Italy at Your Table goes to Jackson Hole - Wyoming...tasting with bears!by Filippo BartolottaActually, this is not a bad way to come home: Montevertine Pergole Torte 1988 at Cibreo restaurant in Florence.[caption id="attachment_3003" align="alignleft" width="538" caption="Pergole Torte 1988"][/caption]I am invited to join a Florence Market Walk with a couple of serious food nuts!I get late into town because of road works and I didn't manage to have breakfast yet. Jet Lag is having the upper hand. After many days of americano I now am in desperate need for an Espresso.Lucky for me the best chocolate place in Florence is opened -Roberto Catinari- and I can have chocolate and coffee at once. Now I am getting in the mood for food:).So we taste some delicious Sao Tom chocolate and we head for a truffle sandwich at Procacci. The wheather is nice. We decide to go to the Central Market for a cheese, balsamic vinegar and extravirgin olive oil adventure! Ah, says Jeffrey, we have to try the bollito panini! I paused and looked him and Laura: you guys are serius about this? Tey look at me with joyful eys and nod. Ok then let me tak you to Nerbone to have bollito and lampredotto -the third stomach of the cow- panini. They both looked at me a little scared: the third stomach? Doneurot worry is like a very soft and tasty pastrami!Now this how I usually finish the market walk mornings but today. My guests deiceded to go for a proper Florentine lunch at Cibreo to savour some delicious plates with a serious Sangiovese.So I had to sacrifice myself for a series of wonderful Fabio Picchi (Cibreo owner and chef) bites and signature dishes such as: the florentine trippa euro a cold tripe salad with celeryeuroso light and refreshing-; a cold pappa al pomodoroeuroa classic gentle tomato soup-; a spicy fish soup to die for; and a divine cod mouse with leeks. The service warm, smiley and pleasant, the wine? Pergole Torte 1988. This is a pure 100% Sangiovese from the heart of Chianti Classico with suade leather, tobacco and classic cherry and violets Sangiovese action. Lots of definition and an earthy complexity. Not bad a welcome back!The best thing to come back though is always the kids.I still them from school and summer camps to spend a loving afternoon together and now on my way to the Caserta, direction Amalfi Coast, to taste a few hundred Taurasi, Fiano and Falanghina for the Espresso Italian Wine Guide. Giampaolo Gravina, one of Italy most senior taster is waiting for me.So this is my coming back home. But last night someone coplained about not keeping a steady peace with my blog so I have to do a bit of re-cap! SIC!After the ViniToscana week in New York City. showcasing the best Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Chianti Colli Senesi I moved to rap up the Italy at Your Table Road Show 2011 in Jackson Hole - Wyoming.The occasion was the annual charity wine auction to support the Grand Teton Opera House where some of the world greatest musicians and some of the youngest talents can express themselves in a glorious theatre over 6500 feet right under the Teton Peack. Tired of the one too many a flight I decided to go check the Mountain out arriving at almost 11000ft asl.After the huslle and buzzle of the New York hot city life, I enjoy the contrast of being so high up in the sky in such a clean and crystalline air all bymyself before my tasting went live.The only thing I had to worry here were just some cuddley mummals!!!Jokes aside this is a beautiful land full of elk, gigantic moose, mountain lions and...bears. I mean this is crazy for me. If you go by a basball hat here theyeuroll ask you things like:would you like a eurobear sprayeuro? What I say? Yeah you know...with the snow still up there some bears are coming down the valley. What I say? Yeah they usually mind their own business though.I remain silent and I ask if they instead sell guns! No, sir. Also the hunting season is not on yet! I was kidding I say, just kidding!I move along without sprays or guns and the Teton Mountain welcomes me really softly...on top of the peak there's the world's best waffle!As you know I always get very excited about America. The energy, the ability and will to go ahead with ideas and projects and the make it happen actitude. So Jackson was a confirmation of my ideas and on top of this getting there is a spectacular landing!This year we filed an incredible amout of phenomenal winter tasting events.The project designed fot the Metropolitan Museum of New York; the Marthaeuros Table and D.C. Central Charity event with Alice Waters, Joan Nathan, Jan Bhurman and Jos Andres; the Good Food Award with Sarah Weiner and The Seedling Project in San Francisco; and several private events around the country.The Jackson Hole event was another masterpiece of team work between LeBaccanti Italy and The Grand Teton Musica Festival. This year Prince of Luxemburg was the main host of the Gala Dinner at the Four Seasons, showcasing the best of Haut Brion with its lusciously smooth Haut Brion 2005, the profound earthy and black currants Haut Brion 1998 and the austere and structured Haut Brion 1995 plus a selection of the second lables of Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion to match the dishes ofChefs Jean Franois Bruel of DANIEL, New York City and Michel Richard of Citronelle, Washington, D.CBefore the empowering wine auction a Champagne reception was offered to the many attendees while the silent auction was taking place.At the end of the evening we reached over $100.000, which is a lot for a small year like this year, LeBaccanti Wine and Holiday lot sold for $ 7.350!!!I am nothing but extremely proud of this wonderful results, for which I have in turn to express my deepest gratitute to all LeBaccanti members euroVanessa, Benedetta, Carrie, Corinna and Jessica- and to the 2011 ItalyatYourTable Team:Arnaldo CapraiBellavistaCastello RomitorioDal Forno RomanoFattoria delle RipalteFeudi di San GregorioFontodiIsole e OlenaPetraPrPropriet SperinoSandrone LucianoAntica Dolceria BonajutoGran Deposito Aceto Balsamico Giuseppe GiustiGalleria Frilli FirenzeAlso I would like to thank Jeffrey Berenson without whom all this couldneurot happen, Allan Tessler and Gerard Yvernault for their generosity and pass-part-tout approach and of course Chip Scott -Director of the Jackson Hole Wine Auction-; Director of the Musica Festival; and Amanda, Luke, Jac and sommelier Anthony Puccia of the Four Seasons Teton Village.Of course I made sure before leaving Jackson to have people tasting our eurogoodseuro.So right before the innagural concert of the Grand Teton Festival, an Italy at Your Table Fine wine tasting was held at the Four Seasons. I was almost a little nervous to open again my twelve magical wines in such an amazing environment, but the wines didneurot let me down. Infact after the winter they are actually showing even better then ever and people are just overwhelmed. One comment was: I am a disappointed! I say, why? And he goes: I caneurot believe that all the 12 wines were sooo good. Not even one that I didneurot like!1800 is cocktail hour at the commnos in Teton Village before the concert.This is what was played under the inspirational direction of: Donald Runnicles.Among the great musicians: Sarah Chang and pianists Brian Connelly and Jeremy Denk.I couldneurot ask for more. At this stage, after being uplifted by the wonderful music and the ItalyatYourTable wine selection. But I did get more a really succulent Buffalo steak at the Snake River Grill in Jackson![caption id="attachment_3022" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="Jackson Hole"][/caption]Talk to you soon from Campania...No where but in the South of Italy can one eat such a succulent dish of pasta......Soon more on Taurasi and AquapetrafPS: some of the tasting notes on the old Barolo. PSS: I have lost the other ones, but now is timeAntonio Vallana Spanna 1961densely sweet with a lot of fruit still available. Very good wine, amazingly flashy for the age, not super complex, but extremely pleasant.1964 Oddero BaroloThis was a leaner wine than most 1967 Barolo I had. Very much based on simple leather and earthy notes. Not too much fruit to offer but still pleasant Barolo expression and a very drinkable touch.1967 Giacosa Barbaresco Cru Asili RiservaVery iconic with the classic tar and roses, sigar and balasamic notes. Delineated palate with structured tannins, polished mouthfill and lenghty mighty finish.