At the invitation of Mireille Sauvé (The Wine Umbrella consulting) I joined a small group of industry people at the Cactus Club Coal Harbour to sample their exclusive line of Italian wines. We met in a glass-walled private room that overlooked the sunny snow-draped North Shore mountains. Mireille greeted us with a refreshing Montelvini Prosecco aperitif as we began to mingle.
Cactus Club has selected Montelvini to provide their wines by the glass. Montelvini is a five-generation family-run winery in Veneto that dates back to 1881. Their focus, under the direction of Armando Serena, president of Montelvini, has been on tradition, innovation and value.
Soon we began a leisurely five course wine-paired lunch. The Cactus staff were attentive and professional.
We began with a trio of appetizers –
Spicy chicken – with sweet chili glaze, crispy wontons and green onions
Rob’s flatbread – caramelized onions, grape tomatoes, feta, goat cheese, basil pesto, arugula and balsamic glaze
Tuna sushi cone – spicy albacore, avocado, cucumber, pickled ginger, tempura, micro cilantro, green onion and soy paper wrapper.
These were paired with Montelvini Monvin Bianco, a blend of chardonnay and Garganega. This wine is soft, uncomplicated and easy to drink. It’s sure to be a popular crowd-pleaser.
Next, we were served butternut squash and mascarpone ravioli with truffle butter, pine nuts and crispy sage along with spaghettini and kobe style meatballs in a roasted tomato sauce with truffle mushroom cream and fresh ricotta cheese.
The Montelvini Pinot Grigio, a clean dry wine, proved to be a good foil for the ravioli. We switched to a red for the meatball tomato spaghettini – Montelvini Cabernet Merlot delle Venezie – a light red blend that includes Sangiovese and Montelpulciano. It is fruit-forward and food friendly.
After an appropriate interval, dessert was served – key lime pie – freshly squeezed key limes, graham cracker crust and hand-whipped cream.
Interestingly, the Montelvini Prosecco Treviso DOP Spumante Extra Dry, a fresh, fruity, clean crisp sparkler with citrus notes (and my favourite of the day) paired very nicely with the light citrusy dessert.
A lovely luncheon indeed.
