Did you know that Giusti Wine, comes from the Valpolicella region of Italy, but is owned by a BC businessman, Mr. Joe Giusti? Mr. Ermenegildo “Joe” Giusti, was born and raised in Italy and moved to Vancouver, where he became a very successful businessman in the construction industry. With this wealth, he wanted to show his passion of Italian wine; he did so by purchasing many vineyards in the Veneto region of Italy. At this VanWineFest 2025 dinner, we enjoyed a six-course menu featuring the wines of Giusti and the food of legendary Chef Claudio Ranallo. It was an Italian evening to remember at La Piazza Dario at Il Centro.
I will give you my impressions of the wines and the food pairings. Not as detailed as my usual notes, as it was dinner and we were enjoying speaking with our dining companions. Cin cin.
Our Food and Wine Pairings
Reception:
Stuzzichini (similar to charcuterie)
Prosecco “Rosalia” NV
Course 1:
Wild Argentinian Prawns with Garlic, White Wine, Julienne vegetables
Pinot Grigio “Longheri” 2022
Course 2:
Porcini and Cremini Cannelloni with Besciamella and Pomodoro
Recantina Colli Asolani “Augusto” 2019
Course 3:
Rigatoni with 6 Hour Slow Cooked Braised Beef Short Rib Sugo
Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2019
Course 4:
Veal Tenderloin Medallions with Green Peppercorn Sauce
Umberto I DOCG 2019
Course 5:
Dark Chocolate Mousse with Morbiducci Crumble
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2017
My Wine Tasting Notes
Prosecco “Rosalia” NV – Did you know that Prosecco and Valpolicella wines come from the Veneto region? This wine has medium intensity aromas of stone fruit, floral and citrus. Fresh stone fruit and floral flavours. Off-dry. Light biting bubbles. A touch of bitterness on the palate. 
Pinot Grigio “Longheri” 2022 – It had a light stone fruit nose. Dry with light acidic prickle. Medium body with a smooth mouthfeel. Light stone fruit and stony minerality on the palate. – 
Recantina Colli Asolani “Augusto” 2019 – Recantina is a long-forgotten grape that is making a resurgence in Veneto. This wine has an opaque ruby colour. A light ripe berry nose. Medium acidity and tannins. Dry, smooth with a light mouthfeel. Dark fruit flavours and light pepperiness.
Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2019 – Ripasso is made by taking the grape pomace from an Amarone fermentation, then refermenting it with a regular Valpolicella wine, giving the Ripasso some of that sweet depth and structure from the Amarone, but at a better price point. This wine has a deep garnet colour. Deep, dark fruit and tarriness on the nose. Medium-plus body, lean mouthfeel. Dark fruit and tar, plus pepperiness on the palate. Light, drying tannins and medium acidity. Medium-plus length. –
Umberto I DOCG 2019 – This is the flagship wine for Giusti Wine, but it does not use any Italian indigenous grapes. It is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The grapes are vinified separately, malolactic fermentation follows, then 20 months aging in barriques of French oak and then 6 months to rest after bottling before being released. This wine has a rich, ripe cassis nose. Medium-minus body with a light mouthfeel. Juicy berry fruit flavours. Higher acidity and lighter tannins.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2017 – A deep garnet light. Light intensity, deep, ripe sweet, dark fruit aromas. Off-dry with a lean, lighter body. Dark, ripe black fruit flavours and pepperiness. Higher acidity.
My Food and Wine Pairings Notes
The Wild Argentinian Prawns with Garlic were very tender and had a light saltiness to them which made a complimentary pairing to the Pinot Grigio “Longheri” 2022 with it’s acidity and light stone fruit flavours.
The Porcini and Cremini Cannelloni with Besciamella and Pomodoro had a creamy, mushroom, earthiness to it. I enjoyed the pairing with the Recantina Colli Asolani “Augusto” 2019 as the dryness of the wine and its tannins paired with the creaminess of the dish.
Another pairing I enjoyed was the Rigatoni with 6 Hour Slow Cooked Braised Beef Short Rib Sugo matched with the Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2019. The rigatoni was cooked al dente. The beef short rib was soft and savoury, with some spiciness. The savouriness and texture of the beef short rib matched with the dark fruit flavour and pepperiness in the wine.
By this time I was extremely full. So much food. The Veal Tenderloin Medallions with Green Peppercorn Sauce was terrific. The medallions were soft and tender, cooked medium-well. Nice peppercorn flavour. The acidity in the Umberto I DOCG 2019 paired with the meat, but the peppercorn flavour was not quite as enjoyable.
For dessert, we had a Dark Chocolate Mousse with Morbiducci Crumble paired with the Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2017. The mousse was deep, dense and creamy; dark chocolate flavour. The acidity and sweetness of the wine was complimentary to the chocolate flavour of this dessert.
Thank you to the Vancouver International Wine Festival for providing me with a seat at this winery dinner. Thank you also to Giusti Wine for their delightful wines and to La Piazza Dario at Il Centro for their delicious dishes.
