Meet the Wine Expert: ENZO RUGGIERO of Masseria dei Vini in NYC

Enzo Ruggiero is the Wine Director at the newly opened Masseria dei Vini. Ruggiero is the Executive Manager and has known co-owner Peppe since they were children growing up in Capri. Enzo's passion extends beyond food to wine. In his childhood his grandfather used to take him to local vineyards where they would stomp grapes to make the family wine. He is passionate about pairing the perfect wine with the right dish. Enzo built an extensive wine list at La Masseria and he has put his vast knowledge to the test while creating the rare and creative list at Masseria dei Vini.

What special personal qualities or talents have enhanced your career? I am very picky and precise and like to pay extra attention to details. I have a lot of patience, but at the same time humility and a lot of hard work has gotten me far in this business. And of course, a real passion and love for food and specialty wine has helped me in this career.

Who have been some of your professional mentors or individuals that have inspired your work? Definitely my Grandparents have been a huge inspiration to me. My Grandmother, Angelina was a mentor in the food world. It was always fascinating to watch her cooking, back in the days in Italy, when I was a little boy. And my Grandfather, Federico really inspired my love of wine. He was the first person that gave me a sip of wine (mixed with water, of course) when I was only 8 years old. He often brought me to a local vineyard to help at harvest. We stomped the grapes together with our bare feet and that was where my passion for wine began.

Tell us a little about your travel experiences as a wine expert. Being Italian I visit numerous wine regions in Italy, from North to South. I visit a lot of vineyards, cellars and always meet very interesting people. They are all very friendly and down-to-earth, and I end up learning a lot from them, not just about wine, but about life. Living and working in restaurants in New York City also gives me that ability to meet interesting winemakers and vineyard owners, but there is something about being on their turf and amongst their vines that I just love.

Why do you find your career as a wine expert so rewarding? As a Wine Director, the most rewarding part of my job is finding those unknown or small wineries that not many people know about. I love introducing these amazing wines to our customers. I am always working to find these types of wines form all over the world, as well as rare or hard to find bottles. The challenge is endless but so rewarding.

What is one of your favorite meals and what wine would you select for it? As an Italian, of course, I love Italian food, and I am a true pasta Lover. Growing up on the island of Capri, there was a lot of seafood, and one of my favorite meals is pasta with mixed seafood in a light olive oil, garlic and cherry tomato sauce, paired with one of the local dry white wines, specifically Greco di Tufo or Fiano di Avellino. I have lived in New York for almost 30 years. I have also learned to love oysters, and for me the perfect match is a dry Riesling from Alsace. My favorite is "Cuvee Frederic Emile" from Trimbach. It's absolutely stunning.

Tell us a little about the restaurant you work with. With my Business partners, Peppe Iuele and Pino Coladonato, I manage and own two restaurants in New York City - "La Masseria", open since 2004 and the recently opened "Masseria dei Vini". We also have one in Rhode Island; also named "La Masseria", open since 2009. At both "La Masserias", we serve traditional and authentic Italian food, with a strong southern Italian influence, specifically from Puglia and Capri. At "Masseria dei Vini" our menu is still traditional but with a blend of modernity, and of course, we have amazing wines at all three.

Masseria dei Vini is located at 887 9th Ave. at 58th Street, New York, NY, 10019. Call (212) 315-2888 or visit their web site at http://www.masseriadeivini.com/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Enzo Ruggiero

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