Debate Night Date

Who cares about the debate? My lovely bride and I, along with another couple from Odenton, ventured to Baltimore on the night of the second Presidential debate. No, we were not looking for some political hangout to view the grappling match. Instead, we took part in the second anniversary of the Baltimore Wine Club at Osteria da Amedeo (www.osteriadaamedeo.com), located at 301 Exeter Street in Baltimore’s Little Italy.

Osteria da Amedeo is a quaint, family-owned place that is all about great Italian wine. According to the Osteria’s website, they offer a friendly atmosphere, where you can gather to relax amongst friends. This was more than true for the debate-night wine tasting!

While the Osteria da Amedeo does serve food, that is not really their primary fare. Instead, it is all about the wine. The tasting started with two white wines (“Vesevo” Beneventano Falanghina and Ca’Montini Pinot Grigio) paired with Fontina and Fontinella cheeses. Family members and friends served as the wait-staff and continually circulated to refresh the plates of cheese, bread, and scrumptious mixed olives.

Though we shared a couple paninis, we could have done without them due to the volume of the other goodies. The ambiance of the Osteria da Amedeo’s interior added greatly to the overall experience. Dark brick walls with rustic ceiling beams led to a feeling that we were sitting in some quiet alley in Venice or some hidden town in rural Italy. It was a remarkable transformation from the titillating anticipation of a feisty debate to relaxed and friendly camaraderie with a focus only on great wine, great friends, and a wonderful old-world atmosphere.

Following the flights of white wines came three reds – but don’t call them red!!! No, the Castello Monaci Maru Negroamara may be purple, grape, or even ruby, but we were reminded that no “red” wine is really red. This wine was paired with a heavenly Regganito cheese, which made perhaps the finest match of the night.

In between each flight of wine was authentic Italian music. It consisted primarily of an accordion, a violin and, of course, a mandolin. They were remarkable. As a special treat, Mary Katherine regaled us with spectacular renditions from Puccini Operas and a deeply moving performance of “The Prayer,” the song popularized by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion.

Mary Katherine’s outstanding voice and the roving musicians would have been a great experience on their own and only added to an already exceptional evening.

The second red was a Salice Salentino Reserva, followed by my personal favorite, the Barbera D’alba Bussia Giacosa Fratelli. Similar to fine French wines, there is something about the Barbera’s native soil (Piedmont region in northern Italy) that makes Barbera better there than the same grape grown anywhere else in the world. Truly, this was a case of saving the very best for last.

Osteria da Amedeo created an event and a feeling that will be hard to top – until the next wine tasting! Snap! Back to reality as we listened to the end of the debate on the radio. Very quickly, our moods turned from relaxed and calm to intense. My wife and I briefly quarreled whether we should ruin the wonderful evening by continuing to listen to the debate. She won and the radio was switched off – and she was right!