Via Sophia, the elegant restaurant inside Washington D.C.’s Art Deco-style Hamilton Hotel, reopened for service this weekend following an extended winter closure, bringing some of the best Italian food and wine in town back to the Capitol. Here, chef Colin Clark prepares a menu of pasta, pizza, and plenty of other crowd-pleasers. The wine list, of course, skews Italian.
Joe Palminteri, the Food & Beverage director for Via Sophia and the Hamilton Hotel, has been at the helm since the historic property opened in 2019 following a major renovation. A former F&B director at New York City’s Bowery Hotel, home of the long-running Italian favorite, Gemma, he’s a great guy to ask, “So, what are you drinking these days?”
His answer: Borgogno Barbera D’Alba 2017, a 100% Barbera from Langhe that Palminteri describes as “dry, bitterish, robust.” Stop in for a bite at Via Sophia, and he’ll likely recommend a bottle with the menu’s new standout Via Burger, topped with tomato confit, Pecorino, Gruyère, Stracchino, black pepper bacon, garlic aioli, and grilled onion. He calls it a “beautiful pairing,” while noting that the Barbera would also go well with steak, pizza, or anything, really.
Via Sophia is inside the historic Hamilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.
“Giacomo Borgogno & Figli is considered a dynasty of Barolo,” Palminteri says. “This historic house prides itself as being a harbinger of the traditional style. The estate was founded in 1761, although today the family cites 1848 as the date of its official establishment.”
While the winemaker’s well-established Barolos may be a favorite with most meat dishes, Palmentiri notes that the Borgogno Barbera D’Alba not only complements the strong flavors of the new Via Burger but is a “fantastic value,” adding, “It’s a perfectly affordable Barbera at just about $30 (retail)." Pick up a bottle and serve it with a burger and see for yourself!
Via Burger photo by Cameron Whitman