The Italy trip meals part 6

Thursday night, we managed to end up at the Bottega yet again. I thought it wasn't such a good idea, but for some reason Dad decided to try our luck again (and I was already a bit weary after a long wait for a taxi leaving Vinitaly). Well, after waiting a couple of hours, we finally got seated a little after 10 pm in a back room. Little did we know that we wouldn't be close to the last people seated - when we left around 12:30, there will still people coming in and sitting down.

We had already drunk plenty of wine on the day, but of course we needed a bottle with dinner. This time, we went for the 2000 Quintarelli Valpolicella - a chance to compare it with the 1999 we had the first night.

This wine was also quite good, though not quite at the level of the 1999. It still went well with the meal, which was quite a feast (being that late I was starving). The first course was bigoli (a thick pasta) with duck, which was outstanding and really a great match for the wine. For the second course, I had a veal chop that came covered in a cheese sauce - it may not be all that healthy, but it was oh so good at that point. Once again, a great evening at the Bottega, and we can thank all the great folks there for accommodating us.

I look forward to someday going back to Verona when Vinitaly is not taking place, so that I can visit the Bottega at a less hectic time. It is really a wonderful place, and a spot any serious wine lover should visit (the wine list is like a huge book, even bigger than the one at Cul de Sac in Rome that was previously the biggest one I had seen). And like any great place, the people there can make all the difference, and it is obvious that they care a great deal about their customers. The next two nights we would finally move along to other destinations for dinner, but still stop by for a quick drink and to say hello.