I’ve long been curious about La Viola, a BYOB in Philadelphia with two restaurants on opposite sides of 16th Street. Well, recently I learned that’s not entirely accurate. Yes—La Viola Bistro and La Viola Ovest are catty-corner from each other, and they are under the same ownership. But some website reconnaissance shows they have different kitchens, different staffs and slightly different menus. Intriguing!
Before a show last Sunday evening, I tried out the Bistro location with David and his husband, Simon. As is probably clear by now, my standard practice for a BYOB is to bring one bottle of red and one bottle of white. With Italian food on my mind, I picked up a bottle of 2020 Vietti Roero Arneis from Versi Vino ($22). I’m a big fan of Arneis—an Italian grape that seems to be having its moment—and I’ve enjoyed this wine by the glass when dining there. For red, you really can’t go wrong with Pinot Noir. I grabbed a bottle of 2016 Et Fille Deux Vert Vineyard ($19), which I bought from Last Bottle Wines.
Here are my tasting notes:
Arneis: Bright and acidic—a real pleasure to drink young. Lime, hazelnut and mint on the nose, with similar flavors on the palate. Surprisingly long finish. Pair this with any kind of seafood you can imagine.
Pinot Noir: Medium-bodied and elegant. Not the most distinctive Pinot you’ll find from Oregon, but perfectly drinkable right now. (If you have bottles of this vintage, though, I wouldn’t let them sit much longer.) Cherry, licorice, Coca-Cola and fruit candy. I’d pair this with cured meats and pork dishes.
I started off with a salad of roasted red peppers, Italian anchovies and olives, dressed lightly in extra-virgin olive oil. This dish was made for Arneis—both the food and the wine were simultaneously rich and complex. David had a special salad with prosciutto and grapes that tested my theory of pairing Pinot and charcuterie. I can attest that it’s a winning pairing.
I would have thought that my Pollo Marco Polo—chicken cooked with mozzarella, escarole and prosciutto in a white wine sauce—would be made for the Arneis as well. And although the white wine was a good complement to the dish’s saltiness, the smoother Pinot was the winner here for me. David went with an Italian restaurant standby: Lobster ravioli in a blush cream sauce. Again, a combination of richness (lobster meat with a hint of cheese) and acidity (the tomato-based sauce) suited the Arneis well.
Both wines were solid, although the Arneis is one I will likely come back to more often than this particular Pinot. Dining at La Viola, however, is an experience I am eager to repeat. Maybe next time I’ll find myself across the street!
All photos by Cameron Kelsall
Vin de Jerz 