On a crisp summer evening at Palma, a stunning restaurant in the West Village reminiscent of a villa in Tuscany, we had the pleasure of tasting through some offerings of classic wines from Villa Antinori, a renown Tuscan producer and importer of Italian wine, while sampling fare from Palma’s outstanding kitchen.
Joined by Alessia Antinori, one of three sisters leading Marchesi Antinori, we had the opportunity to learn about the flagship portfolio from one of the longest running family owned companies in the world. Alessia is part of the 26th generation of the Antinori family, and her commitment and dedication to the family business was present in every element of her presentation. Apart from serving as the company’s Vice President, she has worked as a winemaker and spearheaded emphasis on Antinori’s sparkling wine brand – Tenuta Montenisa – in Franciacorta. Additionally, Alessia’s interest in fine art and photography led to the vineyard grounds partially transforming into a museum of contemporary art installations at the Chianti Classico winery.
Palma was an ideal choice of venue for this event, given the many gorgeous rooms throughout the space, all connected by a central courtyard where we dined amid luxurious flora and fauna, both on the table as centerpieces and around the table as decor. The ambiance was especially lovely considering that after the dinner, we gathered in the bar area to craft our own bouquets of flowers.
The wines were lovely and coursed out perfectly based on the family-style formatting of the dinner. To begin, the Villa Antinori Bianco 2021, consisting of Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Riesling and Pinot Bianco varietals, made for the perfect aperitivo, as well as an accompaniment to salads and appetizers. Next, we enjoyed the Villa Antinori Rosso 2019, a complex, medium-bodied wine made from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot grapes. The Rosso paired nicely with Palma’s gorgeous pastas – a mezzaluna ravioli stuffed with ricotta and a vegan pesto spaghetti. Our favorite wine of the evening was the Chianti Classico Riserva 2018, a ruby red beauty with notes of black cherries, leather, and plums. The long, savory finish on the Classico was an excellent way to end the meal, alongside a decadent porterhouse that was served with garlic, rosemary and butter.
To close out a spectacular evening, crafting our own floral bouquets was a wonderfully complimentary activity mirroring the beautiful florality that exists in the Villa Antinori wine collection. We hope you have the chance to explore the offerings of Villa Antinori as well!
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