and
Bulfon Wines
at Spiaggia
980 North Michigan Avenue
November 16, 2004

When we bumped into Randall at the Vinitaly wine fair three years ago, he told us, "You've got to check out this guy Bulfon! Everything he makes you've never heard of!" He was right.

We were so impressed at the fair, we went on to visit Bulfon's place in Valeriano in the northern part of Friuli-Venezia Giulia after the show.

It seems that Emilio has dedicated his life to cultivating a selection of regional, antique and pretty much extinct grape varieties including Cividin, Piculit Neri, Ucelut and others we had never encountered before.

Using our friend Danielle from Udine to help seal the deal, we persuaded Emilio to ship us some of his wine to the United States for the first time.

We have been making friends with his wines for three vintages now and, on Tuesday, November 16, we are pleased to welcome Emilio to Chicago for an evening featuring his unique lineup of flavors matched with a menu highlighting regional Friulano cuisine.

This is Emilio's first trip to the United States and the first time for him to present his singular and delicious portfolio in the New World.

Be there or be square!

The book is a celebration of the food and locale that have made Spiaggia a destination for celebrities, foodies and the movers and shakers in Chicago.

Chef Mantuano first joined Levy restaurants in 1982, when restaurateur Larry Levy hand-picked Tony to spend a year in Italy preparing for his ambitious new restaurant, Spiaggia.

His time spent in Italy has been a guiding force behind the incredible success of Spiaggia which is recognized nationally and internationally as one of the world's finest Italian restaurants.

Sommelier Henry Bishop first became involved with the world of wine more than 20 years ago when he took a job as a cashier in a wine shop while attending the Art Institute of Chicago.

Self-taught, he entered the restaurant world when managing the wine program at the pioneering Bentley's Wine Bar in the early 80s.

Bishop later worked with Bentley's Chef Erwin Dreschler at Metropolis 1800 as the self-titled Wine Sheriff where he wore a badge and defended the honor of esoteric grapes.

In 1984, he became sommelier at Spiaggia and has been with the restaurant ever since.

Henry's wine list has been a Wine Spectator award winner from the start.

He has been repeatedly recognized as a tireless explorer of viticulture, who continues to challenge expectations. His most recent efforts include expanding his list to include the border countries of Italy and the finest examples of Amer-Ital wines from some very unexpected locales.