The evolution of epicurean expression that is Massimo Navarretta has taken many beautiful forms along the more than 30 year journey. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate enough to express myself with restaurants like Enoteca, Scampi, and now Onotria. Growing up on a farm in the vibrant agricultural Italian town of Caserta I stay true to my roots and it is expressed in every dish, as I share glimpses of the first flavors introduced to me as a boy. Starting from my travels in culinary school, I came to understand how through food I could clearly express the essence of each regional cuisine.

Forging relationships with what were, at that time unknown artisanal wine producers (who would later become known as the great producers of their respective regions), I isolated the pronounced flavors inherent in the soil and paired them with local ingredients and intensifying the flavors of each hand crafted dish. This creative and calculated gamble has lead to one of the finest and most sought after cellars in Orange County, coupled with a menu offering dishes whose flavors are complimentary down to your last bite. I am pleased and honored to have you as my guest.

Mangia bene, vivi felice

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Harvest Time

Even though sometimes it feels like the world outside is filled with uncertainty; one thing is always certain at Onotria. Harvest time. It is a celebration of one full year, what's good, what's wholesome about caring for the land, the environment, for the health of these surroundings.Harvest time is also the celebration of the continuity of life, love and passion. In the Navarretta families in Southern Italy, we have harvested for centuries, bringing to our hearts and souls the same emotion, all the time, every time. The care and love that have been transmitted to us through generations is still alive and well, here in Costa Mesa, miles away, from across the water. Our cultures, even though sometimes very different, but most of the time, similar in sharing the same love and passion for great food, great wine, and amazing friendship. Our philosophy at Onotria is such that we want to carry out the same ideas and concepts for centuries expressed by our ancestors. To be a great steward of the land, and with patience and understanding make a wine that is an expression of the terroir in its purest form. Our purpose is not to make the most popular and famous wine in the world, but simply make the best wines that this land is capable of producing without chemical help, sulfates, extravagant barrel selections, or any of the modern winemaking trickery. This is a wholesome wine for people who understand the delicate balance in between varietal distinctions and genuine flavor profile dictated by the environment. When we pour a glass of Onotria Wine we celebrate the Opera that is life. From the overature, to the Aria, and the grand finale. In the words of Puccini "LIBIAM LIBIAM!" {LET'S DRINK, LET'S ENJOY}