Monsordo from Ceretto

Ask most wine drinkers about Italian wine and you will get either a blank look or some reference to those ridiculous straw covered bottles of Chianti, good only to hold a dripping candle at Pappa-Something's pizza house. 

Yet, what a shame we don't know more about these fabulous wines, so diverse, unique and complex. As a nation, no one produces more wine than Italy, and no country (to my knowledge) has more indigenous grape varietals than Italy's 500+ known wine grapes. Not to mention, they have been growing grapes and making wine in Italy for several thousand years longer than their more famous wine making neighbors to the Northwest.

Granted there is a lot of bad Italian wine out there, some very bad.... but don't let past experience keep you from exploring all the good that this country has to offer. 

From the incredibly crisp and flavorful whites from Tocai-Fruilano and Alto Adige, to the sun blessed and robust reds from Tuscany, Italy has something to offer to everyone. 

When you choose to offer your cliental "Fine Dining American Cuisine" you have set yourself up for a challenge. America represents all nations, all peoples and all cuisines. So, to call your restaurant "American" (and if you're planning to serve more than just Hamburgers and Hot dogs) you have to serve the best from around the world.

At Masraff's there are few challenges we take more serious than this, especially when it comes to the wines we select for our guests. We, therefore, search for the world’s best, not only for those wines which we are most comfortable with.

Monsordo by Ceretto in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy is one of those wines. In a region often compared to Burgundy where hundreds of years of tradition still dominate the way wines are made, Monsordo was made to break the mold. By choosing to use not only the local heavy weight variety, Nebbiolo, but also choosing to add international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot, Monsordo is a wine that stands out from the crowd.

Smooth and balanced, with lovely dark fruit and sturdy yet incredibly subtle tannins, Monsordo is easy to enjoy. Many of its hulking, dark and brooding cousins made just from Nebbiolo (Barolo’s and Barbaresco’s) need years, if not decades to truly reach their zenith. This probably demonstrates the true genius behind Monsordo. Because, by choosing to use the solid foundation of Nebbiolo to support the rich fruit and spice of Merlot, Cab and Syrah, Ceretto has created a wine for all of us. 
The next time you visit Masraff’s ask your waiter to bring you to lands unfamiliar, to open a door to the best that great nations like Italy have to offer, and, to allow us to be your travel guide through the fabulous world of wine.