From Ragusa to Regaleali
It had been a long time since I’d slept in a twin bed, but I had
been so tired from the previous day of travel that it didn’t matter. With the
shutters shut and the alarm off, my friend Tracy and I had even slept until
9:30 at Locanda Don Serafino.
We dressed and packed up quickly and headed downstairs for a great
European breakfast of breads, muffins, yogurt and cheese. Unfortunately, we
forgot we weren’t in Starbucks when it came to ordering coffee and just asked
for “lattes,” forgetting to specify “café” before it. We enjoyed the glasses of
warm milk before playing it safe and requesting cappuccinos!
We had a bit of time and went for a short walk in Ragusa Ibla before Francesco
Ferreri picked us up and took us to the Valle Dell’Acate winery. The drive seemed a lot more interesting after
a good night’s sleep and we identified the almond, orange and olive trees along
the way, as well as the green houses filled with tomatoes.
It was starting to warm up and it was a beautiful scene as we
walked around the winery and vineyards.
At Valle Dell’Acate we were able to see some of the original wine-making equipment
from “back in the day,” including a crushing pit that reminded me of the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel
were crushing grapes in their bare feet!
In that same museum area was a picturesque window that looked out
into the vineyards. This winery was well into the 21st century,
though, using solar panels for 50% of its energy.
After we learned about the variety in the soil and land at Valle
Dell’Acate (which means valley to river to sea) that produces the difference in
the wines, we were able to taste quite a few. The 2011 Zagra, a blend of 60%
grillo and 40% insolia, was my favorite for its ripe peach and apricot notes.
We also did a vertical tasting of the Bidis (chardonnay and
insolia) and could really taste the difference between the years and the aging.
Before we left Valle Dell’Acate we had a lunch of fresh cheeses,
calzone, breads, olives and fruits. It was the kind of meal I could eat every day,
especially with the wine.
Nunzio had come to pick us up to take us to Regaleali. It was a
long trip up the mountain on bumpy dirt roads. There were times when I looked
down and couldn’t believe the incredible views and other times I was afraid to
look down. At one point we had to stop the car on a cliff and wait for a herd
of sheep to cross!
When we finally arrived at the Anna
Lanza Cooking School I realized it was worth it. The villa was just as I
pictured small town Italy to be, with a courtyard filled with chickens heckling
and laundry hanging, and the addition of vineyards and sweeping views of the
valley below.
Visitors to this villa and cooking school have included celebrity
chefs (like Mario Batali) and people from all walks of life. Joining us for the
visit were Jim, a movie producer from Hollywood, and Rosalinda, a banker from
New York. There was also a group of interns and visiting chefs joining in.
Fabrizia Lanza told us about the cooking school her mother started
(in the land of her family’s winery) while she instructed all on how things
should be prepared. We even got to take a long walk through her garden which
had the most extensive collection of flowers, herbs, vegetables and fruits I
have ever seen.
We had some delicious Pizzelle and chickpea fritters with Tasca d’Amerita Sparkling Rose as
we sat in the courtyard and enjoyed the warm night.
Dinner was eggplant, rabbit, salad, pasta and fruit. All from this
area and freshly made. We drank a 2007 Rosso del Conte with dinner, made from
the local Nero d'Avola, which blends so well with the Sicilian cooking.
Dinner was just wonderful, as much for the food as for the
company. We all sat around the big table and ate the freshest fruits and dishes
as we shared stories about ourselves. My thoughts came back to the big dinners
my Aunt Mary used to make, but the American-style version had left you more
stuffed than satisfied.
We ended the meal with sweet and light cream puffs, and a glass of
Diamante d'Almerita, a late harvest mixture of moscato and traminer aromatico that
is heavenly.
Since there was a full house at Fabrizio Lanza’s villa and they
only had a single room left, I volunteered to stay up at the winery about a
mile away. I got a ride up to the property. It was almost identical to the
other villa and my room was cozy. It was a bit strange when they said goodnight
and I realized I was the only one left there, but I closed my eyes in the big
four poster bed and reminded myself of the adventure that came to the lone
woman in Under the Tuscan Sun!
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