Dinner last night at the famous Ristorante all’Aquila d’Oro in Dolegna del Collio (Gorizia) began with this 1997 Vie di Romans Pinot Grigio Dessimis, which entirely blew me away with its nuance, and complexity. Pinot Grigio is so maligned and misunderstood and as much as Vie di Romans tends toward modernity (not my personal preference), there’s no denying that the winery delivers extreme elegance its bottlings. Fantastic wine…

Many excellent dishes were served last night (the stemware, dishware, silverware, and mise en place exquisite) but the course that impressed me the most was this incredible wild duck risotto. I was intrigued by the size and texture of the grain of rice and when queried, the owner revealed that it’s a Carnaroli hybrid that was developed for his family in Vercelli more than 30 years ago. Lachlan pointed out the fact that the grains do not stick together and the owner told me that no butter is used in this dish: only the stock was used to impart fat, thus bestowing a remarkable delicacy. Stunningly delicious…

Castello di Trussio dell’Aquila d’Oro
34070 Dolegna del Collio (Gorizia)
Località Ruttars 11
tel.: 0481 60545 (or 0481 61255)