Last night we had another party in the hotel which went on until all hours – right under our window! It wouldn’t have been so bad but the entertainer was ever so slightly off key and sang the longest songs!! Then this morning when we could really have used it, the Illy cafe was closed! In Italy all restaurants are required to be closed one day a week and Im reLy wondering about tonights dinner now that I think about it – more on that later I suppose. Mind you it probably wouldn’t hurt to skip a meal or two.
This morning we traveled out to the coast to Naples and visited the Mastroberardini vineyards which have been resurrected in Pompeii. They were given permission by the archaeological management to recreate the vineyards according to the evidence from the site. They have planted the same grapes and in the same configuration, and so now they produce a small harvest every year. Sandra and I bought a bottle and i think we will plan a special dinner around it once it recovers from travel shock. Something ancient and exotic which will require some research I suspect – should be fun!
After that we drove back to the Mastroberardino winery for a formal tasting and lunch. I’m finally getting my head around the Aglianico grape – Robert was right – you just have to drink enough of it! We bought two fabulous bottles, the 1997 & the 1998 and again we will plan a dinner for them – I’m thinking perhaps a lamb tagine with dried plums added at the end to play up the palate.
Lastly we drove to a private farm with an incredibly steep hill to climb and interesting wines to taste. Very small production so not wines we would see in Canada. Quite rustic, roosters crowing and defending their territory, pomegranates ripening in the sun, figs all over the place and chestnuts which are about two weeks away from harvest. Talk about bucolic!
Dinner tonight – if we get one – is going to be a big salad and a small wine – ha who am I kidding!