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Livia casual al fresco dining in Geneva
On a beautiful autumn afternoon we drove out to Geneva (IL) on the Fox River for a casual lunch.
Taking advantage of the waning days of summer turning to autumn we dined al fresco on the garden terrace outside Livia Italian Restaurant on Third Street amongst all the trendy shops and restaurants.
The Italian Eatery features
Northern Italian cuisine with a broad menu selection of small plates, pastas, fresh greens, seafood, and beef, chicken, pork chops, Lamb Chops, and some House Specialty entrées.
The wine list is a basic selection of regional Italian and American wines.
There is a WBTG list (wines by the glass) that offers ten reds and ten whites as well as several sparklings and Rose’s from Italy and one from France.
Linda ordered, the petit filet with romano crusted tomato, whipped potatoes and asparagus.
I was content with a glass of red wine accompaniment with fresh toasted bread, olive oil with parmesan cheese.
Linda imaginatively and creatively combined the fresh bread and her entree to create some delicious mini beef ‘sliders’ that we shared.
I ordered WBTG selection Casaloste Chianti Classico.
Casaloste Chianti Classico 2018
Fattoria Casaloste is a wine estate situated in the Chianti
hills in Panzano in Chianti, in the municipality of Greve, sitting in the
hillsides of the Chianti Classico region, halfway between Florence and
Siena.
Calaloste is run by owner Giovanni Battista d’Orsi, an agronomist and
enologist who oversees all wine viticulture and wine making, and his wife Emilia. The wine bears the name of the stone
tower where the owners live with their family. The name
“Casaloste” has ancient origins dating to the past when the
building was used as a sighting tower. The farm also welcomes
guests in two comfortable Tuscan
apartments.
Fattoria Casaloste covers 45 acres of which 24 are planted to Chianti Classico D.O.C.G vineyards and 5 acres are D.O.P. olive trees . They produce about 60,000 bottles of wine
per year.
Chianti Classico Casaloste was first produced with
the 1993 vintage and is produced from estate sourced Sangiovese accented by a small amount of Merlot. The prevailing grape Sangiovese covers 85% of the vines; the other 15% is represented by Merlot and some other grapes.
Casaloste adhere to three principles in producing their wines: low quantity production per acre, rigorous supervision to the quality of grapes during both growing and harvest, and continuous monitoring of fermentation, wine-making, and maturing methods.
Casaloste is a member of the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico (Gallo Nero)
association and thereby observes the regulations to sell its wine abroad under the DOCG and IGT designations.
This Chianti Classico is the traditional Sangiovese varietal based wine, a blend of Sangiovese accented with 10% Merlot. It is aged in oak casks of Allier, and barriques for about 12 months.
Ruby red in color, medium bodied, fresh red currant fruits accented by hints of strawberries and cherries with notes of violet, leather, spices, tobacco and hints of mocha supported by the typical tangy acidity of Sangiovese with long elegant tannins.
RM 90 points.
