OK, So a Trip to Italy's Not in the Cards...

However, you can indulge in some of the special menu items and Italian wines at Manakin Grill’s Tuscan Wine Dinner on Jan. 20. Winemaker Andrea Cragnotti will be there to talk about the wines from his Corte Alla Flora winery in Tuscany along with Gary Moore of Siema Wine Imports.
The dinner, which costs $80 per person plus tax and gratuity, will include hors d’oeuvres and four courses. Co-owner Julie Witten says that although the menu isn’t finalized, two wines will probably be paired with each course. And rather than matching the wine to the food, co-owner and head chef Darren Witten will create special menu items to complement the wines. “Darren loves doing wine dinners because we get to do dishes we don’t usually do in the restaurant,” Julie explains. During each course Cragnotti and Moore will talk about how the wine was made and why it pairs well with the specific dish.
The Manakin Grill generally hosts four wine dinners, each with its own theme, throughout the year. Reservations are required. Call 784-0544 or check this website for more information.

Megan Marconyak
Style Editor/Staff Writer