Melbourne is fast becoming a city of aperitivo excellence and at the forefront is the Italian community. We enjoyed a stellar evening (invite) at the Italian International Chamber of Commerce (ICCI) hosted Una Cena Raccontata - "a dinner, told" - at Al Dente Enoteca in Carlton, one of Melbourne's best Italian restaurants and a venue I've appreciated for years.
This great event was a guided journey through the Italian aperitivo tradition, built around a bespoke four-course menu from Al Dente Enoteca and Carnegie's Nuvoletta Gelateria, paired course-by-course with Cocchi Vermouth - the storied Piedmontese house that's been quietly shaping Italian drinking culture since 1891.
The Setting: Al Dente Enoteca, Carlton
Carlton's Italian heart has never needed much convincing when it comes to authenticity, and Al Dente Enoteca has long been one of the suburb's most reliable rooms for it. On the night, the restaurant leaned into its enoteca roots - wine-bar intimacy married to serious kitchen technique - creating exactly the right backdrop for ICCI's storytelling format. Between courses, guests heard from Cocchi Brand Ambassador Alessandro Peiretti, as well as Naz Fazio from Aperitivo and Co, who both walked the room through the history, technique, and philosophy behind each pour.
The Menu
Canapé: Panzerotti with Provolone Valpadana PDO and guanciale, paired with Cocchi Brut Rosé Pinot Nero NV - a savoury, salty opener with just enough sparkle to set the pace for the night.
Primo: Tortelloni Cacio e Pepe, paired with an Americano Royale - Cocchi Bianco, tonic water and anice liqueur. Rich, peppery pasta against a bittersweet, herbal drink is the kind of pairing that sounds unlikely on paper and makes total sense in the glass.
Secondo: Guancia di manzo (slow-cooked beef cheek) with polenta and vegetables was a triumph.
Served alongside a shared rocket, pear and Grana Padano salad with potatoes.
Refreshing salad.
This beef cheek course was rustic heaven and was matched with a Milano-Torino via Trento - Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino and Cappelletti Specialino Bitter - a deeper, more contemplative pairing for the evening's most substantial dish.
Dolce: Zabaglione vermouth gelato with candied quince, yuzu gel and brown butter lingua di gatto, courtesy of Nuvoletta Gelateria.
This was finished with Cocchi Chinato served on ice with lemon. It was a genuinely inventive way to close the night, using vermouth as a dessert ingredient rather than just a pre-dinner ritual.
Cocchi Vermouth: 130+ Years in the Glass
Founded in Asti, Piedmont, Giulio Cocchi has been producing vermouth, aperitifs and sparkling wines since 1891. Since 2010, the house has resumed production of its Barolo Chinato, Storico Vermouth di Torino and aromatised wines from the family's original 1891 recipes, using estate-grown grapes on a wine base throughout. Tasting the range across four very different courses made it clear why Cocchi has become a go-to for bartenders and chefs looking to bring genuine Italian history into modern menus.
The range was brought to the table by Aperitivo & Co, the Melbourne-based importer and distributor behind the night's drinks program. Their focus on aperitifs, vermouths and amari with a genuine sense of place made them the natural partner for an evening built entirely around storytelling.
Nuvoletta Gelateria's Dessert Course
Carnegie's Nuvoletta Gelateria, founded in early 2024, brought serious pastry credentials to the dessert course. Run by an Italian gelato chef and a high-end pastry chef under the motto "Gelato is Necessary," the zabaglione vermouth gelato was a highlight of the night — proof that Melbourne's Italian dessert scene has plenty of new voices worth watching.
Why This Matters for Melbourne's Italian Dining Scene
Events like this are exactly why I love to connect with the Italian Chamber of Commerce and keep coming back to Al Dente Enoteca (often the recommendation when people ask me where to find genuinely good Italian food in Melbourne). It's rare to see a restaurant, an importer, a gelateria and a chamber of commerce align this cleanly around a shared story - and rarer still for it to land this well on the plate and in the glass.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Una Cena Raccontata?
Una Cena Raccontata ("a dinner, told") was a special Italian dining event hosted by the Italian International Chamber of Commerce (ICCI) at Al Dente Enoteca in Carlton. It featured a curated four-course menu paired with Cocchi Vermouth, with storytelling around each course and pairing.
Where was the event held?
The dinner took place at Al Dente Enoteca in Carlton, one of Melbourne's best Italian restaurants, known for its wine-bar intimacy and serious kitchen technique.
What was on the menu?
The four-course menu included a panzerotti canapé with Provolone Valpadana PDO and guanciale, tortelloni cacio e pepe, slow-cooked beef cheek (guancia di manzo) with polenta and vegetables, and a zabaglione vermouth gelato dessert with candied quince and yuzu gel, created in collaboration with Nuvoletta Gelateria.
What drinks were served?
Each course was paired with a Cocchi Vermouth-based drink, including a Cocchi Brut Rosé Pinot Nero NV, an Americano Royale, a Milano-Torino via Trento, and Cocchi Chinato served on ice with lemon. The pairings were presented by Cocchi Brand Ambassador Alessandro Peiretti.
Who is Cocchi Vermouth?
Giulio Cocchi is a historic Italian producer of vermouth, aperitifs and sparkling wines, founded in Asti, Piedmont in 1891. Since 2010, the house has produced its Barolo Chinato, Storico Vermouth di Torino and aromatised wines from original family recipes, using estate-grown grapes throughout.
Who supplied the Cocchi range in Melbourne?
Cocchi Vermouth was brought to the event by Aperitivo & Co, a Melbourne-based importer and distributor specialising in aperitifs, vermouths, amari and spirits with a genuine sense of place.
Who made the dessert?
Dessert was created by Nuvoletta Gelateria, a Carnegie-based gelato and pastry studio founded in early 2024, known for blending traditional Italian gelato craft with modern flavour pairings.