Tonight we were at North Vancouver’s Nicli Pizzeria + Bar for a private event featuring premium wines from Italy.
Tickets holders were treated a night of wining and dining at their leisure. Welcomed to receive glasses from 12 different bottles, all of which a part of either Univins & Spirits or Dandurand Group’s portfolio. A pick and choose your own adventure wine tasting.
It was standing room only as small bites from Nicli Pizzeria were brought around the room. Not the kitchen’s normal offerings of pizza and pasta, but an elevated menu of crudo, steak, and charcuterie; curated to compliment the wine assortment.
Stand out bottles included a Dolce & Cabbanan collaboration with Donnafugata. Tancredi 2019 red with high tannis and acidity, as bold as the luxury brand and this packaging.
Donnafugata’s Anthilia white was recommended as the pairing to our first passed course. This is the first wine Donnafugata ever conceived, the bottle’s name and the label is inspired by the city of Entella, on the top of the Roc-ca in Roman times.
Fermented in stainless steel for a clean bouquet of white-fleshed fruits and wildflowers. It did well to highlight the equally soft flavours of our Tuna Crudo with lemon, oranges olive oil, and capers. This was delightful cold appetizer to whet the appetite with.
The only bubbles of the night was from Santa Margherita. Their Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is a sparkling wine with a clean, pleasantly fruity bouquet, reminiscent of semi-tart apples and peach blossom. A flavor that is rounded and well-balanced.
This made for a great welcome glass, as an aperitif, and a wonderful pairing for the evening’s cheese course. A charcuterie board of Italian cheeses and cured meats with pickles for shared grazing.
When it came to the meat courses we gravitated towards the Barolo table. Three bottles available for tasting. Including the Casa E Di Mirafiore Nebbiolo and the Casa E Di Mirafiore Barolo 2016. Either of the two a ruby red fruit pairing for the Pork agro picante and soft polenta.
Creamy polenta the texture of whipped mashed potatoes, the base to tender pulled pork smothered in a sweet honeyed gravy. This was the type of bite you lick your spoon clean of. Delicious, but it felt incomplete as a course.
The room was most enamoured by the Casa E Di Mirafiore Barolo Riserva. Retailed at $271.99. It was the boldest of the big reds pairing well with the steak.
I have never seen or had steak cooked in a pizza oven before. We got a chance to go behind the scenes, into the kitchen to get a closer look at this operation.
Eight t-bone Bistecca alla fiorentina flamed seared and carved to serve as finger food for the room full of people.
Gently seasoned in salt and oil, and garnished with fresh sprigs of rosemary. The display was quite the sight with erect bone, with porterhouse and tenderloin splayed out; each slice a rosy pink medium rare.
A handful of the wines we tried today were/are available for purchase at the nearby Edgemont Liquor Store. The vendors encouraged pick up or pre-ordering if you tasted anything you wanted to take home.
I would end up picking up a bottle of Casa E di. Mirafiore and Carpineto to enjoy over the weekend.
For dessert we enjoyed the Piedmontese ‘Bunet’ creamy cocao and amoretti pudding. A hard biscuit over a square of sticky toffee-like pudding.
But its drink pairing was the more memorable. Donnafugata’s 2021 Ben Ryé, a dessert wine with the flavours of sweet apricot and fuzzy peaches. So syrupy and smooth that it could go over ice cream like a topping.
Overall, this was a great event and a great way to be introduced to these wines and the restaurant. We fully enjoyed ourselves. We left with a few bottles to enjoy at home, and plans to come back to try this popular North Vancouver pizzeria’s regular menu.
Nicli Pizzeria + Bar
3142 Highland Blvd, North Vancouver, BC V7R 2X6
(604) 770-1240
niclipizzeria.com
