a touch of vanilla and nuts.

Cordero Di Montezemolo BAROLO ENRICO VI (Piedmont) 2003 $60/180
From the incredibly historic winery of Cordero di Montezemolo located in the Piedmont, the Enrico VI vineyard in Castiglione Falletto produces an exceptional Barolo. It is rich, full bodied and robust with a complex bouquet. This Barolo has notes of cherries, spice and earth. On the palate it is austere and very well-balanced. It pairs perfectly with all types of game and braised meats. The well known wine guide in Italy, Gambero Rosso, has awarded this 2003 vintage with its highest honor, Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses). Joe says: “Oh, baby!!”

Brunelli BRUNELLO Riserva (Montalcino) 2001 $60/180
The small Brunelli farm lies in the midst of the Montalcino hills and is owned by Mauro Brunelli and Anna Savini, both descendants of farming families. The 1960s was a hard time for agriculture, and as commonly occurred, the Brunelli family left farming for the city. In 1964, they returned and with just 3 hectares of land planned production of wine. Mauro and Anna’s son Luca decided to farm the property after completing studies. Luca’s cultivation philosophy is to strive for quality over quantity. This Brunello is 100% Sangiovese, aged 4 years in French barrels, and is full bodied with wonderful wild berries and dark cherry fruit. It is only released after 6 years from harvest.

View our White Wine list.

Pilandro TREBBIANO di Lugana (Lombardia) 2007 $8/24
A highly aromatic wine made from 100% Trebbiano di Lugana. The winemaker, Pietro Lavelli, is one of the most respected producers in the area, not only for his amazing wines, but for his fantastic salame! With bright notes of passion fruit and citrus, this Trebbiano has enough flavors to match even Pietro’s salame!

VERMENTINO (Sardegna) 2007 $8/24
This is a fruit forward wine with aromas of white flowers, rosemary, apricot and lemon. A crisp white, this Vermentino is a perfect balance between expressive herbaceous fruit and a somewhat restraining core of minerality. Wonderful paired with seafood pastas. Small production.

Era INZOLIA IGT Organic (Sicilia) 2007 $10/30
This organic grape is grown in Sicily and crafted in Piemonte. Rich clean tropical fruit with nuances of ripe pears, pineapple, almond and apricot; this wine has a distinct New World feel with well-defined, up-front fruit and great balance. Joe loves this organic wine for its distinct Bazooka Bubblegum nose!

Monte Tondo SOAVE CLASSICO “Monte Tondo” (Veneto) 2007 $11/33
2006 was a great year for Italian whites and this Soave is no exception! At 3,000 cases, it is the biggest production wine from the Magnabosco family. The wine is 100 percent Garganega, and is fermented in steel tanks. It has a floral bouquet laced with scents of exotic fruit and mineral aromas with a long finish. This Soave Classico makes an excellent aperitivo and is ideal with appetizers, fish, shellfish, and white meat.

San Giovanni LEO GUELFUS Falerio dei Colli Ascolani (Marche) 2006 $11/33
The Falerio dei Colli Ascolani from the Marche region east of Tuscany is a surviving testimonial to the outstanding reputation of the wines of Picenum enjoyed in the period of the Roman Empire. Marta is a unique blend consisting of 30% Pecorino, 30% Trebbiano, 20% Passerina, and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a salty, brine-like quality making it an excellent choice with shellfish, seafood and pasta in cream sauce. 6,500 bottle production. During a visit to Marche, Joe met Giovanni, the producer of this Falerio. Joe says, “Giovanni is the nicest of men: the kind who would give you the shirt off his back!”

CIAVOLICH CHARDONNAY “Terre di Chieti” (Abruzzo) 2007 $13/39
It is hard to believe that this is an un-oaked Chardonnay, but it is. The Ciavolich Chard from Abruzzo is a rich, refined wine, complex and elegant. It has an intense golden color with hints of toasted nuts: complex and lasting with bold and persistent fruit. Only 400 cases made. A point of interest: the label is written in Braille!

Cordero di Montezemolo ARNEIS delle Langhe (Piemonte) 2007 $13/39
Coming from an area renowned for its robust reds (Barolo), the people of the Piedmont drink Arneis in the summer. This lovely white shows a particularly floral bouquet of chamomile, with notes of apricots. On the palate, it is mild and elegant, an extremely well balanced wine. This beautiful white is produced by the Montezemolo family. They have owned their land since feudal times and they continue to be an important part of the regions heritage as well as being the CEO of Ferrari! Joe says, “Check out their elegant Barolo!”

Tasto di SETA “Malvasia” (Emilia Romagna) 2007 $13/39
This Seta is a bright straw-yellow with an intensely aromatic floral nose of acacia, cypress and mint. It is balanced and soft on the palate with excellent length. This vineyard is located in a region known for its good food as well as its good wines. Great as either an aperitivo or as a dinner wine: it is perfect when paired with fresh pasta dishes, vegetable dishes, salami and white meats. Seta is also exceptional with fat-fleshed fish and seafood stews.

Tenuta LUISA (Friuli) 2007 $14/42
A 100% Sauvignon grape, this wine has a pale golden color. The bouquet is refined and typical of the variety, with hints of sage, bell peppers and tomato vines. Well-balanced and structured with excellent acidity, it pairs well with pasta and risotto as well as various flavorful dishes with seafood and crustaceans.

Alberto Longo Falanghina ‘Le FOSSETTE’ (Puglia) 2007 $15/45
The area around Lucera in Puglia is known for its archaeological finds. Le Fossette is an archaeological term for an indent in a pot or vase used for drinking. Typically, the Falanghina grape is found in Campania, but in Puglia it has a more intense straw color with green highlights thanks to the climate and soil of the region. The bouquet is persistent and rich with fruity and floral notes. 500-case productions.

GAVI di GAVI La Meirana (Piemonte) 2007 $16/48
This wine is produced in a single vineyard, La Meirana: one of the oldest and most famous vineyards in Piedmont. Gavi is made exclusively from Cortese grapes and is a pale yellow with green highlights. The perfume is fine and delicate with hints of anise and flowers. Dry on the palate, elegant with a great finish. Perfect with grilled fish, sea salt bream and fish soup.

Ciavolich PECORINO Colline Pescaresi “Aries” (Abruzzo) 2007 $16/48
Not the cheese but rather the wine! This Pecorino is certainly a wine experience. The miniscule 4000 bottle production of Aries is rich and full bodied with a deep golden yellow color. The taste is velvety and harmonious with a honey flavor and an alcohol content of 14.5%, as well! The Ciavolich family has been cultivating the land between Chieti and Pescara in Abruzzo since 1853. Pecorino is excellent with entrees containing rich sauces as well as strong cheeses. The nose of this Pecorino is incredible and Joe wishes they made cologne that smelled this good! Joe had the privilege of serving Chiara Ciavolich at the Enoteca during her visit to New York in February 2009. We also serve her Chardonnay: an equally interesting white!

Mazzolino Chardonnay “BLANC” (Lombardia) 2005 $18/54
From a tiny producer in Oltrepo Pavese in Lombardia, this Chardonnay is rich and complex with notes of hazelnuts, vanilla and citrus. This French winemaker combined French technique with Italian soil to produce an exquisite wine that is delicious when served with risotto, lobster, and creamy pasta dishes. When Joe visited the winery’s cantina, Jean Francois, the winemaker, swore he could see France from the hills of Pavia!

Ca’ Lojera Lugana “RISERVA del LUPO” (Lombardia) 2005 $18/54
Ca’ Lojera in Lombardia means “House of the Wolves” and harkens back to when smugglers would occupy lakeside farms to do business. Strangers who came near were sent away by signs warning that wolves prowled the land. This Lugana displays a perfect blend of citrus fruit and minerality, and it is excellent with seafood.

Monte Tondo SOAVE SUPERIOR “Foscarin Slavinus” (Veneto) 2006 $19/57
This soave is created by pruning the vines by 40% to obtain the best quality Garganega grapes possible. After fermenting in oak barrels for one month, the wine matures in steel tanks for 2 years. Foscarin Slavinus has a fruity bouquet laced with scents of peach blossom and banana. This full-bodied wine received 92 points in the most recent Wine Spectator—the highest score ever for a Soave!

View our Red Wine list.

We were greeted enthusiastically and happily by the hostess, who remembered StB from her unique name and reservation call the day before, and were promptly seated. The cozy restaurant seats no more than, I would stab in the dark, about 20 people, but didn’t feel crowded despite being filled to capacity when we left. We had a clear view into the open kitchen and were delighted with the exposed brick; debating what other city we felt we were in. I chose Baltimore; she chose DC. We settled on somewhere in between. Read more on The Feisty Foody.

Owners Denise and Jody Scaravella had their own version of the Field of Dreams mantra: If you build it, they will cook. It seems they were right, as the lynchpin in their twice-daily (sometimes more) changing menu is the half-dozen, give or take, rotating women chefs designing menus inspired by the delights of their home regions of Italy. One day, you might take a seat in the slim, urban-sleek dining room and find Sicilian specialties, like a frittata made with fresh artichokes, or pasta con sarde. Another day, you may be presented with a Marche meal of panini draped with sharp arugula, olive oil, and cured beef. Every day is a lovely surprise, as is Jody’s all-Italian wine list, filled with little-known varietals and regional better-knowns like the plummy Lacryma Christi. Read the full review in New York Magazine.

Six Italian grandmothers of St. George, Staten Island have got this whole restaurant business all figured out. By taking turns at the stovetop, each nonna gets to rule the kitchen one day each week, and no one has to work more than a few weekly lunch or dinner shifts. Everyone gets a chance to cook and nobody collapses, exhausted in the gnocchi–it is a win-win arrangement. But really, it’s the lucky residents of St. George who are perhaps the most fortunate, as they get a glimpse into regional home cooking from a different part of Italy nearly every night of the week. As should already be clear, this is not your typical Italian restaurant: this is a place where meals are punctuated by frequent appearances from a well-proportioned older Italian woman who, in halting English, inquires at every table whether everything is “bene.” And the only real response is: “Si.”

Read the rest of the review on NYC Nosh.

Every Wednesday morning Teresa drives from Staten Island to Brooklyn, to an old warehouse beknownst only to her and a handful of other adepts. The men in the building know her. Without wasting many words they load a heavy 100-lb bag on her pick-up truck. Then she drives back to Staten Island and parks the truck in front of the Enoteca Maria on Hyatt St.

In 2006 Denise and Joe, the owners of the enoteca, started placing ads in Italian-language newspapers of the New York City area, looking for Italian women with a passion for traditional Italian cooking. They were not looking for credentials from culinary institutes but for regional recipes that had been passed down through generations. After several months of test cookings they finally hired Caterina, Teresa, Nina, Patrizia and Argentina - and opened Enoteca Maria in February 2007.

The five women, who come from different regions in Italy, cook on alternating days. Thus the menu changes daily. Even the lunch menu differs from the dinner menu each day. The focaccia and pastries are made from scratch and baked fresh daily in the restaurant, a detail Denise insisted upon. After several visits to Enoteca Maria I am particularly impressed by the consistent excellent quality of the food, be it the rich Baccala, the wonderfully tender organ meats or the subtle bacon-infused risotto, which is cooked in small batches in order to retain its bite. Enoteca Maria now also offers a very interesting selection of artisanal cheeses imported from Italy.

The wine list offers almost 40 different wines, thoughtfully selected from different regions in Italy. Most of the wines are from small producers with a focus on traditional winemaking. Every wine on the list is also sold by the glass, a fine opportunity to try something new without having to order a whole bottle. And Joe takes it upon himself to ensure that all wines are served the way they should be. He slowly pours the wine into large goblets, allowing the wine to fully unfold their aromas. He slightly chills his red wines before serving them, a small but important detail since red wine all too often is served too warm. A decanter is always at hand for the likes of Barolo and other wines with a firm structure, that need to breathe for a while in order to show their full complexity. Enoteca Maria also offers a fairly extensive selection of Italian beers.

The idea of bringing genuine Italian cooking from different regions into one small restaurant is a wonderful concept. Once I tasted Teresa’a apple pie I began to understand why she drives her truck to Brooklyn every Wednesday. Not that Enoteca’s flour is of inferior quality. But she insists on using the flour that her mother and grandmother have used before her. The crust of the pie is so heavenly flavourful that I picked every single crumb that was left on my plate while sipping the amber-colored Vin Santo at the end of my deeply satisfying meal. And I didn’t even have to take the ferry afterwards to get home.

Reprinted from The Prodigal Borough

By Mark Hokoda

The idea behind Enoteca Maria is brilliant—and dauntingly difficult to pull off: A rotating lineup of five cooks from around Italy is turned loose to prepare daily-changing, market-driven menus of dishes from their home regions.

Yet it seems to be working. First posts from this four-month-old wine bar and restaurant, a short walk from Staten Island’s ferry terminal, describe delightful and surprising food, made with care. Miss Poste, who went when a cook from Palermo, Sicily, was in the house, loved her bucatini con sarde (with raisins, pine nuts, and briny sardines). Also delicious: clams in spicy red sauce, and cheesy, aromatic veal spiedini (skewers). Other recent Palermo menus included lasagna with chopped meat, peas, mozzarella, and tomato sauce; pasticcio (baked pasta) with sausage, shrimp, cabbage, eggplant, mozzarella, pine nuts, and raisins; and, for dessert, cakes with house-made ricotta.

Read the full review on Chow.

So, I finally went to Enoteca Maria, the new buzz in Staten Island. (For nay sayers so far, read no further, we’ll never convince you.) First, the concept is brilliant. Denise and Joe (proprietors, bar tenders, wine stewards, chatters) decided to open a traditional Enoteca (essentially a wine bar) with little Italian bites to keep you thirsty and satisfied. They didn’t want cooks, or worse yet, chefs. (This is their place, sharing the concept with an ego (or even just another) wasn’t in the cards.) They wanted your little old Italian grandmother; loves to cook, great ideas, used to cooking for a crowd. What they got was a bevy of wonderful Italian women who alternate night and make the menu often twice a day based on what’s in, what’s fresh, what’s within their individual repertoire. Read more on Chowhound.

A quintet of chefs from different regions of Italy deliver a stellar new addition to the North Shore dining scene.

By Pamela Silvestri
Staten Island Advance

Enoteca Maria in St. George created ripples in the borough when it opened three months ago. At the time, Denise and Jody Scaravella’s concept seemed so romantic, perhaps even far-fetched: Every day women from different regions of Italy would take turns in the kitchen preparing lunch and dinner.

In practice, the idea is brilliant. At the very least, it’s a unique endeavor that is orchestrated quite well. So far, Enoteca Maria has been blessed with some good people management and the bonus of a warm, passionate staff. By the way, “enoteca” means “wine bar” in Italian. Maria is Mr. Scaravella’s late mother’s name.

Lunch and dinner menus are updated daily like clockwork before meal times on the restaurant’s Web site. That’s just outstanding! It makes Enoteca Maria the only Staten Island restaurant to take advantage of the Internet in such a way.

Beyond a glass curtain wall, the Enoteca’s dining room can best be described as laid back, industrial environs. Metal fans hook into a jet black ceiling and light comes from caged glass bulbs. Marble floors and gray marble subway tile contribute to a modern, Roman look.

Somewhere in a downstairs kitchen, the Italian ladies hand-craft potato gnocchi, ravioli and Pappardelle ribbons. They bake herbed focaccia and neatly fold cookies with jam and nutella. They produce rudimentary layer cakes out of fresh cream, liquor-soaked sponge cake and fruit.

Teresa, Caterina, Argentina, Nina and Patrizia - the cooks who respectively hail from Palermo, Torretta, Marche, Salerno and Rome - may leave their post behind the stove to check on customers’ reactions.

Not to worry, ladies! Clams in Vongole di Salsa Piccante - Littlenecks bathed in slightly spiced, thin red sauce - were plump and fresh. The Pasta Girasole was an absolute thriller with tubes of fine quality penne tossed in an electric orange sauce made from tomatoes, roasted sunflower seeds and the essence of rendered sweet sausage. Paninis - sometimes tucked with smoked salmon, sometimes with grilled veggies - are made with awesome bread.

Slices of bread topped with anchovy butter and fresh mozzarella (croustini con alici) for lunch one day was simple and fabulous. I think about that item once in a while and the memory makes me salivate.

Bay leaf or thyme-tinged stews cooked separately with oxtail, veal, rabbit and lamb were outrageous. Farro made an unbelievable presence in an already stunning minestrone soup. At one point, Ms. Scaravella offered artisanal cheeses, a wonderful thing to see in a wine bar. Customers weren’t adventurous with such treasures and, alas, those cheeses have gone by the wayside. (Oh, please bring them back.)

Four little treats - like an amuse bouche - with focaccia arrive prior to the meal on miniature square plates. These are always a delightful surprise. See the occasional appearance of Gaeta olives and parsley flecked, vinegar button mushrooms or fresh (yes, fresh!), tender artichoke hearts. Occasionally catch sun-dried tomatoes dotted with vibrant green pine nut pesto or corn (fresh-shaven from the cob) tossed with fennel and carrot discs. All food is presented on matching turquoise platters and mini-plates.

Yes, there is a downside to such fluid menues: Favorite dishes may never be featured again unless the staff is given a few day’s notice. And fussy eaters face a menu limited to about a dozen items. Could Enoteca Maria be extending the best selection of wines by the glass we’ve seen so far on Staten Island? I say yes.

Oenophiles will appreciate how wine is handled in general. For instance, Ms. Scaravella gingerly plucks stemware from an overhead rack with a soft cloth. Hence the customer receives a crystal clear, fingerprint-free goblet. (Note that these are the kinds of goblets a foodie would find in first-class Manhattan restaurants.) Carefully chosen Italian wines are offered by the glass, bottle and even by the flight. Jody Scaravella frequently pops new bottles, enthusiastically offers a taste to guests and asks their opinions. The gesture certainly wins friends.

While Enoteca Maria is fabulous in the wine department, there is just one teensy criticism due to the realities of properly storing its vast inventory: Red wines are sometimes a bit too chilled. Other quibbles include the matter of paper napkins. The high-quality, disposable kind or real linen ones are much more dignified when eating such great food. I also felt that sugar packets tucked on espresso and cappuccino saucers were a diner-esque touch. Surely there’s a more graceful way of handling the condiment.

A remarkable restaurant requires a complete package, one that features honest food, superior ingredients, sincere hospitality and proprietors who are totally into their work. No doubt, Enoteca Maria has all of that. My great hopes are that it can sustain its momentum and that Islanders will see the value in supporting such a unique Island restaurant.

(Reposted courtesy of The Staten Island Advance)

My fingers can’t type fast enough with the excitement over Enoteca Maria.

This is a wonderful addition to Staten Island and an ideal spot on the North Shore. Hooray for the borough! We are very lucky to have a spot like this. If you’ve been to Italy or highly regard good, clean, simple Italian food, you’ll totally love what this kitchen turns out.

We have sampled Enoteca Maria’s brief menu at lunch. The offerings change daily but I’ll tell you about our experience today. Now, remember, the restaurant has only been open for less than a week. That being said, Enoteca Maria is certainly off to an excellent start.

Note also Enoteca Maria should receive their liquor license momentarily and, in the meantime, it is NOT BYOB. It is a very small restaurant open only for lunch on weekdays. This is probably an ideal situation since it takes a lot to get the food part of an eatery launched and they’ll probably be the better for it in the long run. Also, there’s a tad bit of roughness about the decor (looks like they’re putting finishing touches in the dining room after all the construction, understandable) and they’re still getting inventory into the space (perfectly acceptable to me at this stage in the game).

ANYWAY, hospitality was excellent. Young, soft-spoken Italian women are simply delightful servers. After placing your order, a woman will shuttle a pale blue colored, china platter to the table carrying three room temp relish dishes — today’s little tastes: caponata; Gaeta olives with fresh corn kernels, fennel dices and carrot discs; freshly roasted red pepper slivers with sautéed onion and pignoli nuts — presented with squares of focaccia. (The focaccia baking is that smell that smacks you in the face when you enter, by the way).

The cooks—who obviously take a lot of pride in their food—will come out to check on their nicely crafted food. We met two women today: One from Rome, the other from Sicily.

I don’t want to spoil the surprises at this place but, briefly:
Vegetable minestrone had a delicate layering of flavor and perfectly firm farro (!!!) served with freshly grated pamesan cheese in a square ramekin (!!!) It was $6 for a generous bowl.

Insalada Verde was just ehh, with crude chops of romaine, pale tomato wedges, black raisins and a battonet of carrots. Really good olive oil-based dressing, though. $5.

On AWESOME, crisp, sexy, warm (did I say awesome?) bread, the following:
Panini con salmone with lemon, oil and smidgeon of vinegar in a ramekin for dipping. Smoked salmon came on the warmed bread with shreds of iceberg. Heat from the bread cooked the salmon a bit, but overall a good sandwich. $8

Panini con Arugula and Bresaula with a pile of good quality, thin slices of bresaula and a dipping sauce of olive oil dotted with vinegar. $8

AND THE BEST DISH OF THE DAY……
Crostini topped with melted mozzarella cheese spread with anchovy butter!!! 
Ahhhh, simple and absolutely fabulous but a little pricey at $8.

Not sampled but definitely eyeballed for another time if offered:
Trippa alla Romana — $10.
Pennette con Funghi and Speck (Speck!!! Speck!!! They’re serving speck!) Possibly underpriced at $10. We’ll see.

An unusual Italian restaurant in St. George was among some 20 new businesses attending a “Welcome to Staten Island” breakfast held at Borough Hall yesterday.

At Enoteca Maria (Eno means wine in Latin) on Hyatt Street, St. George, the new Italian wine outlet and eatery will serve small plates of Italian foods prepared by 10 Italian ladies, mostly based on the Island, said owner Denise Scaravella. The women have a passion for cooking traditional recipes from their region, made from recipes taught to them by their grandmothers. Prices will be $15 or less.

One day, dishes will be made by Sicilian women; another day, the dishes will be from Rome, said Ms. Scaravella, who is leaving her job of 25 years as executive vice president for a nonprofit group providing housing for homeless families.

A large selection of Italian wines from small producers will be stocked at the restaurant, said her husband, Jody, a wine enthusiast. “I make my own wine,” added Scaravella, who works full time with the MTA, and who will be at the restaurant evenings.

Open for lunch and dinner the restaurant will also be available for private functions, the Ward Hill couple said. Borough President James P. Molinaro estimated that the new businesses will generate about 200 jobs.

© 2007 Staten Island Advance