This month, I'm pleased to present two more wines I discovered on my italian wine trip with Brian Larky of Dalla Terra:  Adami Garbèl Prosecco and Casanova diNeri Rosso SantAntimo.

Adami Garbèl Prosecco Named winery of the year in 2009 by Wine and Spirits Magazine, Adami makes five different  fresh Proseccos. In fact, it's all they make! 

Their entry level wine - Garbèl (which in ancient local dialect means a dry, crisp, pleasantly tart wine) - is produced from the hilly vineyards in the Colli Trevigiani area. The ample nose releases crisp-edged, complex fruit notes, and the palate is full-flavored with a crisp acidity. A wonderfully versatile sparkler, Garbèl’s 13 grams of residual sugar place it between the Brut and Extra Dry styles, making it perfect for celebrations or everyday drinking! 

Try  enjoying Prosecco in a white wine glass – not a flute – which is not wide enough for expressing all the wine’s aromas and fruitiness.

Casanova diNeri Rosso Sant'Antimo. Casanova diNeri is one of the best producers of Brunellos; in fact their Brunello was named  the top wine of the year by the Wine Spectator in 2006! 

Sant'Antimo is a relatively new DOC that covers roughly the same geographic area as Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, but which allows winemakers to experiment with other varietals.

diNeri's SantAntimo is a blend of 90% Sangiovese Grosso (the grape in Brunello) and 10% Colorino (a traditional Tuscan grape that like Petit Verdot in Bordeaux, can add structure and color to Sangiovese).  

The result is a beautiful wine that recieved 90 points from Parker:  "Rosso di Casanova di Neri is a beautiful, impeccably balanced wine. There is lovely transparency and elegance to the fruit in an expression of Sangiovese that offers gorgeous roundness in a mid-weight, elegant style. The finish is long, soft and caressing. Even better, this is an outstanding value.

RECIPES
For the Prosecco:  Lobster Corndogs with Grain Mustard Sauce Serves 3-4

Here is a great, fun recipe from Charlie Palmer, chef of Aureole New York (and many other restaurants on both coasts and in between), that works really well with a lighter sparkling wine such as Prosecco!

8 ounces shrimp cleaned and deveined
⅓ cup cream
1 pound lobster meat
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
10 bamboo skewers
1 ½ cup flour
1 ½ cups cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking soda
¼ cup sugar
2 cups cornmeal
Pinch of salt
1 ¾ cups soda water
1 cup grain mustard
1 cup creme fraiche

Place the shrimp and cream in a food processor, and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a chilled mixing bowl and fold in the lobster meat and chives, season.      Lay cling film out onto a clean working surface and pipe the mixture along one edge. The diameter of the farce should be approximately ¾ of an inch. Carefully roll the farce into a long cylinder. Use butchers' twine to form links 4 inches long, should produce 10. Poach the lobster "sausages" in gently simmering water for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to cool.     Remove the cling film and skewer each. Transfer to refrigerator to store while making the batter.

To prepare the batter: combine the dry ingredients, mix in the soda water. Dip the lobster dogs in the batter and deep fry in 350F oil. Remove from the oil when the corn dogs are golden brown. Place on a plate lined with paper towels. Whip the creme fraiche and fold into the mustard. Serve with the lobster corn dogs.

For the Rosso:  NY Strip Steaks with Grilled Fennel Salad and Smoked Paprika Butter Serves 4

This recipe comes together pretty quickly, so organize yourself, and your ingredients before you start. To save time, you can make the butter ahead and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

2 heads garlic, roasted and peeled
3 anchovy fillets   
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves striped from the stem
4 New York strip steaks, 10-ounces each
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls fresh rosemary
2 handfuls fresh thyme
4 small fennel bulbs, tops removed, sliced into 1-inch rings
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
1/2 cup pitted green Spanish olives
3 cups baby spinach
1/4 bunch fresh basil
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander

Mash the roasted garlic and anchovies on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife to make a paste. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the paprika, thyme leaves, and the mashed garlic mixture. Mix until the ingredients are well blended and the butter is red; set aside at room temperature.

Rub both sides of the steaks with oil, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Put the steaks on a large platter and toss the rosemary and thyme on top. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and cover with plastic. Allow the steaks to marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours. Place a large grill pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill and get it very hot. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill; this will create a non-stick grilling surface. Grill the steaks about 7 minutes per side for medium-rare.

While the steaks are working, put the fennel rings in a bowl and drizzle with a healthy dose of olive oil; add the juice of 1/2 of a lemon. Put the fennel on the free side of the grill and grill for 5 minutes per side. Take everything off the grill; let the steak rest while you put the salad together. Put the grilled fennel in a bowl and add the remaining salad ingredients: the olives, spinach, basil, red pepper flakes, coriander, and remaining lemon juice. Drizzle with another dose of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and give the salad a good toss. This salad is best when the fennel is still warm, so lather the steak with the paprika butter and serve it with the salad as soon as possible.