"That's Wine" Wine Tasting

The best way to get oriented after severe jetlag is to get disoriented with some post-arrival drinks. Although it had only been a one-hour time change from London, I wasn’t about to turn down a 29€ opportunity to have a private sommelier guide me through three local Italian wines accompanied by finger food. That would be disrespectful.

I discovered this specific wine tasting on Viator. I don’t know much about wines, but I do know a little about value, and for less than 10€ a glass – each being about double the size of that served in America – I had to go for it.

We walked into That's Wine off of the Piazza Velasca in central Milan on a Friday evening to find we had the place to ourselves. The décor was modern and warm with dark wooden tables lit by hanging frosted light fixtures. A glass wine cellar lined the wall that led to the bar where we were introduced to our wine-guide for the night. 

Our sommelier – the only English-speaking employee at That’s Wine – started us off with a glass of i Prandi Brut. He was clever and engaging as he explained the highlights of the wine along with some of its history. 

The light wine with little bubbles made an excellent start to the tasting, with a little help from the accoutrements: goat cheese with a balsamic drizzle. A light drizzle was all that was necessary as the reduction was very thick and sugary, but the sweetness contrasted the tartness of the cheese well.

Next at bat was a St. Michael-Eppan. We enjoyed the Alto Adige Müller Thurgau, a light and earthy white wine from the Classic Line. I understand that it was in fact the wine that was intended to be the star of this show, but I cannot get over the salami that was served with it.

This salami had such addicting flavor and fantastic natural oils that the entire platter was cleared by the arrival of our final wine. The serving was generous and my dining companion was vegetarian, so you can understand how passionately I felt about this cold meat display.

Finally, we enjoyed a Carmignano, a red wine from a town about 15 miles from Florence.

I decided that the Carmignano is the red wine for those who don’t like red wine – a conclusion based mainly off of my own reaction, but you're welcome to make your own assessment. It's not as heavy as many other reds and doesn't leave that burning trail down your throat.

The wine was paired with thin pieces of Italian ham, freshly sliced right at the bar. The salt was a little overpowering and made me feel nostalgic for the salami, but of course I ate it anyway.

 

Overall, That's Wine was delightful. More people started to drift in near the end, but the bar remained mostly quiet. Our sommelier was energetic, passionate, and refused to accept any gratuity regardless of our pleading. And, of course, there was the salami.

Staggering home through winding, unpronounceable streets is a small price to pay for a delicious evening.

That's Wine
Piazza Velasca Milano - Italy
P.iva 02972720961 - Tel. +39 0287393153 Fax +39 02 40916184
info@thatswine.com