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Adelmo Banchetti, owner of Adelmo's in Dallas, TX, shares his love of Italian food and wine with the Lone Star State. ADELMO'S IN DALLAS, TX IS ALL ABOUT THE LOVE OF ITALY by Rachel Burkons / photos by Jason Kindig Chianti Classico ■cr FOR 27 YEARS, THE PEOPLE OF Dallas, TX, have got- ten an insider's look at Italian cuisine through the lens of Adelmo Banchetti and his eponymous restaurant, Adelmo's. And after all this time, a few things remain the same: great food, wonderful wines, and a warm, family environment. "We are family-owned, and we have very good employees who have been with me a very long time. I am very proud of the people working with me —I am not that easy of a person to please," laughs Adelmo. With a background as a maître'd in some of the world's best restaurants, Adelmo says of his high-level expecta- tions, "I don't cook, but I enjoy good food. I know what good food should look and taste like, and I like to pair it with great wines." And for those perfect pairings, Adelmo explains that he and his chefs create Italian dishes suited for the Dallas palate rather than focusing on a specific regional style of cooking, but for the wines, it's Chianti Classico all the way. "I am Tuscan, so Chianti is very important to me," says Adelmo, "and I have a passion for veal, so I like to pair those things." We wanted to see what this world-class palate had in mind for his pairings, and he turned to a winery with which he has a very personal connection: Lamole di Lamole, a storied winery located in Chianti Classico. The vineyards are close to where his grand- mother lived when he was growing up. "These wines are a souvenir to my childhood," he recalls. FIRST UP, Adelmo paired a veal chop with mushroom and green peppercorn cream sauce with the Lamole di Lamole 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto di Campolungo. This wine—85% Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon—is made from grapes sourced from the winery's crown jewel vineyard, Campolungo. With a distinct microclimate within the overall estate, and situated 1,800 feet above sea level with southwest-facing slopes, this vineyard is a prime example of the best of the best when it comes to Chianti Classico. NEXT, Adelmo matched the Lamole di Lamole 2011 Chianti Classico Riserva with an osso bucco served over saffron risotto, a complex dish that stands up to the grippy tannins in the glass. This wine is an elegant expression of Sangiovese (with 5% Canaiolo), known for its expressive notes of iris and blueberry on the nose and dark cherry and earth on the palate. FINALLY, Adelmo brought out lamb chops served with Jimmy's Italian sausage (from Jimmy's Food store in Dal- las) with bell pepper and onion to pair with the Lamole di Lamole "Blue Label" Chianti Classico. The winery's entry-level bottling—80% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot—is popular for its well-bal- anced approachability. Adelmo recognizes that this wine offers a lot of quality for its modest price: "Not every- body has the same amount of money in their pockets, and I believe that [value] is important. We are not here to just take their money; we are here to give the customer a good experience for the money they spend." For the Love of f a l l 2 0 1 6 | 3 1