One of the things I love most is spending a weekend out of town; perhaps exploring a new city, relaxing, or having new experiences.
So last year, on the occasion of my friend's graduation, we spent two days in the Venetian climes, enjoying the flavours amidst the greenery around Verona. A great variety characterises the Veneto: the different grape varieties deliver a nectar that is strongly influenced by the respective environment, which makes the taste recognisable.
After marvelling in front of the Arena di Verona, walking along Via Mazzini, having lunch at Piazza Delle Erbe and dreaming of Romeo and Juliet in front of the balcony, we took the car and drove to a farm where we would spend the night.
On a path in the middle of the vineyard we were greeted... We felt like we were in a movie! The owners greeted us immediately, and their warmth and friendliness made us feel right at home.
After leaving our bags in the room and enjoying some refreshments, we decided to join the afternoon wine tasting offered by the owners.
Tour and wine tasting
The experience was a tour that started with an inspiring walk through the vineyards and then continued with a tour of the winery.
The winery is family run, and it was fascinating to see the passion and pride in the eyes and through the stories of the owners. They explained simply and in a way that everyone could understand all the steps involved in making the quintessential Venetian wine; from pressing to bottling.
It was fascinating to discover that each type of wine has its own story that is different from the others. The quality and goodness of a wine is the result of all the steps involved in its production: the harvest time, the different types of barrels and the different pressings.
After the tour, we enjoyed a guided tasting of four types of wine in the tasting room, accompanied by a platter of charcuterie and cheeses.
It was wonderful to have such an experience with someone close to my heart. We were both blown away by not only the goodness of the wine, but how small arrangements can create a unique experience just by pouring a glass of wine.
During the tasting, we had the opportunity to try 4 different types of wine: two reds and two whites.
They offered us the swashbucklers of the cellar!
Each sip represented a new experience, it was very useful to pair the different glasses of wine with the food offered; each glass was associated with a particular cold cut or cheese.
It is an experience I recommend everyone to have, the most passionate because you never stop learning and the novices to enrich their baggage of unique experiences.
We felt in love with Amarone. It's a soft, fresh and elegant wine.
The grapes are harvesting manual towards mid-September, and slow grape withering in the drying room until January. The mus macerate for 25 days in contact with the skins, with daily Pumping-over and then the wine is aged in tonneaux and 50 hl casks for 30 months. It is then left to mature for at least a further 12 months in the bottle before sale… A wonderful process!
We decided to buy 4 bottles and bring them to home with us, we could not leave the winery without a souvenir.
After tasting the wines of Veneto, this year I am planning a trip to Tuscan wineries in search of new flavours… Stay tuned!
