The Journal News from White Plains, New York • Page 149

WINE IN RESTAURANTS The Journal News October 2004 45 www.thejournalnews.com GjD I I HfRrCMRIS than any of the others. Too bad the flavor didn't have a personality to match. Tasters liked this wine for its balance of fruit and tannin, they just wanted more pizazz. Good. Torre Quarto Puglia Rosso 2001 Tannins are astringent elements in the wine that can, when judiciously exercised, whip a wine into shape.

For some tasters, this southern Italian offered a good flavor for pairing with pizza, but others found the wine's astringency to be distracting. Good. Fattoria Laila Rosso Piceno A blend of montepulciano and sangiovese grapes, this wine from Italy's Marche region shows a bit too much restraint although one taster said it was "perfect" with the spinach pizza. Another thought the fruit-forward wine held up well to the sausage. Good.

Ridge Sonoma Station Zinfandel 2001 "Too elegant for pizza?" asked a taster, who found this zin to be "good, but not wow." This blend from 12 vineyards in Sonoma's Dry Creek, Russian River and Alexander Valleys lacked the desired punch and left a bruise from the price. Good. Icardi Barbera d'AsfJ Tabarin 2001 An intriguing note of tobacco on first taste of this Piedmontese wine was followed by a long astringent pull that seemed to fade away on the finish. "A bit off-putting," one taster noted. Fair.

Bill Daley RATING THE WINES We conducted an informal tasting of nine wines recommended by area wine merchants for drinking with pizza. Our "palate cleansers" were two deepest) pies, one sausage and one spinach. Some of the wines seemed to pair more naturally with the pizza than others. Ratings key: excellent, very good, good, fair Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2001 With its fruit backed up by some tannic muscle, this sassy California wine was our favorite. And the cheapest Though robust, the fruity zin worked well with the pizza's sauce and the cheese.

Very good. Manzone Dolcetto d'Alba La Serra 1999 Bright, with almost cherry-like aroma (reminding us of cough syrup), this import from Italy's Piedmont region offered an intensity and a fruity acidity. This Umbrian blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and meriot grapes was dry but with a nice hit of fruit. Good. Falesco Vitiano 2001 Sometimes, it's the little things that count With this wine it was the tiniest spark of acid that seemed to work so well with the salt in the pizza.

This Umbrian blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and meriot grapes was dry but with a nice hit of fruit. Good. Cataldi Madonna Montepulciano d'Abruzzo This wine from Italy's Abruzzo region matched the pizza well, perhaps too well. Pairing wine with pizza can be a challenge. A selection of wines to accompany a meal of pizza include from left, 2001 Falesco Vitiano; 1999 Val Cerasa Etna Rosso; 2001 Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel; 2001 Torre Quarto Puglia Rosso; and 1999 Manzone Dolcetto d'Alba La Serra.

One taster felt the wine "disappeared" behind the fennel of the sausage, while another complained of a bland flavor. Good. Val Cerasa Etna Rosso 1999 A smoldering Mt Etna adorns the label of this Sicilian red, whose fiery color in the glass was more vivid Photography by Stuart Bayer; Chicago Tribune JIM'S Marcello's Restaurant Group SEAFOOD CHOPHOUSE PASTA Open 7 Days Lunch Dinner Large Selection of Wines by the Glass EAST TOHVO JAPANESE RESTAURANT Winner of America Tasting "Tour of Excellence Winner of Zagat Survey "Award of Excellence" WE DELIVER $10 Minimum $4 Delivery Charge OPEN 7 DAYS HAM SUSHI COCKTAILS of Suffer Hitachi Steak House Marcello's Suffern 21 Lafayette Ave Suffern, NY 845-357-9108 115 Franklin Turnpike Mahwah, NJ Marcello's Ho-Ho-Kus Inn Franklin Tpke Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 201-445-4115 A Shopping Center 201-828-968788 ,.1 t.t t'4'4 itfiiU 119 Route 10 East 90Rte.206Na 477 Rte. 10 East East Hanover, NJ ByramMaia Randolph, NJ Reserve Your Holiday Parties Now! on.cit-8080 Stanhope, NJ 973-989-6281 973-448-8896 Eat-In Take Out Parties for All Occasions www.marcellosgroup.com.