Madison Originals Magazine Madison Originals Magazine May 2014 | Page 19

Chicken Rollatini

visual capabilities with screens for
presentations. It also has the ability
to host live music for social events.
“We host a lot of weddings, as well as
corporate and university meetings,” Ed
says.
One of the room’s newest functions
is to host a monthly wine dinner.
The Shinnicks travel to Italy every
two years to discover new wines and
Italian culinary techniques, and often
stay overnight at wine estates, getting
to know the owners and winemakers
personally. These relationships have led
to several Italian winemakers traveling
to Porta Bella to host four-course dinners
with one-of-a-kind menus.

The dinners start with a 6:00 p.m.
welcome time and generally sit down
at 6:30 p.m. The events are typically
capped at 40 guests, who are treated to
new recipes discovered by Ed during his
time in Italy. “We try out new dishes at
the wine dinners, and quite often, they
end up on the regular menu. It gives our
regulars a chance to be the first to try new
things.” Afterward, the featured wines are
available for sale to attendees. “These are
wines not typically available at Madison
retail markets,” Ed says, “so it’s a nice way
for customers to try new vintages.”
About half of all dishes at Porta Bella
have been inspired by the Shinnicks’
trips to Italy, while the rest are still based

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