Once it was standard practice for a restaurant to purchase wine with the intention of aging before presenting to the consumer. But today, market pressures make this quite rare as the cost of inventory, space, and knowledge limit the opportunity.
Here at Carmine’s, we strive to offer a simple, uncomplicated wine list composed of all Italian wines (which can be very confusing to consumers). We are committed to serving the finest wines we offer after some extended aging in an effort to show the true sense of Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino wines, for example.
Recently, we were offered the current vintage (vintage = the year the grapes are harvested) of these “big three” to add to our wine cellar. We tasted 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages. We try to project development of these “young” wines so that they can be offered in a rotation with other purchased wine when they are more ready for the consumer.
Some of these same wines are on our wine list today from the 2001, 2004 and 2006 vintage! We will try to save a couple of bottles from special vintages for those times when a consumer is really searching for something special. So we typically have a few bottles of quite special and more aged wines when requested. This category represents a small corner of our total wines sold, but it occupies a large portion of interest and intrigue as we get to follow these wines in their development.
Next time you dine with us, feel free to inquire about the following wines:
Cogno “Vigna Elena” Barolo 2004
Allegrini Amarone 2006
Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2006
Pe’re Allesandro “Vigna Giaia” Barbaresco 2001
Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2006
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00carmineshttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngcarmines2015-04-15 08:00:342019-10-07 20:16:53Wines at Carmine's
Last week, our well-traveled Assistant Manager Stephen hosted a Tour of Italy dinner and wine tasting based on his recent adventures in Italy. We had an amazing turnout, with a little over 20 guests filling up our back room to enjoy an evening of culinary indulgence!
As the group enjoyed their first beverage – Borgo Magredo Prosecco – Stephen shared his international travel tips, including the best times to visit Italy. Going in the spring? Expect a bit of rain. Summer is typically busy, as it’s a popular vacation time. Love wine? Experience the fall harvest! And of course, you can’t pass up the skiing when you visit in winter.
Stephen then moved on to explaining the geography of Italy, which is very important when considering the country is one of the most popular wine growing regions in the world, and the 4th largest producer. The various climates and soils of Italy allow for a wide variety of grapes to be grown. Tuscany has your Chianti. Find your favorite white wines in the northeast. And look out for Sicily! This area is up and coming in the wine world.
All of this wine talk wouldn’t be complete without some Italian food, so guests were served Antipasti Carmine’s alan Rolatini along with samples of two white wines – Torre Rosazza Savignon and Umani Ronchi “Casal di Serra”.
Stephen then moved on to serving House and Caesar salads, which were paired with a rose wine – Rivera Pungirosa, and a lighter red – Vignamaggio Chiati Classico. And for the main course? Bolognese, Pasta Carcio, Chicken Parmigiana and Veal Pazzo with two full-bodied red wines – Giacosa Fratelli Barbaresco and Michelle Castellani “Colli Christi”. Delizioso!
Finally, the evening concluded with dessert and a sweet Moscato – Marenco “Pineto”. Lots of food, lots of wine. Now that’s what we call a Tour of Italy.
Want to attend the next Tour of Italy? Stay tuned for future dates by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And be sure to check our online calendar for more upcoming events!
***Wine buying tip: All the wines listed above are available at any liquor store in Colorado. If we have access to it, so does anyone purchasing in the state. The rare exception is a wine so hard to get your hands on, it winds up being purchased by restaurants exclusively. Wherever you shop for wine can get these for you. They may ask you to purchase a case if they don’t carry it. If so, don’t be afraid to ask for 10-15% off which is the standard discount on case purchases.
carmineshttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngcarmines2015-03-27 12:00:272019-10-07 20:16:53Buon Viaggo: A Tour of Italy
Mark your calendars for February 20 – March 1 as we celebrate Denver’s culinary scene during Denver Restaurant Week. Bring your friends and family together to enjoy a multi-course family style meal for just $30 per person.
Choose one of each:
Appetizers
Tour of Italy
Ravioli alla Vodka
Sausage and Peppers
Bruschetta
Antipasta Misti
Portobello Mushrooms
Zuppa di Mussels
Salads
House
Spinach
Caesar
Pear
Entrees (all served family size)
Strozzapreti
Chicken Montana
Carbonara
Pasta Carcio
White or Red Clam Sauce
Shrimp Calabrese
Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken Besciamella
Chicken alla Carmine’s
Chicken Marsala
Chicken Parmigiana
Chicken Piccata
Chicken Pazzo
Baked Ziti w/Italian Sausage
Baked Ziti w/Bolognese
Baked Ziti w/Vegetables
Baked Ziti w/Meatballs
Seafood Fra Diavolo
Moose’s Pasta
Shrimp Parmigiana
Pesce
Desserts
Three Layer Chocolate Cake
Tiramisu
Chocolate Chip Cannolis
New York Style Cheesecake
We also have vegetarian and gluten-free options available!
Want to really feel like a winner during Denver Restaurant Week? Enter The Pursuit of Culinary Perfection Contest by Lexus and you could win a Passport to the City for you and a guest! Tour the city in a luxurious Lexus, enjoy chef’s table seating at The Nickel, and a night’s stay at the Hotel Teatro. Enter to win here.
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00carmineshttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngcarmines2015-02-18 08:41:382019-10-07 20:16:53Join us for Denver Restaurant Week
Tuesday, September 2 Carmine’s on Penn will host our fourth dinner to support The Delores Project. Please join us in this important evening. Last year’s event raised over $8500 for The Delores Project. We will offer many of Carmine’s favorites in a three course dinner served family style. The price is $45 per person and The Delores Project will receive $30 of this amount. We will also donate at least half of beverage proceeds. Employees are donating their hourly wages as well. The Delores Project has served women in need on the Denver area for over ten years providing much needed services not the least of which is housing.
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00bradhttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngbrad2014-08-28 14:23:402019-10-07 20:16:53Share with The Delores Project
Carmine’s on Penn and Little Carmine’s Italian Sandwiches will close on July 4. We will Share the holiday with our families and hope you enjoy the day with yours. Please join us for our regular schedule on Saturday. Remember our patio is one of the finest locations to enjoy summertime dining. Ciao Down at Carmine’s!
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00bradhttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngbrad2014-07-02 22:09:312019-10-07 20:16:53Carmine's on Penn will close on July 4th!
Reservations are filling fast for Father’s Day, so please don’t delay to call us. We still have good space on Saturday. Come Ciao Down at Carmine’s and Share with your father.
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00bradhttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngbrad2014-06-13 22:32:522019-10-07 20:16:53Father's Day at Carmine's on Penn
Carmine’s on Penn recently celebrated our first 20 years of serving Family Style Italian Food in Central Denver. We are looking forward to many more. To share our birthday with us come in on Tuesday evenings. We are offering a 20 year promotion. 20 Years, 2 people, $20 each to share dinner. Choose from four salads and ten pasta entrees to share. Think about Chicken Montana, White Clam Sauce, Pork Polenta Ragu and more. Ciao Down with Carmine’s!
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00bradhttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngbrad2014-06-03 21:52:442019-10-07 20:16:53Twenty Years at Carmine's on Penn
Little Carmine’s is offering for a limited time “Lunch for Two.” In the Carmine’s tradition of sharing our special offer is one sandwich, one salad and one soup to share for $15.95. Little Carmine’s for Lunch Tuesday to Sunday 11-3 made fresh for you!
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00bradhttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngbrad2013-08-15 21:52:042019-10-07 20:16:59Share Lunch at Little Carmine's
Little Carmine’s Italian Sandwiches opened on Tuesday, March 12. We are serving lunch six days a week starting at 11AM. 13 Carmine’s style sandwiches served on our fresh baked bread, 5 salads, soup of the day and desserts. Come and join us.
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00bradhttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngbrad2013-03-15 18:40:282019-10-07 20:16:59Little Carmine's is off and running
Tonight starts the annual two week dining promotion in Denver called 5280 Restaurant Week. For the next 14 days we will join over 300 local restaurants to offer a three course meal for $52.80 for two persons. Reservations are brisk, but we still have space available on both Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Come share some food with us.
https://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.png00bradhttps://www.carminescolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/carmines-colorado-sm-logo.pngbrad2013-02-23 21:27:462019-10-07 20:16:59Restaurant Week at Carmine's on Penn
Wines at Carmine’s
Does anyone age wine anymore?
Once it was standard practice for a restaurant to purchase wine with the intention of aging before presenting to the consumer. But today, market pressures make this quite rare as the cost of inventory, space, and knowledge limit the opportunity.
Here at Carmine’s, we strive to offer a simple, uncomplicated wine list composed of all Italian wines (which can be very confusing to consumers). We are committed to serving the finest wines we offer after some extended aging in an effort to show the true sense of Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino wines, for example.
Recently, we were offered the current vintage (vintage = the year the grapes are harvested) of these “big three” to add to our wine cellar. We tasted 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages. We try to project development of these “young” wines so that they can be offered in a rotation with other purchased wine when they are more ready for the consumer.
Some of these same wines are on our wine list today from the 2001, 2004 and 2006 vintage! We will try to save a couple of bottles from special vintages for those times when a consumer is really searching for something special. So we typically have a few bottles of quite special and more aged wines when requested. This category represents a small corner of our total wines sold, but it occupies a large portion of interest and intrigue as we get to follow these wines in their development.
Next time you dine with us, feel free to inquire about the following wines:
Cogno “Vigna Elena” Barolo 2004
Allegrini Amarone 2006
Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2006
Pe’re Allesandro “Vigna Giaia” Barbaresco 2001
Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2006
Buon Viaggo: A Tour of Italy
Last week, our well-traveled Assistant Manager Stephen hosted a Tour of Italy dinner and wine tasting based on his recent adventures in Italy. We had an amazing turnout, with a little over 20 guests filling up our back room to enjoy an evening of culinary indulgence!
As the group enjoyed their first beverage – Borgo Magredo Prosecco – Stephen shared his international travel tips, including the best times to visit Italy. Going in the spring? Expect a bit of rain. Summer is typically busy, as it’s a popular vacation time. Love wine? Experience the fall harvest! And of course, you can’t pass up the skiing when you visit in winter.
Stephen then moved on to explaining the geography of Italy, which is very important when considering the country is one of the most popular wine growing regions in the world, and the 4th largest producer. The various climates and soils of Italy allow for a wide variety of grapes to be grown. Tuscany has your Chianti. Find your favorite white wines in the northeast. And look out for Sicily! This area is up and coming in the wine world.
All of this wine talk wouldn’t be complete without some Italian food, so guests were served Antipasti Carmine’s alan Rolatini along with samples of two white wines – Torre Rosazza Savignon and Umani Ronchi “Casal di Serra”.
Stephen then moved on to serving House and Caesar salads, which were paired with a rose wine – Rivera Pungirosa, and a lighter red – Vignamaggio Chiati Classico. And for the main course? Bolognese, Pasta Carcio, Chicken Parmigiana and Veal Pazzo with two full-bodied red wines – Giacosa Fratelli Barbaresco and Michelle Castellani “Colli Christi”. Delizioso!
Finally, the evening concluded with dessert and a sweet Moscato – Marenco “Pineto”. Lots of food, lots of wine. Now that’s what we call a Tour of Italy.
Want to attend the next Tour of Italy? Stay tuned for future dates by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And be sure to check our online calendar for more upcoming events!
***Wine buying tip: All the wines listed above are available at any liquor store in Colorado. If we have access to it, so does anyone purchasing in the state. The rare exception is a wine so hard to get your hands on, it winds up being purchased by restaurants exclusively. Wherever you shop for wine can get these for you. They may ask you to purchase a case if they don’t carry it. If so, don’t be afraid to ask for 10-15% off which is the standard discount on case purchases.
Join us for Denver Restaurant Week
Mark your calendars for February 20 – March 1 as we celebrate Denver’s culinary scene during Denver Restaurant Week. Bring your friends and family together to enjoy a multi-course family style meal for just $30 per person.
Choose one of each:
Appetizers
Tour of Italy
Ravioli alla Vodka
Sausage and Peppers
Bruschetta
Antipasta Misti
Portobello Mushrooms
Zuppa di Mussels
Salads
House
Spinach
Caesar
Pear
Entrees (all served family size)
Strozzapreti
Chicken Montana
Carbonara
Pasta Carcio
White or Red Clam Sauce
Shrimp Calabrese
Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken Besciamella
Chicken alla Carmine’s
Chicken Marsala
Chicken Parmigiana
Chicken Piccata
Chicken Pazzo
Baked Ziti w/Italian Sausage
Baked Ziti w/Bolognese
Baked Ziti w/Vegetables
Baked Ziti w/Meatballs
Seafood Fra Diavolo
Moose’s Pasta
Shrimp Parmigiana
Pesce
Desserts
Three Layer Chocolate Cake
Tiramisu
Chocolate Chip Cannolis
New York Style Cheesecake
We also have vegetarian and gluten-free options available!
Want to really feel like a winner during Denver Restaurant Week? Enter The Pursuit of Culinary Perfection Contest by Lexus and you could win a Passport to the City for you and a guest! Tour the city in a luxurious Lexus, enjoy chef’s table seating at The Nickel, and a night’s stay at the Hotel Teatro. Enter to win here.
Share with The Delores Project
Tuesday, September 2 Carmine’s on Penn will host our fourth dinner to support The Delores Project. Please join us in this important evening. Last year’s event raised over $8500 for The Delores Project. We will offer many of Carmine’s favorites in a three course dinner served family style. The price is $45 per person and The Delores Project will receive $30 of this amount. We will also donate at least half of beverage proceeds. Employees are donating their hourly wages as well. The Delores Project has served women in need on the Denver area for over ten years providing much needed services not the least of which is housing.
Carmine’s on Penn will close on July 4th!
Carmine’s on Penn and Little Carmine’s Italian Sandwiches will close on July 4. We will Share the holiday with our families and hope you enjoy the day with yours. Please join us for our regular schedule on Saturday. Remember our patio is one of the finest locations to enjoy summertime dining. Ciao Down at Carmine’s!
Father’s Day at Carmine’s on Penn
Reservations are filling fast for Father’s Day, so please don’t delay to call us. We still have good space on Saturday. Come Ciao Down at Carmine’s and Share with your father.
Twenty Years at Carmine’s on Penn
Carmine’s on Penn recently celebrated our first 20 years of serving Family Style Italian Food in Central Denver. We are looking forward to many more. To share our birthday with us come in on Tuesday evenings. We are offering a 20 year promotion. 20 Years, 2 people, $20 each to share dinner. Choose from four salads and ten pasta entrees to share. Think about Chicken Montana, White Clam Sauce, Pork Polenta Ragu and more. Ciao Down with Carmine’s!
Share Lunch at Little Carmine’s
Little Carmine’s is offering for a limited time “Lunch for Two.” In the Carmine’s tradition of sharing our special offer is one sandwich, one salad and one soup to share for $15.95. Little Carmine’s for Lunch Tuesday to Sunday 11-3 made fresh for you!
Little Carmine’s is off and running
Little Carmine’s Italian Sandwiches opened on Tuesday, March 12. We are serving lunch six days a week starting at 11AM. 13 Carmine’s style sandwiches served on our fresh baked bread, 5 salads, soup of the day and desserts. Come and join us.
Visit the Little Carmine’s site at https://www.littlecarmines.com
Restaurant Week at Carmine’s on Penn
Tonight starts the annual two week dining promotion in Denver called 5280 Restaurant Week. For the next 14 days we will join over 300 local restaurants to offer a three course meal for $52.80 for two persons. Reservations are brisk, but we still have space available on both Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Come share some food with us.