Wild Boar and Massoferrato

Nicole and I went to Il Trulli last night with Jon and Lara for a great feature dinner and wine tasting. The two co-stars of the night included a whole roasted wild boar and the first production of a sangiovese wine from the restaurant owner's property in Tuscany.

The meal was extensive with an assortment of appetizers (assaggino), mild but remarkably tasty pan seared red mullet fillets, an incredible chestnut gnocchi with a variety of assorted mushrooms, and then the boar. Roasted for nearly the entire day, the succulent wild pig was incredibly moist, tender and full of flavor. The 120-pound beast was shipped in from Texas and weighed approximately 90 pounds after cooking. It was served in traditional Tuscan style with a simple portion of red and white beans, kale and cardoons.

Nicola, the owner, then provided some history on the acquisition of 40 acres of land in Tuscany some 15 years ago, the beginning of a process leading to the 2008 vintage of Massoferrato. The first wine produced on the property, just over 400 cases total. With little time spent in either the Scandanavian oak barrels or the bottle, this wine had rich flavor, reasonable tannins and a full spice and mineral palate expected of a wine from the old country. It paired well with the entree, continued to drink well after dinner, and contributed to a great night together with our great friends.