At the end of my old neighborhood was Patton Park, named after General George “Blood and Guts” Patton, one of the military heroes of World War II.  The Park was famous in the day, because after the Independence Day parade, which ended at the park, later in the evening courtesy of the local merchants, there was fireworks, and it was the only place in the city for a parade and for the pyrotechnics. The extreme tip of the park actually was in the border of the adjacent City of Dearborn and across the street from the park was an Italian restaurant called Roman Village and by the fuzzy logic of the day, the tip of the park and the restaurant became part of the neighborhood, regardless that it was in another community’s boundary and jurisdiction.  There are times when I try to explain to my Bride the geography and the geo-political climate, that only a true resident of the area, will understand. 

I mention all of this as background, because my Bride had invited another couple out for a casual dinner at a restaurant named Antonio’s Piccolo Ristorante, it is called piccolo, because the size of the establishment is much smaller compared to their other restaurants called Antonio’s Cucina Italiana; and they all owe a debt to the original which is still packing them in at Roman Village; and why they didn’t use that name for the other restaurants, I cannot explain.  The other couple followed my Bride’s tout and had the Seafood Manicotti, stuffed with Mozzarella and Ricotta cheese, Lump Crab and Shrimp topped with a Palomino Sauce.  I had to be the rebel of the crowd, and find another dish that would work with a bottle of wine for the table, as the other couple were not as much of wine drinkers as we are.  I had the Polenta Delmar Alla Valentino which was a combination of fresh Shrimp, Scallops and Whitefish, sauteed in a Spicy Tomato Sauce over Polenta.

With all of the dinners ordered, it was easy, as I knew that we were going to have a white wine, of course, we knew that before the dinner selection, as the other couple only drink white wine.  We had a bottle of Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2019.  Livio Felluga is named after its founder, who came to the region in the 1930’s, and is most known for their blended white wines. The family goes back six generations of wine makers originally from Isola d’Istria in modern day Slovenia.  Friuli Colli Orientali DOC (Eastern Hills of Friuli) is a famed district noted for the stratified, mineral rich soil, layers of marl and sandstone. The fruit was hand-harvested and gently destemmed and maceration and fermentation was done in Stainless Steel vats on the lees for several months, and then aged for a short time in the bottle before distribution, The wine was a pretty straw color with a nose offering floral notes and white fruit and natural spice. On the palate it had very pleasant fruit, with a tanginess, and a nice medium length finish of fruit, salt and terroir.  I think everyone was pleased, because they all wanted seconds.