Luca & Leonardo hosting wine dinner

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The latest Woodlands Waterway restaurant to open, Luca & Leonardo Ristorante, is hosting their first wine dinner devoted to Italian wines and cuisine. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 13th at 7:30 p.m. Executive Chef Daniel Miranda has prepared a special menu for the event consisting of five courses, which will be expertly paired with wines produced from the same region. Sommelier Antonio Gianola from Mosaic Wine Group will present the featured wines and educate patrons on Italian grapes, wine regions, and the winemaking process.

The five-course menu is as follows:
Appetizers
- Polenta with wine braised mushrooms
- Antipasti combination plates

Salad
- Garden fresh greens with champagne pomegranate vinaigrette

Entrée (choice of one)
- Lobster with Béarnaise on a bed of braised fennel with mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus
- Grilled lamb chops with pommes frites fingerling potatoes, haricots verts with housemade sundried tomatoes, black olives and lemon zest

Dessert
- Marengatta - cracked meringue served with fresh strawberries and blueberries, topped with vanilla ice cream

Luca’s Chief Executive Officer and Owner, William “Bill” Trainor, is looking forward to beginning the monthly tradition. “We want to educate wine enthusiasts in The Woodlands community and expose them to a variety of wines and pairings,” said Trainor. “We decided to make Italy the theme for our first wine dinner since no other culture is more defined by their cuisine and wine than Italy.”

Sommelier Antonio Gianola will be in attendance to present the wines and answer questions. Gianola has managed the wine programs at some of Houston’s most prestigious restaurants, making him one of the most respected sommeliers and wine buyers in Texas. Recently Gianola worked closely with Luca on the assembly of their fixed price Italian wine list. The list features 40 Italian labels all priced at $25 per bottle.

“Luca and Leonardo is really shaking up the wine scene in The Woodlands. No one else in the state is doing a $25 list. The Italian wine menu covers most of the wine regions in Italy and features wines that are best paired with Luca’s cuisine,” says Gianola.

The Italian wine dinner is priced at $75 per guest (excluding tax and gratuity). Dinner patrons will sample more than one wine per course during the fun and informative dinner. Seating for the dinner is limited. Reservations are required and may be made by calling 832 510-2110.

About Luca & Leonardo Ristorante
Luca & Leonardo Ristorante is an upscale dining destination overlooking The Woodlands Waterway. Luca specializes in Italian cuisine prepared from authentic and traditional Italian recipes under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Daniel Miranda. The wine list features labels from around the globe, as well as a fixed price wine list showcasing 40 Italian wines priced at only $25 a bottle. From the cuisine, wine, art, and music, Luca & Leonardo is a feast for the eyes and other senses.