One of the things I love most about living in a city is the abundance of restaurants and amazing food around every corner. Since moving to Boston, Kyle and I have tried to go to a new restaurant every week for a date night and we continue to be impressed with each restaurant we’ve tried.

The North End neighborhood of the city is known for authentic Italian cuisine. From homemade pasta and bread, to cannolis and olive oil cake, it is all delicious. Many of the restaurants have been kept within the family for generations. They are nestled between old, gorgeous buildings, with some dating back to the early 1700’s, including the iconic Old North Church and Paul Revere House.

Last night, we ate at Ciao Roma, a small restaurant with patio seating, located in North Square Park. The atmosphere was absolutely magical and the food was some of the best we have had in the North End this year. Of course, we had to pair it with an Italian wine, and selected a bottle of Chianti Classico.

The 2018 Isole e Olena was bursting with red fruit aromas… cherry, raspberry and even a hint of plum. There were also aromas that stemmed from barrel aging, notably leather and tobacco. The body was round, well balanced, and complimented the high acid and soft tannins. The wine paired really well with honestly everything we ate. My favorite pairing was with the bruschetta. The acid in the wine complimented the acid in the tomatoes and cut through the creamy ricotta, creating a perfect harmony with every bite. It also paired well with the Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina and added (even more) depth to the traditional tomato sauce dish. It was a phenomenal experience in a gorgeous setting.

Chianti is a large wine region located in central Tuscany and the wines are made primarily out of Sangiovese grapes. In fact, you have probably seen bottles of Chianti in the wine store before - they are traditionally wrapped in a straw basket! However, within the Chianti wine region, there is a smaller, more refined, wine region called Chianti Classico. These wines are subject to more rules which have a direct impact on the resulting wine. For example, Chianti wines do not have to be barrel aged at all, however, Chianti Classico wines must be barrel aged for at least 1 year. Overall, this gives Chianti Classico wines more depth and complexity than Chianti wines.

Fun Fact: Authentic Chianti Classico wines always have a black rooster on the back label of the bottle - a symbol that stems from a border dispute between Sienna and Florence settled by a cockerel fight. Check it out the next time you see a bottle!