- Profile
If anyone in Leeds was going to put on a wine tasting evening and give it the justice it deserves, it's going to be Salvo's a Headingley institution for over a quarter of a century. Owner Gip and Jon Dammone played host not only to some of Italy 's finest wines, but did so at their new venture, Salvo's Salumeria, a delicatessen-style café recently opened next door to the original restaurant.
In the first of a new series of wine tasting evenings, wines from the Fattoria dei Barbi, a family-run winery in Tuscany , were the feature of the evening. Guests were treated to a selection of tastings hosted by wine aficionado Rafaela Guidi Federzoni. The Colombini family have been producing wine since 1790, so it's little wonder that their combination of family traditions and a modern, dynamic style of wine-making produces an award winning selection of reds, suitable for both cracking open with friends on a Saturday night or keeping for that special occasion.
No wine tasting evening and certainly not one hosted by Salvo's would be complete without some accompanying nibbles (to help bring out the best in each wine, of course). Needless to say, Gip and Jon stayed true to their roots and delivered an array of delectable antipasti. Fresh prawns on crisp bread, bitter olive and thistle paste on ciabatta, Sardinian pecorino, truffle-infused cheese and even pig's head were served with aplomb by Gip and helped make for a very convivial and gastronomic evening.
In recent years, Italian wine producers have watched New World wines gain huge popularity the world over. Yet instead of competing with them, the Fattoria dei Barbi has continued to produce wine to their own distinct methods, and in turn a loyal fan base has kept coming back for more. The Dammones are just such loyal customers and, so, wanted to share it with everyone.
If you weren't fortunate enough to catch Salvo's wine tasting evening, you can look out for further evenings coming soon and, in the meantime, pick up Fattoria dei Barbi wine and many of the antipasti dishes served at the event from Salvo's Salumeria. |
