Chef Lee Skawinski To Host Tastes Of The Veneto Events At Portland Restaurants

As part of his continuing successful series of wine dinners, Lee Skawinski, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Portland's acclaimed Cinque Terre and Vignola restaurants, will be hosting both a reception and dinner on February 26th to celebrate Venetian cuisine and wines. The events will be held in honor of the famed Bisol winery, producers of "the finest Prosecco of Valdobbiadene" since the mid-16th century. Bisol Wine Manager Giovanni Oliva will be on hand to visit with dinner guests and answer questions about the historic Bisol wines and vineyards.

The two-part evening will kick off with a festive reception from 5:30-7:00 pm at Vignola (10 Dana Street), where Cicchetti "Italian Tapas" will be served alongside three Bisol Prosecco selections. The event will then move next door to Cinque Terre (36 Wharf Street), where, with Sig. Oliva as the guest of honor, a traditional Venetian five-course tasting menu will be served, beginning at 7:30 pm. Special prosecco and wine selections from Bisol and Le Salette will be paired with Skawinski's tasting menu at the Cinque Terre dinner, making for a truly flavor-filled evening.

"Our wine dinners at Cinque Terre and Vignola always draw an enthusiastic crowd of Portland residents and visitors," Skawinski said. "We're told by guests at our restaurants that a noteworthy part of our wine series is the opportunity they have to visit with and gather information from European vintners and producers. These are the people whose families have been creating so many of the wines that more and more Americans are savoring and enjoying today. Our guests come away from our wine dinners with a broader awareness and appreciation for the great wines that play such a key role in making a memorable dining experience."

Details: The Vignola reception fare and wines will be $15 per person (+ tax/gratuity), and the Cinque Terre dinner and wines will be $65 per person (+ tax/gratuity). ($70 per person for guests who attend both events) Reservations are required. For more information about either event, or for reservations, phone Vignola: 207/772-1330 or Cinque Terre: 207/347-6154.

Food and wine enthusiasts will also want to mark their calendars for Slow Food's March of the Chefs, a charitable fundraising event to be held at 4:30 pm on March 25th at Cinque Terre. Guests at the event will be able to enjoy the seasonal fare of two of New England's most renowned chefs, Lee Skawinski and Fore Street's Chef-Partner Sam Hayward. Special wine selections will be paired with the chefs' five-course tasting menu. ($75 per person + tax/gratuity, $50 of which is tax deductible.) For further information or to make a reservation, please phone 207/347-6154.

www.cinqueterremaine.com
www.vignolamaine.com

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