Cheers Winter 2022 | Page 7

NICHOLAS WYATT IS GENERAL MANAGER OF RAVELLO RISTORANTE , AN AMALFI COAST-INSPIRED RESTAURANT IN MONTGOMERY , AL .

Drawing inspiration from the classic Negroni Sbagliato that has made a viral comeback , thanks to House of the Dragon star , Emma D ’ Arcy , and from America ’ s original flapper and Montgomery native , Zelda Fitzgerald , I created a variation of the beloved drink and garnished it with local stories and style .

Ravello ’ s Sips of Paradise is a nod to Bits of Paradise , a collection of short stories by Zelda Fitzgerald , and her ( almost ) equally famous husband , F . Scott . In addition to Zelda ’ s upbringing in Alabama ’ s capital city , the literary couple lived in Montgomery from 1931 to 1932 in the historic Old Cloverdale neighborhood and wrote portions of their respective novels , Tender is the Night and Save Me the Waltz .

Inspired by the city ’ s local legends , my elegant twist on the Italian classic combines Aperol , Nonino L ’ Aperitivo and Scarpetta prosecco — Ravello ’ s by-the-glass prosecco offering — and is set off by the deep crimson garnish of a dehydrated blood-orange wheel . Balanced and refreshing , its glamour pairs well with Ravello ’ s elegantly renovated 1920s bank building , delivering a stunning cocktail experience .

SIPS OF PARADISE

1 oz . Carpano dry vermouth ½ oz . Aperol ½ oz . Nonino L ’ Aperitivo Scarpetta prosecco Dehydrated blood-orange wheel

Build the drink in a rocks glass . Add the vermouth , Aperol and Nonino into the glass Fill with ice and give a short stir . Top with prosecco . Garnish with the orange wheel .

Mark Steuer , chef at Funkenhausen in Chicago , has been honing his interest in low-intervention wines for the past 10 years . He enjoys curating a list of fun and funky wines that pair well with each dish .

Wines at Funkenahausen are Germanic by nature ( typically Old World ), often sourced from lesser-known producers , and have high acid and minerality — elements that pair well with everything on the menu . Here are a few of Steuer ’ s favorites .

Vinas Mora Barbba ( Dalmatia , Croatia ), Debit , Plain , Lasin , Marastina . I love this red we just brought on . I think it is a great transitional wine between summer and winter . It ’ s got great fruit , body and structure but isn ’ t too tannic or dry . It ’ s perfect with roasted chicken or duck . Even a pork chop would shine with this gorgeous wine .

Weingut Schmitt Frei Körper Kultur ( Rheinhessen Germany ), Merlot , Dornfelder , Pinot Noir , Blauer Portugieser . We ’ ve had this on the list for a while , and I love it so much . It ’ s a blend of several grapes , but it ’ s the merlot that shines through here .

The wine ’ s name translates as “ Free Body Culture ,” and relates to the ethos of the winemakers . They do everything by hand and treat their grapes with respect , letting the juice speak for itself . I love it with cheese , charcuterie or a richer pasta or risotto .

2Naturkinder Spätburgunder ( Franconia , Germany ), Pinot Noir . This is a beautiful 100 % pinot noir from Germany . I ’ d drink it by itself any day of the week , but it really shines with poultry , roasted fall vegetables like squash or Brussels sprouts or

with a mild blue cheese .

Christian Tschida Engel auf Erden ( Bergenland , Austria ), Cabernet Franc . Possibly my favorite red on the list currently ; possibly because I love cab franc , but also because it ’ s just so damn tasty . Drinks a little lighter than a traditional cab franc , but still shines with duck and other game meats as well as meatier fish like a swordfish .

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