A Taste of Puglia: Winemaker’s Dinner with Emanuele Rocca at AVIV

A Taste of Puglia: Winemaker’s Dinner with Emanuele Rocca at AVIV

Venue: Aviv Immigrant Kitchen

Date: November 1, 2025 at 6:30 PM (Eastern Time)

Get ready for an unforgettable evening at AVIV! Join us for a special Winemaker’s Dinner with Emanuele Rocca fifth-generation winemaker from Podere Don Cataldo, a family estate crafting remarkable wines in Puglia since 1880. This exclusive dinner celebrates the soul of Southern Italy, where rustic elegance meets timeless craftsmanship. Each course — inspired by the sun-drenched flavours of Puglia — is thoughtfully paired with Rocca’s exceptional wines, whose depth and balance reflect generations of devotion to the land. A rare opportunity to taste, listen, and share in the living legacy of Italian winemaking.

A Culinary Journey with Emanuele Rocca of Podere Don Cataldo

November 1st, 2025 ,7pm

The evening begins with the comforting warmth of housemade focaccia and fennel taralli, accompanied by a silken burnt olive butter — an ode to Puglia’s sunlit simplicity.

First Course

Negro Amaro Vinificato in Bianco , 2024

Produced from the indigenous Negroamaro red grape variety - this innovative wine it is vinified in white. It has a crystal clear colour and it spreads a mild scent of fresh white flowers, with intriguing citrus reminiscences. On the palate refreshing fruity notes give immediately a distincitve crispy sensation.

Duo of Calamari
A refined play of textures: grilled calamari crowned with Ontario tomato bruschetta, basil oil, and preserved lemon — alongside its golden, crisply fried counterpart, paired with a whisper of garlic aioli.

Second Course

Primitivo, 2022

This Primitivo has an intense ruby red color with bright purple highlights. It exudes a complex bouquet with notes of plums and cherry in alcohol, finishing with dried fruits and fig jam hints. It reveals typical delicious aromas of licorice, cloves and dark chocolate reminiscences. A full bodied wine with an authentic and charming taste gently filling the mouth.

Wild Mushroom Risotto & Grilled Bombette
Earthy wild mushroom risotto meets the indulgence of grilled pork shoulder bombette, filled with bocconcini and fresh herbs, finished with a delicate drizzle of truffle oil.

Third Course

Negroamaro , 2022

This wine has a deep red color with purple hues. It releases a fragrant scent of ripe red fruits with notes of vanilla, toasted tobacco and hints of spice. Harmonic and silky to the palate, it reveals a charming aromatic complexity enhanced by velvety tannins and a typical aftertaste of Mediterranean herbs.

Orecchiette alle Cime di Rapa
Traditional handmade orecchiette pasta tossed with broccoli rabe, slivered garlic, and a touch of chili flakes, enriched by a snowfall of shaved pecorino — a classic Pugliese harmony.

Fourth Course

Nero Di Troia, 2022

This wine has a typical deep ruby red color, almost impenetrable. The charming scent of ripe blackberries and raspberries introduces an intriguing and complex taste filled with delicious notes of underbrush, leather and sweet spices. A fascinating wine, lingering on the palate.
Braised Short Rib & Late Summer Caponata
Slow-braised short rib, tender and rich, served with a fava bean purée and late-summer caponata, finished in a glossy red wine jus that deepens every note on the palate.

Finale
A Trio of Sweets
A graceful ending: coffee cannelloni, lemon zeppole, and chocolate zeppole, paired with black fermented tea — an indulgent close to an evening of stories, flavours, and exceptional wines.