Our own gourmet experience started with Beef Carpaccio with Arugula salad, Parmesan cheese shavings and white truffle mayonnaise followed by handmade Tagliolini with fresh water Scampi and Porcini Mushroom Risotto, paired with a100% Chardonnay, Il Borro Lamelle Toscana IGT 2008 from Tuscany. This floral and fruity wine is well balanced, fresh, elegant and persistent, thanks to its quick passage in barriques.

Alessandro, who began his career in 2002 as restaurant manager, regaled us with wine stories from Italy, while serving Il Borro Pian di Nova Toscana IGT 2007 as we progressed to the next course. This full bodied wine, 75% Syrah, 25% Sangiovese with an intense nose of spice and ripe fruit accompanied Roasted Sea Bass fillet in olive oil and Prosecco wine, with garlic, parsley and fresh tomatoes and a perfectly done Pan fried tenderloin with truffle mashed potatoes and red wine sauce.

Much of Alessandro's experience has come from working as a Wine Director as well as Restaurant Manager at luxury hotels such as Fiesta Americana Aqua (Cancun, Mexico), Cuisinart Resort & Spa (Anguilla, British West Indies), Castiglion Del Bosco (Montalcino, Italy) and Ritz Carlton (Cancun, Mexico).

Most recently, he was Wine Director with the prestigious Escuela Argentina de Sommeliers (EAS) in Bogota, Colombia. A pioneer in Argentina and Latin America, EAS trains sommeliers and restaurant professionals helping them gain a firm knowledge of alcoholic beverages and other gourmet products.

While digging into a dessert of traditional Tiramisu scooped at the table, Alessandro told us that he enjoys travelling and cooking and spends his free time immersed in reading about history and travel.