A Light Summer Dinner

Summer dinner

It was a very hot evening in August and friends invited Michele and I for a light summer dinner.

We sat in the garden and had the appetizers, fresh ripe figs topped with gorgonzola and wrapped in prosciutto.  With it we drank:

Trento DOC Ferrari “Perlè” Methodo Classico 2011 made from 100% organic Chardonnay from vineyards at 300 to 700 meters with a southeast or southwesterly exposure. The soil is loose, not too deep, and made of volcanic and glacial deposits. There are 4,500 to 5,500 plants per hectare. Harvest is by hand from in the middle of September. Fermentation and aging is in stainless steel and the wine remains on the lees for 6 months. This is an elegant well-balanced wine with hints of apple, almonds, and a touch of brioche. I was very impressed by this wine. Residual sugar is 6g/l.

We decided to move inside for the rest of the meal.  Our first course was a tomato and cheese tart made with heirloom tomatoes and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Then  we  had beautifully  grilled  swordfish  with  a light  olive  oil  and herb  dressing  with  steamed  potatoes  and  broccoli.  Our  host  served  a refreshing  rose  wine.

Montefili Rosato Toscana 2019 made from 100% Sangiovese which has its roots in vines planted in 1995. The terrain is hilly, the soil is galestro and alberese and the altitude is at 500 meters. The training system is spurred cordon. Vinification takes place in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged in stainless steel and then aged in bottle for 3 months before release. The winery is organic. This is a fresh fruity wine with hints of strawberries, raspberries, a touch of red currants and good acidity.

For dessert we had roasted apricots with faisselle, a French style fresh soft cheese made from goat’s milk.  The tangy sweet apricots were a nice contrast to the mild cheese.