6th February 2024 - Four producers. Four restaurants. One day.

This month, we held our first Cork & Fork event, drawing on our enviable Italian heritage, we brought four producers from across Italy, each with diverse styles. This was not your average tasting: each producer was based in a different Soho restaurant to present their wines and their stories, and to demonstrate the wines’ versatility with a variety of world cuisines. The four groups went on a walking tour around Soho, each starting at a different venue with a different producer. This was our first event in the series, which will be followed by a Spain edition, New World edition and a final Italy edition.

The four producers were Bertani, La Spinetta, Ruggeri and Frescobaldi.

Customers were treated to an excellent presentation at Tamarind Kitchen from with Federico Polacco, Export Manager at Bertani.

From being recognized as the originator of Amarone to featuring its Soave on the menu at King George VI’s coronation in 1937, Bertani's history is marked by significant milestones. As a family-owned winery, Bertani continues to establish standards that influence the entire region.

Tamarind Kitchen offers a convivial Indian dining experience on Wardour Street, Soho, with soulful, sensory dishes that reimagine the award-winning cuisine of Tamarind of Mayfair in an enticing setting created by Russell Sage Studio.

The first wine the customers tried was Bertani’s Soave Vintage 2022. This is a wonderfully aromatic wine from Italy's Veneto region, with sage and mint, elderflower and cherry blossom on the nose, followed by an appetising shot of peach and apricot on the tongue.

The next wine, the Ognisanti Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC 2021, was paired with a signature dish from Tamarind, a baked venison samosa.

To finish, the customers were treated to the outstanding Bertani Amarone Classico DOC 2013. This is a silky and rich Amarone, like a savoury port, with flavours of prunes and Morello cherries and a heady bouquet of nuts, tobacco, dried flowers, and sweet spices.

Sergio de Luca, our Italian buyer, presented the wines of La Spinetta at Burger & Lobster.

Led by the charismatic and exceptionally skilled Giorgio Rivetti, La Spinetta has secured its position as the secondhighest acclaimed wine estate in Italy, according to Gambero Rosso. Despite a history deeply rooted in over two decades of Moscato d’Asti production, La Spinetta has remarkably transitioned into one of Italy's premier red wine-producing estates.

In 2011 the Burger & Lobster story began with four schoolmates on a rooftop in London. In a small Irish pub in Mayfair, the first Burger & Lobster was born. Today, they are serving up prime burgers and wild Atlantic lobsters to epicureans across the globe.

At Burger & Lobster, the first wine tried was La Spinetta’s Timorasso DOC Organic Colli Tortonesi 2022. This a wine with lovely citrus and floral notes.

The second wine was the 2020 Chardonnay Lidia. This rich, creamy barrel fermented Chardonnay was paired with a delightful lobster roll and lobster croquette.

Finally, the customers were treated to the powerful and delicious Barbaresco Bordini DOCG 2020.

Customers then stopped at Sticks ‘n’ Sushi, presented the wines of Ruggeri by Gianni Zucchetto, Export Manager and Dante Cecchini, Brand Ambassador.

The Ruggeri family boasts a rich heritage in winemaking, and their Prosecco di Valdobbiadene stands out as one of the most exceptional examples of this renowned wine. Currently overseen by Paolo Bisol, the son of the company's founder, Giustino, Ruggeri maintains a longstanding tradition. While possessing several vineyards of its own, the winery, like others in the region, also sources grapes from numerous local farmers in the Valdobbiadene area.

Sticks’n’Sushi serves high-quality, fresh food based on a unique combination of traditional sushi and yakitori sticks from the grill.

Customers first were presented Ruggeri’s Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG NV Quartese. A fresh, floral and fragrant wine with a mouthful of golden delicious apples and acacia flowers.

To pair with a great array of sushi rolls and fish skewers, was the Prosecco DOC Rosé Treviso Argeo Brut. The delicate bubbles of this rosé, fizz with cranberries and red fruit and with a light, yeasty, aroma of biscuit.

To finish, was the Giustino Bisol Valdobbiadene Prosecco. This wine has vibrant acidity and persistent bubbles.

Ristorante Frescoabldi hosted Frescobaldi’s Export Manager, Melissa Tondini.

Frescobaldi Winery's roots in winemaking date back to the 14th century, and their commitment to cultivating Tuscany's diversity is central to their philosophy and approach. In addition to winemaking, the Frescobaldi family is also involved in other ventures, such as olive oil production and hospitality. As one of the most respected names in the industry, they are committed to preserving the heritage and culture of Tuscany, promoting sustainable viticulture, and supporting local communities.

Ristorante Frescobaldi London is the first standalone restaurant and bar in the UK. It shares the same philosophy and principles that the Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi have been following for 700 years.

On arrival, guests tried the Pomino Bianco 2022, a wine with stunning notes of white flowers, green apple, pear and grapefruit. Presented with a stunning duck ragu was Frescobaldi’s Nipozzano Vecchie Viti 2020. This strong wine with flavours of red and black berries paired perfectly with the rich pasta dish. Finally, was the Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018. This delightful red was a perfect way to finish the Frescobaldi’s array of wines.