About a year ago Vito Mollica announced that he was leaving the Four Seasons in Florence to go to Dubai to consult some restaurants, but that he would then return to Florence and so, to the joy of all of us, this happened.
The Mine & Yours Group has purchased the property of Palazzo Portinari, approximately 10,000 square meters, in the heart of Florence in Via del Corso, in the building there is a hotel with only 13 super-luxury suites and 25 apartments.
The restaurant business has been taken over entirely by a company in which Vito Mollica is the protagonist. The “Salotto Portinari Bar and Bistrot” was opened in mid-April. Subsequently, “the cocktail Bar Salotto Portinari” was opened, with only 14 seats in an environment with a suffused atmosphere suitable for enjoying an aperitif or a distillate after dinner.
Then there is the “Beatrice room” which can accommodate up to 40 guests for private events, lunches, dinners and meetings. Vito is supported, in the gastronomic proposals by the two Restaurant Managers Rosario Bernardo and Paolo Acunto.
Finally there is the “Chic Nonna” restaurant which is located in the central part of the Palazzo which is the oldest part, in the beautiful Corte degli Imperatori enriched by the frescoes by Alessandro Allori, one of the most important artists of the Florentine sixteenth century. In the room there is also a beautiful and deep painting by the master Antonio Manzi.
Vito has focused the menus on seasonality with a traditional matrix. The ingredients are selected from local and world excellence. There are two tasting menus of five courses each. The “Costa degli Imperatori” tasting menu, a combination of fish and meat and the “Rubabriciole” menu which offers vegetarian dishes.
The dining room is managed by Mark Ignatov and Davide Altobelli with French service, that is simple but elegant with a class of refined oriental taste.
The wine list, for the moment, has 300 labels mainly between Italian and French wines.
The talented Tim Ricci is the pastry consultant who charms the palates of the guests.
Mr. Nelson Chang and his Taiwanese team have made a multi-million dollar investment.
Last June 20th there was the inauguration of the “Chic Nonna” restaurant for journalists. It was an informal meeting with access and stop in the beautiful and spacious kitchen. Pleasant dishes. I honestly felt a different cuisine from that of Vito when he was chef at the Four Seasons in Florence, a cuisine that is not excessively innovative but with more traditional flavours. This is my humble opinion. Every description seems superfluous, try to believe.
The experiences must be lived in first person. Vito Mollica and his fantastic team welcome guests with sympathy and charm and every time you live an indelible experience.
Some time ago I suggested to the “Les enfants du champagne” to have one of our tasting-dinners at Chic Nonna and everyone was enthusiastic about living this experience.
Vito accepted with pleasure to welcome us despite the November day chosen by us falling on a Tuesday, the closing day of the restaurant.
We were all present at the evening with the exception of Stefano Azzolari who quietly went with friends to go on a gypsy trip to Bordeaux. The Blanc de Blancs champagnes chosen would come from the 2008 and 2012 vintages, two important vintages.
At the Salotto Portinari cocktail bar we were served blindfolded a J. de Telmont Blanc de Blancs 2008 magnum accompanied by delicious appetizers and raw scallops with turnip tops and Annurca apples.
Even the champagnes served throughout the dinner were blindfolded.
With each course, two champagnes were served, except for the last course which was accompanied by a magnum bottle.
The first two champagnes were the Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque Blanc de blancs 2012 and the Jacques Lassaigne Blanc de Blancs 2012 and were accompanied by the aubergine glazed with miso, chocolate, raspberries and chilli pepper. The pomegranate risotto with roe deer and salted pistachio was taken by the hand of the champagnes De Sousa Blanc de Blancs Les Pierres Vandos Le Mesnil 2012 and Jacquesson Dizy Corne Bautray 2012.
This was followed by “cavatelli cacio e pepe with red prawns and baby squid”, paired with Billecart Louis Salmon 2008 and Amour de Deutz 2008.
What about the “Morone with coals with scorzanera and vanilla” which went perfectly with the Taitinger Comtes 2008 and with the De Saint Gall Orpale 2008.
The Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs 2012 magnum has been associated with the “suckling pig, almonds and radicchietti all’aglione”.
The Citron dessert, served last, was enjoyed with the champagnes present in the glasses of the evening.
It goes without saying that we were all happy to be together in such a beautiful setting, pampered by a beautiful sommelier and three waiters who never lost sight of us.
Here are my tasting notes of the champagnes of the evening, with the scores resulting from the average of Les enfants du champagne.
J De Telmont Blanc del Blancs, vintage 2008
(magnum format)
Bright golden yellow with numerous fine bubbles.
Nose with intense aromas of vanilla, flint, Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk) of fresh blond leather, slight hints of honey, rennet apple to end with whiffs of plaster.
The bubbles are fine and caressing.
Rich minerality in a medium body.
Good gustatory balance with the freshness and minerality that dominate the alcohol mass. Its intense gustatory persistence is long. (91/100)
PERRIER JOUET
BELLE EPOQUE BLANC DE BLANCS, vintage 2012
Light straw yellow with hints of gold, shiny.
The bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous.
At the olfactory encounter, pleasant intense notes of amber and Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk) are perceived, followed by notes of blond leather, peanut butter, episperm (sweet from the second skin of boiled brown), floral, white pepper and LPG gas.
On the palate the bubbles are fine, the body is medium and the wine has a pleasant sapidity. Perfect gustatory balance between alcohol and freshness, the latter completely dominates the alcohol mass. Long is its gustatory persistence. (91/100)
JACQUES LASSAIGNE
Blanc de Blancs, vintage 2012
Intense golden yellow with fine and quite numerous bubbles.
Smell characterized by aromas of ripe banana, boisé, blond leather, cocoa butter, pastry to finish with hints of dried chestnut.
On the palate the bubbles are fine, the body is medium. Slightly boisé flavour, the wood releases tannins which dry the upper gum a little. Its intense aromatic persistence is long. (90/100)
DE SOUSA Blanc de Blancs
LES PIERRES VAUDONS LE MESNIL, vintage 2012
Golden yellow coat, the bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous.
Olfactory mix made of woody scents, of ripe banana and dried banana, dried chestnut and fresh blond leather.
The bubbles are fine, the body is medium and the wine as well as having a good taste balance between alcohol and freshness has a pleasant sapidity. Boisé flavour, the latter releases tannins which dry the upper gum a little.
Long is its intended aromatic persistence. (92/100)
JACQUESSON – DIZY CORNE BAUTRAY, vintage 2012
Golden yellow color, fine and quite numerous bubbles.
Aromas of blond leather, intense boisé, ripe banana, rennet apple and Williams pear rise from the glass, reminiscent of pear grappa.
The body is medium, a little elusive and the bubbles are fine.
Wine with good gustatory balance thanks to the freshness that dominates the alcohol and gives the wine a good gustatory persistence, when the body becomes thinner it is the freshness that carries on the persistence. Lemon citrus finish.(91/100)
BILLECART LOUIS SALMON, vintage 2008
Shiny golden yellow robe. The bubbles are fine and quite numerous.
The olfactory panorama is varied and pleasant with aromas of citrus, floral, juniper berry, dry chestnut, fresh blond leather, Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk), mint, episperm (sweet second skin of boiled brown) to finish with kaiser pear puffs.
On the palate it is pleasant with fine bubbles, a fine body and an excellent gustatory balance between alcohol and freshness thanks also to the generous flavor.
Citrus flavors of lemon and yellowish rennet apple, not too ripe which remain throughout its gustatory persistence. (94/100)
DEUTZ
AMOUR DE DEUTZ, vintage 2008
It shines golden yellow and the bubbles are fine and numerous.
The nose is captivating with an intense mineral note of freshly made popcorn, followed by light peanut butter, almond hard shell, LPG gas, ending with an olfactory trail of Coccoina glue (coconut and almond milk).
Pleasant tasting with popcorn flavor (mineral). The body is medium and the wine has a pleasant freshness which, with the help of the minerality, dominates the alcoholic mass without second thoughts.
Its gustatory persistence is long with a Champagne mineral finish that hardly disappoints. (95/100)
TAITTINGER COMTES, vintage 2008
Visually it is bright yellow gold while the bubbles are very fine and quite numerous.
On the olfactory examination the flint and popcorn stand out followed by citrus fruits, vanilla, LPG gas and the hard almond shell.
On the palate the body is medium, slightly elusive and the bubbles are fine. Flavor of yellow grapefruit. Well balanced wine with the freshness highlighted on the alcoholic mass.
Its gustatory persistence is long because the freshness and the acidity complete the structure which then loses a bit of vigor.
Lemon and yellow grapefruit finish. (95/100)
DE SAINT GALL
ORPALE, vintage 2008
It shines golden yellow. The bubbles are fine and quite numerous.
An intense scent of vanilla stands out on the nose followed by episperm (sweet from the second skin of the boiled brown), sweet from the outside of the candy, dried chestnut, flint, popcorn, LPG gas, blond leather, rosemary to finish with whispers of glue Coccoina (coconut and almond milk)
The first impact on the taste is a sensation of sweetness followed by a marked citrus note of lemon.
The bubbles are fine and the body is medium. Savory and mineral wine with a strong acid note that completely covers the alcohol mass.
Its gustatory persistence is long with an intense lemon finish that gives a little astringency to the upper gum. (94/100)
BRUNO PAILLARD
Blanc de Blancs, vintage 2012
(magnum format)
Shiny golden yellow dress. The bubbles are quite fine and quite numerous.
Perfumes of peanut butter, cocoa butter, blond leather to end with hints of Marseille soap.
On the palate the bubble is a little evident. The body is medium sufficient which tends to taper a little. Well balanced wine with the freshness that dominates the alcohol mass. Its gustatory persistence is long with flavors of cocoa butter, blond leather and lemon. (92/100)
SUMMARY
| DEUTZ AMOUR DE DEUTZ | 2008 | 95/100 |
| TAITTINGER COMTES | 2008 | 95/100 |
| DE SAINT GALL ORPALE | 2008 | 94/100 |
| BILLECART LOUIS SALMON | 2008 | 94/100 |
| DE SOUSA LES PIERRES VAUDONS LE MESNIL | 2012 | 92/100 |
| BRUNO PAILLARD BdB | 2012 | 92/100 |
| J DE TELMONT BdB | 2008 | 91/100 |
| PERRIER JOUET BELLE EPOQUE BdB | 2012 | 91/100 |
| JACQUESSON DIZY CORNE BAUTRAY | 2012 | 91/100 |
| JACQUESSON LASSAIGNE | 2012 | 90/100 |
The evening was impeccable, thanks to Vito and his talented young team.
