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Home / Posts Tagged "Wine"

10:09 am
Restaurant Features
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Consider your search for the perfect Italian restaurant with fully-stocked wine bar finito

Cibo Wine Bar {45 Miracle Mile, Miami; 305.442.4925}

Did we hear you say it’s hard to find an Italian restaurant with a good selection of wine? Your search is over. In the middle of Miracle Mile—the hip main strip in Coral Gables—Cibo Wine Bar is just the Italian you want, need, and deserve. With its large dining room, floor-to-ceiling wine cellar, and fresh and tasty Italian dishes, Cibo never disappoints.

Italian chef Massimo Giannattasio’s carefully curated menu boasts classic starters such as Burrata, House Made Focaccia, and Prosciutto & Formaggio every diner is looking for in an Italian restaurant. The fresh, housemade pasta selection is rich with every type of Italian excellence your heart desires, like the Cannelloni with spinach, aged ricotta, and rosé sauce. Among the mains, dishes like the Trota Alla Griglia with lemon caper sauce, baby squash, and fava bean ragu or Pesce del Giorno (oven-baked Mediterranean branzino) are must-haves for fans of fresh fish. And for those who are in need of a break from American pizza, there are a plethora of Italian pizzas to choose from.

Extensive Wine List

Bringing together a wide variety from Italy, France, and domestic labels, the extensive wine list has a bottle or glass to pair with every dish on the menu. The eye-catching wine cellar sits out in the open of the restaurant, adding one more layer to the inviting decor.

Cibo Wine Bar, Coral Gables

If this is not an established fact, we’d like to make it one: you cannot leave an Italian restaurant without tasting the dessert. Period. Cibo is no exception. Make sure you order their Tiramisu or Panna Cotta before you ask for the check.

Perfect for celebration

Cibo Wine Bar’s large main dining area is filled with long tables and booths surrounded by good lighting and tasteful decor, making the restaurant perfect for celebrating with friends and family. Reserve a spot for your next birthday bash or family gathering. Private dining rooms are also available for those interested.

If you’re not in the mood for a sit-down dinner, the bar in the middle of the restaurant is the perfect spot to have a taste of Cibo and try their signature cocktails. The full bar is stocked with premium liquor and the skilled bartenders are at your service.

Overall, the Coral Gables restaurant is a prime destination for Italian food lovers. With Lobster Tuesdays, happy hour with live DJs on Thursdays, and Sunday brunch with Italian bubbles, there’s always a reason to visit Cibo.

By Caner Kocamaz | Staff Writer

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2:54 pm
Tips and Trends
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Visit these posh Miami restaurants if you regularly crave exquisite Italian food and jaw-dropping elegance

Authentic Italian at Cibo Wine Bar

Cibo Wine Bar in Coral Gables has no problem consistently pleasing the crowds. Be it the rustic exposed brick ambience, the large wine menu boasting both Italian regions and global varieties, lobster specials on Tuesdays, or brunches full of Italian bubbles on Sunday, Cibo has something for everyone, and it’s always authentically Italian. Take their Neapolitan-style pizzas: cooked to perfection in a wood-burning oven and complete with over a dozen varieties, including a whole wheat dough option. We like to order the simple but always perfect Mozzarella di Bufala, with buffalo cheese, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil. Another great is the Funghi, with wild mushrooms, fontini cream, and white truffle oil, because…well, truffle. Or you can kick things up with toppings like prosciutto, spicy soppressatta, Italian sausage, or even a variety of seafood in the Frutte di Mare. Now that’s authentic.

A Tasty Slice of Italy at Amare Ristorante

If you’re craving a trip to the iconic Italian coast, Amare Ristorante has you covered. Located in the South of Fifth neighborhood, Amare is ready to transport you to the beautiful Amalfi Coast by way of elevated Italian cuisine and equally romantic furnishings. A concept by Gino Iovino in collaboration with Michelin-starred Chef Cosimo Cassano, the expert team here prepares classic dishes made in-house with seasonal ingredients flown directly from Italy. Indulge in award-winning favorites such as the Risotto Tartufato, Costata Di Manzo, Tartare Tasting Trio, or the Spaghetti Vesuvio (Spaghetti al Nero di Sepia). Whether sitting indoors or on the outdoor terrace, the combination of the classic Italian cuisine along with the imported décor that includes hand-painted ceramic tiles, pottery, and sculptures, you’ll feel as though you’re on a luxurious Italian vacation. Benvenuto!



Dreamy Cocktail Infusions at Scarpetta

Sure, house-infused spirits, bespoke cold-brew cocktails, and tantalizing Italian dishes by none other than celebrity chef Scott Conant are reasons aplenty to stop in for a meal at Scarpetta (or at its cocktail lab and infusion bar, Sorso). But this summer, there’s one item on the menu we can’t stop thinking about. It’s called the True Bleau, and it’s a heavenly blend of Barr Hill gin and grapefruit soda served with a pea flower-infused ice cube. True to its name, this jewel-toned indigo stunner is just as Instagrammable as it is utterly delicious.

By DiningOut Staff

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2:41 pm
Restaurant Features
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When the occasion calls for something special, think pink.

New Year’s Eve, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and more–what do these momentous occasions have in common? They all call for popping bottles of Champagne and memorable toasts. But here’s something to consider: why do we choose Champagne as a celebratory drink when there are other options that are just as–if not more–sophisticated?

Instead, imagine popping bottles of rosé on joyous occasions. A blend that’s elegantly crafted and celebrates life. It’s called Clos du Temple.

This is the vision of Gérard Bertrand, a man who grew up in the South of France balancing a professional rugby career while helping manage his father’s wine business. Now, Bertrand is the largest biodynamic wine producer in the world with 15 family-owned estates and is the second-largest importer of French wines into the United States.

“My father used to say that wine is made from a thousand and one details,” Bertrand told writer Katherine Cole in a book entitled “Rosé All Day.”

He added, “If you want to make the best wine possible, you need to have the best grapes. You need a balanced, healthy vineyard. You need to respect nature. You need to reinforce the vitality of the vine.”

This is where biodynamics come into play. What does that mean? Well, for experts and sommeliers it’s not just about the wine, but rather the earth and environment. Under Bertrand’s practices, it became apparent that biodynamic farming produces a higher quality product as well as reinforces the terroir.

The release of Clos du Temple, Bertrand’s ground-breaking wine from the Cabrières appellation in the South of France, is his assertion that rosé can be as sophisticated as the finest whites and reds.

Why Cabrières? Well, careful research of the history of Languedoc wine-making led Bertrand to Cabrières. It is one of the region’s smallest appellations and in the 17th century supplied the favored rosé wines for the Sun King, Louis XIV.

You could say Bertrand was ahead of the rosé trends. The brawny former rugby player has embraced the pink drink and broken the stigma that rosé is a lady’s delight. In fact, with a suggested retail price of $190, and already awarded the highest score for a still rosé from Decanter Magazine in Britain, he’s raising the status of rosé.

And remember when we mentioned this rosé is a celebration of life? Not only does Gérard Bertrand carefully craft the contents of the inside of the bottle, but also the bottle itself.

At first glance it may look like your ordinary bottle, but with its square base and pyramidical punt rising to a circular shoulder, the bottle itself symbolizes the cosmos and the principles of biodynamics. Making Clos du Temple “the most iconic rosé on earth.”

By Loren Gutentag, Contributing Writer

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9:35 am
Restaurant Features
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Tamarina Miami

Did someone say wine? We’re listening.

Tonight only, head to the elegant-and-enticing Tamarina Restaurant {600 Brickell Avenue, Brickell; 305.579.1888} for the next installment of its popular Wine Dinner Series: Wines of Sicily and Coastal Italian Cuisine. Featuring select wines from Firriato Winery and a four-course tasting dinner for just $65 per person, this evening promises great food, delicious vintages, and of course, the five-star service and luxury that fans of Tamarina have come to expect from this Brickell Avenue gem.

Here’s a taste of the evening’s menu:

Branzino Carpaccio with strawberry gel, orange foam, pistachio dust, and lime zest (Pairing: Charme Rosato 2015) 

Ravioli with asparagus and ricotta, butter, and sage sauce (Pairing: Le Sabbie dell’Etna, Etna Blanco DOC 2014)

Pork Belly with balsamic rosemary glaze, ruby beets purée, and Brussels sprouts (Pairing: Harmonium, Nero D’Avola, Sicilia DOC 2013)

Snickers made with chocolate cake, roasted peanut caramel, and milk chocolate; served with chantilly and vanilla ice cream (Pairing: Passito, Sicilia IGT 2014)

To join in the fun, contact events@tamarinarestaurants.com and make a reservation. See you there!

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2:29 pm
Restaurant Features
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PM Fish & Steak House

Earlier this month, DiningOut had a fun opportunity to attend a special wine-pairing dinner at the upscale PM Fish & Steak House {1453 South Miami Avenue, Brickell; 305.200.5606}. The event was hosted by the prestigious Castillo de Argum winery located in Villarrobledo (Castilla-La Mancha), Spain, known for making 100-percent organic wines. We were joined by the winery’s winemaker, Fernando Santos Jimenez, who led us through each wine’s aging process from grape to bottle. Each wine was expertly paired with distinguished and mouthwatering dishes by PM’s Chef Mauricio Rocha.

We started off the evening with the Castillo de Argum Rosada, a fresh and fruity raspberry-pink rosé. It was paired with a colorful sashimi platter featuring cuts of salmon, tuna, and striped bass, along with PM’s signature Octopus Carpaccio, finely sliced pieces of fresh octopus topped with olive oil, ponzu sauce, and lemon and lime zest. The simplicity of the dishes paired with the refreshing rosé wine was the perfect beginning to what turned into an extravagant multi-course journey of food, fun, and friendship.

PM Sashimi

The rosé was soon traded in for the Castillo de Argum Sauvignon Blanc, which is made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The winemaker explained to us that young white wines sugar themselves, paralyzing the fermentation that’s obtained naturally. To fully soak up the flavor, the dish was paired with a mixed ceviche, which was prepared in a light tomato sauce with oyster and citrus juices.

ceviche

The white wine continued to flow before we switched over to the winery’s signature reds: the Cencibel Ecológic, made from 100-percent Cencibel (Tempranillo), and the Roble Cencibel, a Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blend aged for just four months in oak barrels, but then kept six months in the bottle before it is even released.

Argum rose wineargum white

We were served even more delicacies from PM’s kitchen, including the restaurant’s homemade chorizo sausage and provoleta cheese, a thick, gooey slab of aged provolone served piping hot. Red wine was all around us before along came the dish we all were waiting for: a prime slab of New York Strip Steak cooked to perfection.

Pm steak

The meal ended on a sweet note with the Chocolatisimo PM, a hot decadent chocolate soufflé served over a coffee reduction with vanilla ice cream. Suffice to say, we were beyond satisfied.

dessert

Our takeaway from the evening was twofold.

  1. Castillo de Argum organic wines are by far superior to a majority of the wines that we’ve tasted in the past;
  2. PM Fish & Steak exudes unmatched sophistication and fine culinary prowess that we know we’ll be back to enjoy in the very near future. Oh, and the next time we’re in Spain, we know where we plan on staying. The winery gets its name from the medieval-like castle in which it sits, a space that doubles as an elegant hotel.

Castillo de Argum

 By Sherri Balefsky | Online Editor

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7:53 am
Restaurant Features
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Moye MiamiBy Sherri Balefsky | Online Editor

Mary Brickell Village has no shortage of great restaurants, but if you head two blocks northwest to the less foot-trafficked First Avenue, you’ll find one of the newest additions to the neighborhood: Moyé {829 Southwest First Avenue, Brickell; 305.372.5168}.

Moye MiamiThis quaint Italian eatery helmed by Owner Tony Gallo and Owner/Chef Pietro Vardeu keeps a modest street-front, but the food and service are anything but. Start off with the Polpette meatballs or the Parmigiana (zucchini Parm with tomato, basil, and mozzarella), then order one of the signature simple yet flavorful pastas, such as the Penne with beef ragu and stracciatella cheese, the Spaghetti with fresh seafood, or the homemade Lasagna, which is delivered to your table bubbling hot still in its pan.

moye lasagne

And don’t forget their extensive wine list, which features mostly Italian reds and whites sprinkled with some selections from Argentina, Napa Valley, and beyond.

Moyé, which translates to “this is the time,” currently has six locations throughout Italy in both Milan and Florence. And you know if their dishes have managed to impress Italians, then they must be doing something very right.

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2:51 pm
Restaurant Features
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USSA Sommelier CourseBy Sherri Balefsky | Online Editor

Wine lovers unite! If you’ve always wished you knew more about wine, but just didn’t have the time or the opportunity to learn, you’re in luck! USSA (United States Sommelier Association), a non-profit dedicated to promoting wine culture to amateurs, oenophiles, and industry professionals, offers informative, convenient, and easy-to-follow courses throughout the year. And lucky for you, the headquarters is located right here in Miami. Focusing on the practical aspects of enjoying and tasting wine, each class is led by an expert wine professional who covers everything you’ve ever wanted to know about vino—and more.

If you’re interested in getting your sommelier certification, be sure to sign up now for the upcoming United States Sommelier Certificate Immersion Course, which will take place at USSA’s Corporate Campus and Education Center {1111 Lincoln Road, Suite 400, Miami Beach} from Sunday, April 12 through Friday, April 17.

USSA Wine Course

The course includes:

  • Tasting over 100 different premium labels from all over the world
  • A history of winemaking from ancient to modern times
  • Varietal component wine tastings with Le Nez du Vin 54 Master Aroma Kit
  • An in-depth look at the major wine-producing regions around the globe
  • An explanation of the three styles of wine: sparkling, still or light, and fortified
  • Food and wine pairings: 11 different foods with five of the most popular wine varietals
  • The art of the sabreur: Learn to saber the top of a Champagne bottle with a sword

USSA Wine TastingA premium selection of wines from around the world will be tasted, many tasted blind to make learning both interactive and fun. Upon completion of the course and passing both a written multiple choice test and tasting exam, students will receive their USSA Intermediate Sommelier Certificate.

For more information on the upcoming class and other courses and specials available, visit ussommelier.com.

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1:02 pm
Restaurant Features
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Cibo South Beach

By Sherri Balefsky | Miami Editor

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

This was the theme of our evening at Cibo Wine Bar South Beach {200 South Pointe Drive, Miami Beach; 305.987.6060}, the newest addition to the South of Fifth dining scene, which made its official debut in December last year. It was only a matter of time before the Cibo concept, which was an instant success in Coral Gables when it debuted just over three years ago, made its way to the beach—quite literally, as its location on South Pointe Drive means it’s mere steps from the sand.

Bad decisions aren’t possible here; that wasn’t the problem. But selecting from the sheer volume of great choices proved to be much harder than you’d think!

Cibo Miami Beach

Decision No. 1: Upon arrival, we were greeted by a hostess who asked where we’d like to be seated. Inside the aroma-filled dining room facing the expansive wine cellar and open kitchen? Within the first-floor lounge area, which features an industrial-chic wraparound bar and the whimsical designs of pop artist Mr. Brainwash, whose signature slogan, “Life is Beautiful,” adorns the wall in bold letters? Or, did we want to dine on the sizable rooftop patio (one of the largest in South Beach), a quieter oasis romantically lit by flaming heat lamps and table lanterns?

Cibo Miami Beach

We opted for the rooftop, to which we were instructed to take the elevator up to the third floor where another hostess greeted us, escorting us to a cozy wooden table with plush white couches.

Cibo Miami Beach patio

Decision No. 2: We were quickly greeted by our server, who prompted our next big decision: wine. There is a tempting cocktail menu and plenty of fine beers on offer, but it’s called Cibo Wine Bar for a reason. The restaurant is engulfed by wine bottles, the focal point of which is the two-story cellar at the center of the first floor. If your desired bottle is up top, a harnessed “wine angel” ascends to retrieve it. We learned that the restaurant in total has some 2,500 bottles on offer.

Cibo Miami Beach wine

After settling on a bottle of Italian white, it was time to for the next—and perhaps the most monumental—decision of the evening: what to order.

Decision No. 3: This expansive menu is Italian cuisine at its finest, featuring fresh ingredients that have either been flown in from Italy or are made in-house. Hats off to Chef Massimo Giannattasio, who has created a menu of mouthwatering pizzas, pastas, and main courses. Again, there were no bad decisions here. Our words of advice: be sure you come hungry!

You’ll be tempted to fill up on the freshly baked loaf of rosemary-sprinkled bread that’s presented to the table with a side of the restaurant’s signature special chili-pepper olive oil blend (warning: spicy!), leaving us with the difficult Decision No. 4: “More bread for the table?”

Decision No. 5: For appetizers, we settled on the Buffalo Mozzarella and Tomato and the Black Tiger Shrimp served with a spicy wine-garlic tomato sauce. Both looked so incredible, we had nearly devoured them by the time we realized we’d forgotten to take our obligatory hashtagged photos of the dishes.

Cibo Fusilli

Decision No. 6: For entrées, we selected the Chicken Parmesan and the Fusilli with chicken and mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Both were served in beautiful heaping portions that made our eyes wide with awe and amazement. A happy food coma soon followed—that magical moment just past the point when your stomach tells you it’s full and your brain allows you to take that one last bite.

Cannoli

Then, the final debacle: Decision No. 7–dessert. How could we resist? We opted for the Cannoli, which seemed like an appropriate Italian choice. Fair warning: the plate comes with four! We again dug in immediately before realizing that a proper photo had yet to be taken. Before we left, we surveyed the bustling bar area, which was significantly more crowded than before. It was a Thursday, which meant that it was Ten After Ten Thursdays: two drinks for just $10 after 10pm.

As we made our way out in a lethargic, sleepy daze—an astoundingly blissful experience that one could only hope to have after relishing in a large meal and finishing off a bottle of wine—it occurred to us that life, at least at that very moment, certainly was beautiful.

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