1998 Quintarelli Ca del Merlo at Maialino

[jal]

We went to Maialino yesterday and tried Danny Meyer's new restaurant. Roman dishes in a New York setting. Amazingly, the manager recognized me from another restaurant and was all friendly smiles and welcoming conversation. Unfortunately, we must have also had the worst waitress ever to work at a Danny Meyer restaurant, slow, unpleasant, ignorant of anything on the menu and easily distracted.

Still, the food was terrific; we started fried artichokes, a puntarelle salad, and marinated sardines, and moved on to the best swordfish I ever had and a braised lamb shank for Jill accompanied with a side of brussel sprouts, and one of radicchio braised in vinegar. The food was light, flavorful, and satisfying, and the dishes paired well with the Quintarelli (yes, including the artichokes).

The wine itself was a bright shiny ruby color, good nose, and a little sour at first but the flavors round up quickly; still a little raisiny but not overly so (unlike an Amarone), sour cherries mainly (quite pleasant) on the palate but earthy and layered. Good structure and a long finish. We both loved it.

[Ramon_NYC]

I'm glad you also liked your dinner at Maialino, in spite of your waitress. we had a very good wait staff during our dinenr, pretty much what I had come to expect at the good Danny Meyer restaurants.

Thanks for the notes on the Quintarelli Ca del Merlo. I don't recall having had one before, but I imagine that it would be the better choice as a food wine than the burly amarone.