PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 61 to drink? “I would say the wine in my glass!” Domenick jokes, before adding he’s partial to primitivo. It’s the Italian zinfandel, with a velvety bouquet of blackberry and plum and a subtle spiciness that hits at the back of the throat. To sip and savor, pair food with wine over at the Osteria. This latest addition was designed by Gloria with Chef Gary DiDominick presiding over the kitchen. (“We didn’t hire him for his name,” Dominick laughs). With obvious care taken to acquire quality ingredients, expect excellence in everything from the focaccia studded with tangy tomatoes to the rigatoni with generous chunks of housemade fennel sausage cloaked in a creamy vodka sauce. The flickering flames of a stone hearth pizza oven promise great pies, from the Regina (topped with creamy dollops of burrata, big basil leaves and grape tomatoes) to Dominick says, adding that sometimes the festivities even include fire dancers and aerialists. What’s more, people who belong to the Bacchus Winemaking Club can learn the entire winemaking process with Dominick from destemming, crushing and pressing grapes to racking and bottling. While it sounds like more than enough to keep him busy, Dominick is also opening a second tasting room/event venue in the Amador area. When commended for his chutzpah, Domenico’s owner quotes Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come!” Wine and big vision are two things Dominick will never have in short supply. vine life domenicowinery.com Dom’s Godfather (calabrese salami and peppadew peppers drizzled in Calabrian chili oil and local honey). If you want a taste of Dominick’s childhood home in Jersey, go topsy-turvy with the Boardwalk Pizza that tucks the cheese beneath the sauce. There are more ways to experience Domenico. For team-building seminars, people are split into “winery” teams and everyone competes to design the best label, come up with a marketing plan for their fictitious business and blend wine from several varietals in beakers. “Then everybody goes home with a bottle, of course,” Dominick winks. They also host Grapes and Giggles, a monthly comedy night, as well as private events—a recent one was his own son’s wedding. “We pretty much run the gamut,” {food coloring}
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