As a celebration of both of our birthdays and our move to our new city of Baltimore, our friends and financial advisors Derek and Sid took Ernie and I out to dinner (sadly, Betsy was ill and not able to join the fun). One of our new neighborhood restaurants is Cinghiale, a Cindy Wolf restaurant in Baltimore. And a really dangerous fact about Cinghiale is that they have 1/2 price wine on Tuesday nights. Needless to say, Ernie and I plan accordingly.

So, Derek and Sid drove out to see our new place and then to take us to dinner. Since they are really good sports and also adventurous, they encouraged me to take advantage of 1/2 price wine night. So, I splurged for the benefit of the four of us! The recent Wine Spectator magazine had done a cover story on the wines of Sicily, so I decided to try one. I chose "La Vigna di Don Peppino", a 2011 Prephylloxera Etna Rosso from Tenuta dell Terre Nere.

My first taste was an adventure. The promise of a great wine was there; it was almost sparkling or tangy on the tongue. Our wonderful sommelier, Lindsay, agreed that the wine should be decanted. The scent of the wine was very deep and complex, hints of loamy soil along with flowers, spice and fruit. The initial taste, as I mentioned, was very "tight" (my description), with dark fruit and spices.

As we enjoyed the wine, we snacked on a lovely plate of Affetati Misti selected by Ernie - mortadella, prosciutto, salami, and also olives and cheeses. The wine began to open, the scent becoming more pronounced, and the flavor softening and becoming much more balanced and complex. Everyone agreed it was quite a winner.

La Vigna di Don Peppino is a very unique wine. The grapes are native to Sicily - Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. Most importantly, the vines are over 130 years old, apparently a few of the only survivors of the phylloxera plague that wiped out most of the traditional European vines during the late 1800s. The original rootstock probably survived because they are more remote in the hills near Mount Etna. It is a credit to the vigneron who cared for these vines that they survive - Don Peppino, who still lives at the Sicilian estate.

Back to dinner - the first course arrived - Fairytale Pumpkin & Chestnut Cappuccino with Poached Apple for me, two different salads for the gentlemen. I must say, the pumpkin and chestnut went beautifully with the wine. Then on to pasta - and horror of horrors, we were out of wine! So Derek and Sid, being quite gallant (and apparently having a very good time), encouraged me to get another bottle. So rather than breaking their bank a second time, I went for another Sicilian wine that was a bit less pricy - a 2007 Maldafrica from Azienda Agricola COS.

Again, another winner, and completely different from the other! This wine is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Nero d'Avola. The scent was much more of blackberries and spices as well as mineral notes. And the taste matched the scent - a lovely minerality, with hints of spices like sage and rosemary along with the blackberry fruit. I had Agnolotti dal Plin filled with Duck along with baby turnips and parmigiano; Ernie, Sid, and Derek all had Casunsei, or pasta filled with sausage with parmigiano, butter and sage. The sage and the wine was absolutely fantastic together. The Agnolotti also went beautifully. Yet another treat.

And then, because we just couldn't stop eating, it was on to dessert. A Tiramisu Bonet with Amaretti crumbs and chocolate sauce, and also a Fall Fruit Strudel with Wildflower Honey and Mascarpone.

Fall Fruit Strudel with Wildflower Honey and Marcarpone

Lots of stories, lots of laughter. Both gentlemen previously lived in Baltimore, so they shared their stories of restaurants, college, and places to shop. Ernie and I shared our stories about our recent move and also back to our wedding on a yacht in Baltimore Harbor. Outside a storm blew in - we just enjoyed our dinner and our wines and shared our stories. All in all, a great evening. Good food, great wine, and wonderful friends. What a way to spend a Tuesday evening!