Dolcetto d'Alba & the "Godmother"

Last week I offered to host a meeting at the house which required me to find good catering to feed 20 mouths and good wine to go with. The first place that came to mind was Bay Cities Deli in Santa Monica. Bay Cities is a local gem of an Italian specialty market/deli on Lincoln Blvd between Colorado and Olympic that is unfortunately not so hidden. If you walk in on a Saturday or Sunday you're guaranteed to wait at least 30 minutes before your ticket is called, but it's a wait well worth it because the deli meats, homemade baguettes, cheese, and antipasto delights (meatballs, marinated artichokes, herbed olives, peppers) are the best Italy can offer. Aside from the deli counter, at Bay Cities you'll also find specialty olive oils, vinegars, hazelnut spreads, biscottis, Italian wines, every imaginable cheese, and all sorts of other Italian condiments.

So to cater I went with the Godmother sub, an all-time fan favorite. The godmother has everything on it. Cappiocola, ham, provolone, pickles, mustard, roasted red peppers, pepperocinis, onions--the works. The bread is cooked on premise so it's fresh. The outside is firm with a slight crunch and the inside is dense but soft enough to absorb the juices of the sub contents. It's not the kind of baguette that flakes into a messy pile when you take a bite--everything in this one stays intact.

To go with the Godmother I chose an Italian Dolcetto d'Alba from the Piemonte region by Bruno Giacosa, a very well known producer. I became acquainted with his Roero Arneis white wine this summer which was addictive so I figured the Dolcetto would be just as good--plus my wine book said it would go well with deli meats. Dolcetto, the name of the grape, means "little sweet one." d'Alba denotes the part of the Piemonte where the grape is grown--Alba, where the best dolcetto wines originate. The wine was a deep ruby color, dry, medium bodied, slightly bitter and had hints of violet and berries. The pairing was perfect because the Dolcetto's soft tannins didn't overpower the mild deli meats...and the acidity was high giving a good clean finish.

These wines are typically inexpensive and drink well with many things.