“Enoteca”, bistrot, wine shop and concept store,  the San Pietro Cafè  associates gastronomy, fashion and lifestyle.  An arty place, to have a lovely evening in Milan. We got a lot of chance this time to be welcomed by Andrea, the passionate sommelier of the place, who spent time with us, a very nice host indeed.

At first sight

Wine cases and subtle lighting catch the eye at first entrance. It looks like an identity card of the place which belongs to Tenuta San Pietro Gavi, vineyards located in Tassarolo in Piemont, less than 100km south of Milan.

This contemporary design tells us in an urban environnement, in the heart of Milan, the quite interessant story of the vines. Owner of organic certification since 2013, the vineyards of the Tenuta San Pietro are cultivated with biodynamic biological methods with a deep respect for the earth and natural cycles. A philosophy of life we find in the Bistrot Kitchen of San Pietro Cafè, with healthy, seasonal and quality products.

The vineyards

The estate spreads out over 65 hectares but only 35 hectares  are devoted to vines. They produce Cortese di Gavi, Albarossa, Barbera, and  Chardonnay grapes. The remaining part of the property planted with oak, acacia woods, and covered by  fields, is the living place  and shelter of numerous wild animals.

The owner, milanese businessman Corrado Alota, wished from the very beginning (in 2002 when he bought it) to develop the vineyard’s ecosytem by  using new methods of organic-biodynamic principles, and to respect nature according to environmental protection and sustainable developpement. 15 years later, Tenuta San Pietro is a reference and an example.

To know more on it 

But come back to Milan

The Cafè is a quite elegant and alive place for dinner (lunch also !) and for the famous “aperitivo” time,  milanese institution of after work around 7 pm. A smart pleasant atmosphere wherein we feel quickly comfortable. Each part of decoration is at the right place and seem to be there forever.

The knowledge of the culinary secrets of the past, and the selected products such as salami and cheese  coming from Gavi area are the secret of this  successful  wine/food pairing : ligurian focaccia, “pasta”… are just at the top. White wines are mineral  due to limestone and clay soils , as I like them. And  what about the “brut rosé” sparkling wine, as good for aperitif as for risotto…

Dry, pleasantly balanced, light and elegant, the brut, chardonnay and cortese grape variety, is a interessant suggestion for aperitif.

From money vault to wines cellar

Andrea, is an enthousiastic and passionnate sommelier. Many Thanks to him to offer us the opportunity to visit the wines cellar of San Pietro Cafè : a magical place full of treasures, quite different at those sleeping there before… as  the place used to be a bank. The cellar takes place in the money vault !

As above, the design is very tasteful,  without  ostentation, even in the smallest detail. A place for reception on request and sessions of tasting.

The new concept store

Let us return to the groundfloor where the owner just created a concept store dedicated to  womenswear and menswear, with a selection of italian and foreign brands of contemporary taste, light years of the boring fast-fashion. We can easily cross from cafè to shop as its an open space. Wine casks and vines have found their place among the clothes… Hard to resist and obviously I did not try…

Definitively, a very nice and elegant place when you are in Milan. T