Table wine surprise

Until recently, if you ordered the house wine at a bar or cafe in the US, you didn't know if it would be an amazing find, or something that so resembled vinegar you wouldn't cook with it. As a result, I didn't even consider it when I went to Italy. I thought I'd be taking recommendations from a smartly dressed Sommelier over a huge wine list filled with names I couldn't pronounce. After a quick train ride from Rome to Florence, we checked into the Brunelleschi. It was before "The Da Vinci Code" so the rates were much more reasonable than they are today.

Back home, most people were waking up to celebrate Thanksgiving. It was thrilling to me to be out of country for an American holiday. I grew up in a tiny town in Maine and always dreamed of travel to exotic locales, surrounded by the sights and sounds of an unfamiliar and ancient culture. This was my first trip!

Instead of asking for restaurant recommendations with the concierge, we decided to roam. It was starting to rain and the gas street lights gave off an odd, flickering glow in the fog. It was the old part of town, so the streets were cobbled and narrow, but almost empty because of the rain. After a few blocks, we started to follow our noses, stopping in front of a thick, uneven wooden door. I felt like a child following the pied piper. . . the scents were incredible. . . fresh baked bread, seared beef and . . . wine sauce.

The floor and walls were uneven stone, the room was smaller than some walk-in closets I've seen and five of the 10 tables filled. A basket of warm bread, garlic chicken with a rich sauce and sliced potatoes, steak with a blue cheese and veggies, pasta with a thick marinara. . . and a carafe each of red and white wine were promptly delivered to the table. Nope, we didn't order, it was what they decided we would have. Ok. . .I can do this.

It was perfect. The white was light and crisp. . . almost clear. The red seemed kind of like a Zinfandel, with no bite. They were refreshed throughout the meal as we savored the unique combination of flavors. When I asked what the wines were, the waitress shrugged. It was house wine, we were told. The owner's favorites. There was no wine list or even a menu.

Dessert was a deep, dark chocolate torte with raspberries. I wish I knew what we had to drink with it, because it was wonderful. Not quite a port, not congac and I don't think it was a regular red wine. It was bold enough to keep pace with the chocolate, and sweet enough to off-set. Another owner's favorite.

On my last visit to Napa, I came close to replicating this combination. Try Charles Krug's Zinfandel port with a square of dark chocolate. 72% if you can find it!