The Italy trip meals, #5

On Wednesday we finally headed for Verona in advance of the start of Vinitaly Thursday. Dad of course figured that the Bottega del Vino should be a stop that evening, even though we knew it would likely be crowded. There were no tables to be had, but once again the good folks there were able to accommodate us, as long as we could promise to be done by 9 pm. As it was only 7, we figured a 2 hour dinner would be within our range.

We had already been drinking wine by the glass at the bar before being seated, with the Caterina Zardini Valpolicella from Giuseppe Campagnola being our choice. Soon after being seated we noticed the reservation card at the table next to us was for "Campagnola x 2" and we both assumed it must be Giuseppe himself coming in later. Taking it as a sign, we ordered the 2004 Campagnola Amarone Caterina Zardini to have with dinner.

Sure enough, soon after our neighbors arrived and they quickly noticed the bottle on our table. It turned out to be Giuseppe Campagnola and his American importer Aldo, and we of course struck up a conversation. Both Aldo and Giuseppe were quite friendly and we ended up having a great time talking with them while dining.

The meal was great as well, as I started with the Risotto all'Amarone and followed with an herb-crusted venison loin. A great meal, and a great start to the Vinitaly experience. Since we needed to vacate the table, we ended up back at the bar in front where we ordered Campagnola's Fortificato, a dessert wine made with a hint of brandy. We weren't familiar with it, but of course Giuseppe had recommended it to us. Not surprisingly it was quite a treat and the perfect cap to our first night in Verona.

We would see Giuseppe again at the show, and get to spend more time with him - like so may others we have met over the past couple of years, he is a modest and friendly winemaker who is very appreciative of people like us that appreciate his work. I actually still have a bottle of the 1998 Caterina Zardini Amarone in my cellar, and to get to meet the people who make these wines is always a thrill, especially when they are so nice. While we definitely enjoyed these wines before, now having made that personal connection will make every bottle of Campagnola wine a special occasion as we toast our new friend Giuseppe. I think we both definitely look forward to visiting Campagnola again, maybe not just at Vinitaly but at the winery as well.