I’m a simple girl. I don’t want much for Christmas. Maybe a few bottles of wine under the tree, some yummy things tucked in my stocking, and–if I’ve been a particularly good girl–maybe some fancy cheeses in the fridge as a Christmas morning surprise. My Christmas list most resembles a grocery list: an oddity for which I’ll make zero apologies. It would seem my Christmas list intended for Santa was mistakenly rerouted to Bistro Nota–because they’re the ones making all my Christmas dreams come true this year. On the Thursday before Christmas, Bistro Nota hosted their Italian Wine Dinner. The evening promised five courses and five wines. At just $100 a head, this is honestly one of the more reasonably priced wine dinners I’ve seen offered in Fort Wayne. Did I snag a reservation as a Christmas present to myself? Duh.
I met my dining companion outside of the restaurant just before 6:30. This was another Plonky and Volchy adventure. Historically, we typically don’t return to a restaurant together–once we’ve dined somewhere, we check it off the list and move on to the next, new, exciting thing. But the lure of Bistro Nota’s Italian Wine Dinner was too strong for us to resist. Even though we’ve already dined at Bistro Nota together, we had to go back to experience this one-night-only dining extravaganza. Upon entering the twinkle-light bedecked brick space, we immediately noticed that they’d rearranged the furniture. For this special dinner, they’d pushed tables together to create one long tablescape down the center of the restaurant. The booths, lining the walls, were still being utilized–but most diners occupied the long, communal table at the center of the room. The place was abuzz with anxious anticipation of what the evening held in store for us. How did the evening begin? With our very first pour.
Our coupe glasses were filled with Pizzolato Spumante Rosé Secco Brut. This bubbly was super organic and the kind of wine you can feel groovy about drinking. For those curious, Secco is not dissimilar to Prosecco–but it’s lighter and typically boasts a slightly lower ABV. While Prosecco is a legally protected term, Secco is not–so we can be a little more loosey-goosey with what we call a “Secco.” This particular Secco was scrummy; gorgeous pale, with lively bubbles in the glass. Notes of strawberry, raspberry, lemon and peach made this sip a particularly pleasant way to begin our meal. After our wine was poured and we had a few moments to take in its profile, the first course was paraded to the table: Celeriac Soup with focaccia crostini, white bean purée, and celery leaf pesto–simple ingredients coming together in such pleasing harmony that it was nothing short of a masterstroke. The texture of the Celeriac Soup was otherworldly–it was perfectly smooth and velvety in the mouth. The crostini (which came perched across the bowl of soup like a delicate, decadent, carby bridge) was schmeared with white bean puree, a smattering of celery leaf pesto, an adornment of–what I believe to be–pickled mustard seeds, several thin half-moons of celery, and microgreens. The crostini paired with the soup and enjoyed with the Secco was an incredibly dreamy way to begin our meal and, truly, set such a high bar for the rest of the evening. While the first pairing of the evening remained a favorite throughout the night: the bar was set and then surpassed. This is really all we can ask for in a coursed dining experience.
Next up, the first white wine of the evening–a pour of Poggio Anima Uriel Grillo di Sicilia 2022. This straw-colored wine seemed to be a favorite of those dining around me. It offered notes of citrus and peach, making it an ideal friend for our second plate of the evening: La Rompagna Tagliatelle–otherwise known as fresh pasta with shaved Brussels sprouts, lemon, and prosciutto bread crumbs. The housemade pasta was exquisitely thin and cooked to perfection. I’m biased when writing about this dish; I am a sucker for fresh pasta and a lover of Brussels sprouts. Anyone who doesn’t absolutely adore pasta with lemon, Brussels sprouts, and prosciutto breadcrumbs can’t be friends with me. We have nothing in common.
The third sip of the evening was Fabio Oberto Langhe Nebbiolo 2020; perhaps the most controversial wine of the evening. If I recall correctly, this wine was explained to us as basically being a declassified Barolo. Whatever name we choose to call this big red wine doesn’t really matter; it had well-integrated tannins and boasted notes of red fruits like cherries, coffee, and baking spices. For me, the finish felt very spice-forward and I was kind of digging it. I heard some complain that the finish fell a bit short of their personal tastes–and I couldn’t really fault them for that observation. But, one thing we all could agree on, is that when paired with the third dish of the evening this wine became exponentially more enjoyable: Diver Scallops served with Umbrian lentils and pea shoots; a simple dish, executed flawlessly. Now might be the ideal time to mention–throughout my meal, I never once needed to pick up a knife. Nothing served required it. I mean, obviously, I didn’t need a knife to eat my soup; but the scallops were also so utterly tender that a fork was more than sufficient to navigate the dish effortlessly. I’ve previously been personally ambiguous towards scallops. If they’d stopped existing, I might not have noticed. This dish makes me want to seek out more scallops. If all scallops are even half as good as the ones dished up at Bistro Nota, then I really need more scallops in my life.
The penultimate wine of the evening was a second glass of red: Due del Monte Rosso 2018. This is the glass that I most looked forward to trying and, ultimately, it may have been my favorite glass of the evening. A stunning blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this wine is Italy’s version of a classic Bordeaux. If I’m being honest, it was paired with what turned out to be my favorite plate of the evening. Call it alchemy or chefy food science or kitchen witchcraft–sometimes the stars simply align and magic happens. It was an outstanding pairing: Pork Osso Bucco was served on a bed of creamy polenta with cameo apple, parsnips, and gremolata. The pork shank was so utterly tender that, as I’ve said, no knife was necessary. By this point in the evening, I was definitely hitting a wall and could have been perfectly happy to call it quits and go home to bed. Had the Osso Bucco not been so deliriously delicious, I might have given up on the evening–but it was too intoxicating to not clean my plate.
Our final sip of the evening was Broletto Lambrusco 2021. An effervescent red served festively in a coupe–an absolutely delightful way to end our Italian Wine Dinner. This fizzy, high acid wine boasted berry notes and a hint of lavender. To pair, a slice of Olive Oil Cake with red wine poached pears–Nebbiolo, to be specific–and luscious orange curd. The cake slice was a more-than-generous end to an already hefty meal. The curd was exquisitely tart and luscious. The Nebbiolo poached pears maintained their texture and structure while still providing a nice pop of flavor.
Let’s use our imaginations for a moment. Close your eyes–scratch that, you need them to read this, just squint a little or something. Picture if you will, a year has passed. December 2024, and so much has happened! The jolly bearded dude is coming soon and by some twist of fate you and I have grown close in the intervening year. We both know that I’m on the Nice list–obviously, because I’m a perfect little angel. But you know what Santa can’t leave under a tree? A top-notch dining experience with expertly-crafted pairings in the enchanting backdrop of Fort Wayne’s most noted Bistro. You know exactly what to get me. No partridges, turtle doves, hens, calling birds, etc. Just give Bistro Nota a ring, and tell them Plonk will be home for the holidays. They can set whatever date they want, just as long as they set a place for me.
Plonk & Pleasure 
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