Valle d'Aosta Zoom Wine Dinner Event with Guest Speaker Gino Tranchero

Saturday in Valle d'Aosta Zoom Wine Dinner

 - Featuring Fantastic Award Winning Wines from Les Cretes, from 25 hectares (62 acres) of vineyards in six villages of the Valle d'Aosta region. The Aosta Valley, located in northwest Italy, is Italy’s smallest and least populated region. It is an alpine valley with grape growing conditions typically associated with mountain elevations. Close to Mont Blanc and surrounded on three sides by the Italian, French and Swiss Alps, it is a beautiful and unique part of Italy.

Les Cretes was founded in 1989 by Costantino Charrere and Jolanda Plat, and is the largest of only a few commercial wineries in the quaint region of Valle D'Aosta, and produces only 170,000 bottles per year. Originally from France, the Charrère family moved in the mid 1700s to what is now the Aosta Valley of Italy. They started out as farmers and millers, establishing a home site and building a water powered mill on their property in Aymaville.

In 1955 the Charrères planted their first two hectares of grapes, focusing on making quality wines out of the indigenous vinifera varieties grown in the Aosta Valley. Les Crêtes produces its wines in a very specific context, characterized by high mountains, sandy slopes and alpine temperatures. Attention to the environment, cultivation techniques combined with specialized research and experimentation are the key aspects to their production, which has an intrinsic and focused link with the surrounding habitat.

Les Crêtes vineyards are planted in both indigenous vinifera varieties (Petite Arvine, Petit Rouge, Fumin, Mayolet, Cornalin), as well as the more traditional vinifera varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Muscat) which are also well adapted to the region’s climate and soil conditions. The wines we will be tasting include:

Les Cretes Petite Arvine 2019 Rating  VM 92

Les Cretes Chardonnay 2018 Rating  JS 93

Les Cretes Pinot Nero (Noir) 2019  

Les Cretes Fumin 2017 Rating JS 93

- Guest Speaker Gino Tranchero, Italian Family Estates Brand Manager for Importer Monsieur Touton. Gino has delighted our guests in past dinners with his personal insight and knowledge from growing up in Italy. 

- Here's our menu of paired courses with the Les Cretes award winning wines:

Note: If you need a substitution for gluten free, vegetarian, or other allergy,

we can accommodate, just let us know😊

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First Course*

Insalata Valdostana (Spinach, Walnut & Apple)

Les Cretes Chardonnay 2018 JS 93

Second Course**

Rockfish Carpione (Maryland meets Vall d’AOsta)

Les Cretes Petite Arvine 2019 VM 92

Third Course*

Gnocchi alla Bava (Toma & Fontina Cheese)

Les Cretes Pinot Nero (Noir) 2019

Fourth Course**

Valle De Aostan Beef Stew with Polenta

Les Cretes Fumin 2017 JS 93

Dolce*

Pere al Forno (Baked Pears with wine & cream) with Limoncello

(or you may add a bottle of Grappa for additional charge when you pickup your package)

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*You will prepare these 2 simple recipes, we provide all ingredients, the salad can be made right before the dinner starts and the gnocchi can be made in advance and warmed during dinner)

** prepared by Chef Giancarlo from Scossa, you will just plate/warm up these courses during the dinner

All Wines and Course ingredients are available for sale with a special discount and can be picked up at

Simpatico in St. Michaels, call Bobbi 610-209-5409 with any questions, Cin Cin!

Thank you for joining us and for your support of our love of “All Things Italian”

When: November 21, 2020 - Time: 7:00pm

If you have any questions please call Bobbi 610-209-5409. Saluti!