SANTA MARGHERITA Celebrates National Chianti Day on 9/4 with Fine Wine and a Delicious Braised Beef Recipe

National Chianti Day on Friday, September 4th celebrates the cherished Italian wine from the Tuscany region of Italy. Now is the perfect time to stock up on Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Riserva and whip up some of your favorite Italian dishes to pair with the full-bodied red wine.

Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to sample Santa Margherita's Chianti Classico Riserva while participating in a fascinating virtual cooking class with the renowned Italian Butcher, Dario Cecchini from Panzano in the Chianti region. We learned to prepare a delicious, authentic Italian Brasato al Midollo e Fagioli all'olio or Braised Beef with Cannelini Beans. The class was wonderfully guided and translated by fourth generation family member of Marzotto, Vittorio Marzotto. The Chianti wine was a perfect pairing with the braised beef. Cecchini complimented it as "harmony of good food and good wine."

Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Riserva is from a single vineyard called Salcentino located just outside of the town of Panzano. Dry, rich, and rewarding, the wine has complex aromas of red cherries and plums with a palate that unfolds to berry fruits and licorice, framed by light toasty notes of oak and finishes with a firm structure.

As essential to Italian cuisine as fine olive oil, Chianti Classico is a dry red wine that is medium to full-bodied. It shows red cherry and herbaceous notes, making it flexible with many cuisines and pairing particularly well with robust dishes like barbeque and grilled meats. And because Chianti Classico is the authentic taste of Tuscany and the ultimate expression of the region, the wines have a natural affinity to Italian dishes like pasta carbonara or pizza. For a more savory and earthy expression, look for the word Riserva. Chianti Classico Riserva demands that the wine is aged an additional two years and will develop subtle notes of balsamic and espresso notes during that time.

Not only do we recommend Santa Margherita Wines, but we also want to provide our readers with the recipe to prepare the Brasato al Midollo e Fagioli all'olio.

BRASATO AL MIDOLLO E FAGIOLI ALL'OLIO (BRAISED BEEF WITH CANNELLINI BEANS)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEEF SHANK:

• 4LBS. OF BEEF SHANK - BONE OUTa??• MARROW FROM SHANKa??• 2 TABLESPOONS SEA SALTa??• 2 TABLESPOONS FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER • 6 SPRIGS OF FRESH ROSEMARY

• 1 1⁄2 LBS. MEDIUM SHALLOTSa??• 1⁄4 CUP OLIVE OILa??•1 1⁄2 CUPS OF SANTA MARGHERITA CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CANNELLINI BEANS:

• 1LBS CANNELLINI BEANS • OLIVE OILa??• 1 WHOLE GARLICa??• 6 SAGE LEAVES

• DARIO CECCHINI'S 'PROFUMO DEL CHIANTI' SALT

METHOD FOR THE BEEF:

1) PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 375 DEGREES. SEASON THE MEAT ON BOTH SIDES WITH THE Salt and Pepper. PLACE THE MEAT ON A CUTTING BOARD, CUT SIDE UP. SCOOP THE MARROW FROM THE RESERVED BONE HALVES AND DISTRIBUTE IT OVER ONE SIDE OF THE MEAT. PICK THE LEAVES OFF 3 OF THE ROSEMARY SPRIGS. SPRINKLE THEM OVER THE MARROW. ROLL THE MEAT INTO A LOG, AND TIE TIGHTLY IN AT LEAST 4 PLACES WITH KITCHEN STRING.

2) PLACE THE MEAT IN A DUTCH OVEN OR OTHER HEAVY POT WITH A LID. ADD THE ROSEMARY SPRIGS AND SCATTER THE SHALLOTS OVER AND AROUND THE MEAT. DRIZZLE THE OLIVE OIL OVER THE MEAT AND SHALLOTS. COVER AND ROAST FOR 1 1⁄2 HOURS. UNCOVER THE POT AND POUR THE WINE OVER THE MEAT. USING TONGS, TURN THE MEAT OVER IN THE POT, AND REPLACE THE LID. ROAST FOR ANOTHER HOUR.

3) REMOVE THE POT FROM THE OVEN (USE OVEN MITTENS SINCE THE POT WILL BE HOT AND HEAVY) AND TURN THE MEAT OVER AGAIN. BE CAREFUL WHEN DOING THIS, AS THE JUICES MAY SPLATTER. BASTE THE MEAT WITH THE PAN JUICES AND RETURN THE POT TO THE OVEN, UNCOVERED.ROAST FOR 30 MINUTES, OR UNTIL THE MEAT IS TENDER AND BROWNED. REMOVE THE POT FROM THE OVEN, TRANSFER THE MEAT TO A CUTTING BOARD, AND COVER LOOSELY WITH ALUMINUM FOIL. LET REST FOR 15 MINUTES.

4) USING A SLOTTED SPOON, TRANSFER THE SHALLOTS TO A WARMED SERVING PLATTER. POUR THE PAN JUICES INTO A GRAVY SEPARATOR OR PITCHER AND LET THE FAT RISE TO THE TOP. POUR OR SPOON OFF THE FAT, RESERVING THE PAN JUICES. REMOVE THE STRINGS FROM THE MEAT AND CUT THE MEAT INTO 1⁄2-INCH-THICK SLICES. ARRANGE THE SLICES ON THE SERVING PLATTER WITH THE SHALLOTS AND POUR SOME OF THE PAN JUICES OVERALL. SERVE WITH THE REMAINING PAN JUICES ON THE SIDE.

METHOD FOR THE CANNELLINI BEANS:

1) POUR THE BEANS INTO A SAUCEPAN AND COVER WITH ABUNDANT WATER, MAKING SURE ALL THE BEANS SUBMERGED. ADD ENOUGH OLIVE OIL TO CREATE A THIN LAYER THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE WATER. ADD THE GARLIC, SAGE LEAVES AND A PINCH 'PROFUMO DEL CHIANTI' SALT TO THE PAN.

2) BRING THE MIX TO A BOIL. REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW-TO-MEDIUM, AND LET COOK FOR 2 HOURS, SLIGHTLY COVERED.

3) SERVE THE BEANS WITH A BIT OF THE REMAINING LIQUID FROM THE PAN, THE SAGE LEAVES, A DRIZZLE OF OLIVE OIL AND A PINCH OF THE 'PROFUMO DEL CHIANTI' SALT.

Here are a few other ways that you can celebrate National Chianti Day. Pick up a bottle of Chianti Classico to serve with dinner. To elevate your meal, consider an aged bottle of Chianti Classico Riserva. While you're exploring the wine aisle, plan your meal. Chianti Classico will go well with a charcuterie board with a selection of Italian meats and cheeses, thick-cut porterhouse steak, delectable pizzas, or pasta dishes. While you enjoy your wine, be sure to share your favorite pairings by using #NationalChiantiDay on social media. Cheers!

About Santa Margherita USA

Santa Margherita USA is a fine wine import company representing premium and ultra-premium wine estates from Italy. Since our founding in 1935, Count Gaetano Marzotto dedicated his life to establishing Santa Margherita and its estates as one of the leading ambassadors of Italian wine excellence around the world. With the establishment of Santa Margherita USA in 2016, we proudly carry on his vision in the United States. For more information, please visit: https://santamargheritawines.com/.

You can follow Santa Margherita on social media @santamargheritaus and use hashtags #uncorkextraordinary, #santamargheritawines

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marina P. Kennedy and Santa Margherita Wines

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