Cellar Tours Blog

From today until January 30th, the “First Industry Convention of Italian Wines in America” will be taking place in three American cities- Boston, New York and Miami. The Italian Trade Commission is launching this new annual wine fest in the USA with a series of seminars on Italian wine and will inaugurate the festival at the Boston Wine Expo today and tomorrow (Jan 24-25) and will then be followed by Italian wine events in new York City from Jan 26-28 ( at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, Palace hotel and Hilton hotel). The event at the Hilton (with over 250 wineries present) will be a major highlight of this event. Vino 2009, as the festival is being called, is targeted at wine trade and journalists, with  a wide array of activities (presentations, tastings, etc) for the lucky guests. Vino 2009 concludes in Miami at a stellar wine event taking place at  the Intercontinental Hotel on Jan 30.

This should be a fantastic wine industry event and we look forward to attending next year!

This past week here in Madrid, the annual Madrid Fusión gastronomic event took place.  The mood was slightly different than in the last few years (boom years in Spain), with much talking and debating about “High end cuisine for the economic crisis” and brainstorming on how to flourish in tough financial times. Presentations on this theme included “Haute poor cuisine-  Imagination in crisis times by Paco Ron and Peter Nilsson”. However it certainly wasn´t all glum, and as always was an opportunity for top chefs from around the world to exchange ideas and to receive their kudos.

Some of the more interesting topics included “Natural Pantry of the Amazon Jungle: the last version of Peruvian cuisine” by Pedro Miguel Schiaffino (Peru, FYI, is a hot gastronomic destination this year and chef Pilar Latorre is leading an ultra luxury culinary tour there in the spring);  “Gastro Botanic Subtleties of the Desert Garden” by Rodrigo de la Calle and Santiago Orts, “The Chef Perfumist: Renaissance in the 21st Century” by Corrado Assenza; “Science and Cuisine Discussion: Does Molecular Cuisine Exist?” (THE hot topic!!!!) by  Ferran Adrià, Heston Blumenthal, Andoni Luis Aduriz, and Harold McGee; “The Mexican Avant-Garde: Conceptual Dishes with Roots” by Enrique Olvera; “Haute Creative Cuisine with Gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano, and Provolone Valpadana” by Nacho Manzano, Jordi Vilà and Paco Roncero; “Plankton: Life’s Origin of the Sea, A New Dressing” by our beloved Ángel León;  “Color: Another Taste” by Elena Arzak; and “Jerez Vinegar in Haute Cuisine: An Acidity with Tradition” by Pepe Rodríguez Rey, Carles Abellan, and Kisko García.

A quick summary of some of the highlights from Madrid Fusión 2009:

TOP AWARDS FOR CHEFS- 11 CHEFS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE WERE SELECTED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO HAUTE CUISINE:

Gualtiero Marchesi- Italian

Ferran Adriá- Catalan (Spanish, inventor of molecular cuisine)

Juan Mari Arzak- Basque (Spanish)

Michel Bras- French

Heston Blumenthal- British

Alain Ducasse- French

Pierre Gagnaire- French

Pierre Hermé- French (called the Picasso of Patisserie)

Thomas Keller- American

Nobu Matsuhisa- Japanese

Charlie Trotter- American

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN MADRID

Sponsor: Madrid Chamber of Commerce

Chef of the year: Paco Morales at Senzone restaurant in the stylish Hospes hotel in Madrid

Restaurant of the year: Casa José in the royal town of Aranjuez (chef Fernando del Cerro)

Maitre of the year: Eduardo Navarrina at the Madrid institution Dantxari

Sommelier of the year: Dani Poveda at star chef Sergi Arolo´s superb new Gastro restaurant in Madrid

Lifetime achievement award- Evaristo García of the 100 year old seafood restaurant Pescaderías Coruñesas

AWARD FOR BEST NEWCOMERS

Sponsor: C.R.D.O. JEREZ, MANZANILLA DE SANLÚCAR Y VINAGRE DE JEREZ (the Sherry consortium)

Finalists-

Restaurante Trigo (Valladolid. Victor Martín)

Restaurante Embat (Barcelona. Fidel Puig, Santi Rebés, Cristina Torrás)

R De La Calle (Aranjuez, Madrid. Rodrigo de la Calle)

Gastromium (Sevilla. Miguel Díaz, Ernesto Malasaña, José Carabias)

Narru (San Sebastian, Guipúzcoa. Iñigo Peña)

Gavara (Bocairent, Valencia. Silvia Gavara)

How to plan a Spanish Tapas and Wine Party- Tips for the perfect food and wine fiesta

Spanish tapas are fun, easy to prepare, and always a crowd pleaser. Here are some ideas on how to throw your own tapas and wine party for your (appreciative) friends:

FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ARE TAPAS?-  The word “tapa” means “lid” in Spanish, and it refers to the tradition in centuries past in hot and dusty Spanish inns and bars to place a plate over the customer´s drink (usually a glass of wine), to keep out the flies. Over time, innkeepers realized that if they placed savory and salty food on the plate, the clients would drink more- and voilà, the concept of tapas was born. Today in Spain, “tapas” refers to small portions (as opposed to “raciones” which are full plate portions) of savory, Spanish cuisine. You´ll find traditional tapas all over Spain based on cheeses, olives and various meat and veg dishes as well as elaborate tapas made with all kinds of gourmet ingredients including foie gras, duck confit, and sea urchins (particularly in Madrid, San Sebastian and Barcelona). Tapas are often placed on a slice of bread or in a little vol au vent (see photo above) and these ones on bread can be called called “Tostas” or “Pintxos” (an expression used often in Basque Country).

Now, to plan your party……

THE MUSIC- start the night with some mellow Paco de Lucia and Diego el Cigala´s flamenco jazz fusion album (Lágrimas Negras), follow with the exceptionally talented Carmen Paris, and carry on with the Flamenco pop band Ketama.

THE TABLE SETTING- Spanish olive wood bowls are beautiful and very traditional; you can use them for salads, as a bread bowl, etc. Place the tapas on pretty, colorful ceramic plates. Bring out the hot tapas directly in the earthenware pottery you cooked them in. Serve the wines in typical Basque “chiquito” glasses, and bring out the paella right on the paella pan.

Pick tablecloths with bright colors like yellow and red, from the Spanish flag.  Decorate the room with atmospheric candles. There is a fabulous company in Madrid called “At Spain” that sells all of these products and ships all over the world, info here.

THE WINES- Have various wine bottles open for guests to choose from. Keep the Finos, Cavas and White Wines on ice and the red wines and Amontillados at room temperature.

Finos/Manzanillas- La Gitana Manzanilla is a classic, as well as the Tio Pepe Fino, both easy to find. Serve on their own, or make a Manzanilla cocktail such as the “Rebujito”.

Cava- Spain´s classic sparkling wine, Cava, has a whole range of quality spectrums. Freixenet produces millions of bottles of cheap and cheerful cava, while upmarket cellars like Agusti Torellò make sublime cavas like “Kripta”, on a par with a fine champagne. Our favorite producers include: Torellò, Parés Baltà, and Raventos i Blanc. Codorniu, one of the main (and one of the oldest) producers also make a wonderful rosé cava, lovely in summer.

Vino Blanco- Our favorite white wines in Spain at the moment include: As Sortes (from Valdeorras, made with the trendy Godello grape), Conreria de Scala Dei´s “winter white” Les Brugueres (a 14% Garnacha blanca based, delicious weighty white), Belondrade y Lurton´s Rueda Superior (made with the zippy Verdejo grape) and the spectacular Selección de Añada Albariño from the Pazo de Señorans estate.

Vino Tinto-A crime to have to only choose a few favorites, but to choose a few…. begin the tapas party with a juicy red from the Finca Loranque estate (La Mancha) accompanied by the (Bierzo) ever-popular Dominio de Tares old vines. Carry on with the (Ribera del Duero) Arzuaga Crianza and contine with the Roda Reserva (our absolute favorite Rioja at the moment). If you want to splash out on a fab red, go for the Clos de l´Obac from the chic region of Priorat.

Other Sherries- We love sherries to accompany the cheeses and amontillado sherries in particular. Pick up a bottle of (dry and nutty) Amontillado from a good estate like Lustau and bring out with the cheeses. Learn more about Sherry here and discover the varied grapes of Spain here. Finally, see some top Spanish winery profiles here.

THE TAPAS- and on to the food! Some ideas for the tapas to choose:

Cheeses - Make  a Spanish cheese plate with cured Manchego, sultry Roncal, smoked Idiazabál, blue Cabrales, savory Ibores and creamy Garrotxa. If you can get your hands on a whole Torta del Casar cheese, this will probably be the party favorite! More info on Spanish Cheese.

Olives and nuts-some easy ideas for tapas:

- walnuts, panfried for five minutes with fresh rosemary and sea salt

- almonds, panfried (and moved constantly) with Spanish paprika (pimentón), sea salt and the smallest pinch of ground Cumin

- Spanish green (unpitted) olives marinated with garlic, olive oil, coriander seeds and fresh thyme

- Spanish black olives (unpitted) marinated with olive oil, lemon zest, cumin seeds, freshly chopped parsley

some tapas recipes here.

Veggies-

- Padrón peppers (Pimientos de Padrón) grilled with olive oil and sea salt

- Spanish red piquillo peppers (they come packed in jars), served on their own on a plate

- Green asparagus wrapped in Serrano ham and roast in the oven

- Tortilla Española, the ultimate tapas party favorite

Meat based tapas-

- Small chorizo sausages slow cooked in Asturian cider in earthenware pottery in the oven

- Spanish meatballs (albondigas), recipe here.

- plenty of thinly sliced Jamón, including Serrano ham and Bellota ham

- Spanish Paella!! There are countless recipes, and it is a colorful and striking addition to your tapas party

Seafood based tapas-

- Gambas al ajillo (shrimp sauteed in garlic and olive oil)

- Calamares a la Romana (breaded Calamari), recipe here.

- Marinated Boquerones (anchovies)

- Croquetas de Bacalao (cod croquettes)

And for Dessert- cheese! also Crema Catalana, and Flan

Follow dessert with “Chupitos” (shot glasses) of chilled Galician Orujo (we love the Martin Codax orujo de hierbas) to wash it all down.

We hope your Spanish tapas fiesta is a hit, tell us how it goes!

The Ten Best Pizzerias in Naples, by Simona Piccinelli, our Italy Specialist

This year, I decided to celebrate the New Year with some amici in Naples and I bet them that we would discover the best pizzeria in Naples by eating nothing but pizza for our entire five day stay. I won the bet (thanks to Sant’Antonio Abate, the patron saint of bakers?), although I might have put on a few extra kilos New Year’s Eve was the only day when almost all pizzerias are closed and so we welcomed in 2009 in the beautiful Piazza Plebiscito and Castel dell’Ovo, watching  spectacular fireworks, after a delicious seafood dinner.

Some notes from our Pizza Tour of Naples

“La Vera Pizza” of Naples has a few basic golden rules:

- it can only be cooked in wood burning brick ovens

- the crust has to be soft and light, that’s why the dough is made the day before it’s used, allowing the yeast to rise for at least 10/15 hours

- the pizzaiolo (pizza maker) must be a real maestro, the dough stretching technique is essential and you need at least 2/3 years of apprenticeship to become a pizzaiolo

- The pizzerias that make the traditional pizza “verace” are members of the Pizza Napoletana Association

We visited many many many pizzerias and now we can list our definitive 10 best pizzas in Naples :

1. Da Michele on Via Sersale, 13 – Tel +390815539204. Website here.

Let’s start with what some people may consider the inconveniences- the restaurant is rustic to say the least (almost spartan and very much “no frills”), no reservations are accepted, you always have to wait in line (we had 40 people before us!!) and they serve only 2 kinds of pizza. Nothing but the pizza margherita and pizza marinara here, using only fiordilatte cow´s milk and sweet , tantalizing San Marzano tomatoes. So why do we recommend this place? Because this is the best pizza in Naples in our opinion!!! Since 1870 the Condurros have been making pizzas for their hungry patrons, from  tourists, to local Napoletani to VIPs (they are particularly  proud they had the famous soccer player Maradona as an approving diner!)

2. Il Pizzaiolo del Presidente on Via Tribunali, 120/121Tel. +39081210903, web here.

Right in the heart of Spaccanapoli, the historic center of Naples, Signore Ernesto Cacialli welcomed us here with a huge smile. Pizzaiolo since the time he was 7 (!!!), Ernesto invited former US president Bill Clinton – who was in Naples for G8 – to taste his creations (back in 1994) and since then his pizzeria  (the “president´s” pizzeria) was re-named in his honor. Buono!

3. Brandi on Salita S.Anna di Palazzo, 1- 2 (angolo via Chiaia)Tel +39081416928, website here.

Close to the elegant Chiaia neighbourhood and to Piazza Plebiscito, this is where the mythical “pizza margherita” was invented. Although pizzas have apparently been around in one form or another since Ancient Roman times, Raffaele Esposito is credited with creating the Margherita. He worked at this very pizzeria (established in 1780) and in 1889 he was asked to bake 3 different kinds of pizza for the royal visit of King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy. The Queen’s favorite was a pizza that had the colors of the Italian flag: basil leaves for green, mozzarella for white, and tomatoes for red. Named Pizza Margherita in her honor, this is how this pizza is still universally known . Brandi is one of the more elegant and atmopsheric pizzerias and offer many traditional Napoletano side dishes as well. While Italians tend to drink beer with pizza, they offer some nice Falanghina white wines and Aglianico based reds here as well.

4. Di Matteo (Via dei Tribunali, 94 – tel +39081455262)

Founded in 1936 by Salvatore Di Matteo, the pizzeria was then managed by the “scugnizzi pizzaioli” (street urchin pizzaioli kids, usually  poor, going to school only when they had to and spending a lot of time hanging out in the narrow streets of Naples) that used to work for him.  Today, it is run by Raffaele Marigliano, who 50 years ago created an amazing pizza con alici e cicinielli (anchovies and newborn very very little fish, not produced any more). Here you cannot miss the pizza fritta, a deep fried pizza with ricotta cheese, provola cheese, tomato sauce and sugna (lard). Heaven on earth!

5. Pizzeria Trianon da Ciro on Via P. Colletta, 46 Tel: +39.081.5539426 , see website.

Established in 1923, this is a BIG  pizzeria, with 3 floors. Here you can find exquisite (made fresh daily) buffalo milk mozzarella as a topping as well as the full range of  pizza toppings you normally expect. They have 29 in their list and their specialty is salsiccia (Italian sausage) and friarielli (a kind of sprouting broccoli that grows only in the countryside around Naples, see photo below). Recommended.

6. Sorbillo on via Tribunali, 32 tel. +39081.446643 Website here.

This is another pizza “temple” in the “centro storico” of Naples; run today by daughter Anna Sorbillo, a member of the 21st generation pizza making family. Sorbillo can also deliver to your home or hotel (in historic center of Naples) and you can order on line.

7. Da Ettore (Via S. Lucia, 56 – tel +39081 7640498)

Right on the seafront, facing the pretty Castel dell’Ovo marina/fortress on the elegant Santa Lucia boulevard (where politicians, actors and tourists frequent) the pizza here is truly excellent.  But apart from pizza, they also excel in the “frittura all’italiana”, a sinfully delicious mix of deep fried aubergines (eggplant), zucchini, mozzarella, arancini (rice croquettes), cauliflower, potato croquettes, zeppulelle con alghe (salty doughnut-like fried thingie with seaweed).

8. Lombardi on via Foria, 12 tel +39081456220

Close to the FABULOUS archeological museum of Naples (with its fascinating Erotic room of Pompeii mosaics, and the Farnese collection), Pizzeria Lombardi was founded in the turn of the century by Enrico Lombardi who sold pizza in Brazil before setting up his pizzeria in Naples. Nowadays it is run by his grandsons Nando and Gigi. They offer also a variety of simple, perfectly executed dishes, but pizza is what you come for. Their specialty is pizza with smoked provola cheese. yummmmmmmmm.

9. Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba (Via Port’Alba, 18  – tel +390814421061)
This is the oldest pizzeria in Naples and Italy. Founded in 1738 as seller of street food, it became a real pizzeria in 1830. Vincenzo Luciano is the 5th generation to run the business.

10. La Notizia on Via Caravaggio, 53-55 – tel +390817142155

Named after the movie (the owner Enzo Coccia loves “Citizen Kane”), this pizzeria opens for dinners only, allowing time for the yeast to create the perfect dough. A real treat is the pizza bianca – without tomatoes – with scarola salad, aubergines (eggplant) and provola cheese. It is not located in a touristy neighborhood, but it is absolutely worth going to the upper part of the town to reach it. Authentic Napoli.

If you will be Pizza touring in Naples, and want to try even more pizzerias beyond this list, you´ll find a mega list of Pizzerias all over Campania here.

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Some handy info on Napoli-

WHEN TO GO – For major pizza lovers, Naples holds the annual Pizza festival in September (our favorite month to visit the beautiful Campania region anyway as the weather is still gorgeous and the summer crowds are gone). info on the festival here.

WHERE TO STAY- For a small and trendy hotel, try Micalo (darling, in the Chiaia quarter) and for seafront charm and luxury, the Grand Vesuvio is elegantissimo and very “old world”.

WHAT TO SEE/DO- Depending on how much time you have, “must visit” locations near Naples include: Positano, Ravello, Pompeii and Capri. Cetara (a real fishing village) , Vietri (hamlet specialized in beautiful ceramics), Paestum (3000 year old Greek temples) and the wine country of Campania are also highly recommended.

Any time of the year is a good time to visit the wine country when it comes to drinking nice wines! But winter can be the most challenging season to visit as vineyards are dormant and bare (not lush and verdant, as in other times of the year), and many of Europe´s wine regions are covered in overcast and bleak skies. There are a few regions however that are just fabulous to visit in winter, and here are some nice ideas for wine lovers looking for that unforgettable winter wine tasting escape:

Alentejo, Portugal

The Alentejo is without a doubt one of our favorite wine regions in Europe. This unspoiled and breathtaking region features soft, rolling hills studded with cork trees and Moorish castles and is spotted with colonial style wine “quintas”. The scenery in Alentejo is reminiscent of the romantic savannas of “Out of Africa” and in winter, you can expect bright blue skies and invigorating cold weather. For a winter wine tasting break we suggest you use the Unesco heritage town of Évora as a base, visit a few wineries and enjoy some long leisurely wine lunches in cozy restaurants with open fireplaces.

Wineries to visit: Esporão, Monte Seis Reis, Herdade da Malhadinha are all favorites and can provide (paying) tours and tastings if you contact them beforehand to set up the appointments.

Alentejo winery consortium:Vinhos do Alentejo feature all kinds of wine region info on their website for self-drive trips (in Portuguese).

Where to stay: Our favorite hotel is definitely the romantic and luxurious Convento do Espinheiro, just outside Évora.

More Info on the Alentejo wine region

Luxury chauffeured wine weekends in Alentejo

Sherry Country, Spain

Jerez de la Frontera, the main wine town in the “Sherry lands” is a truly delightful little provincial capital. The benefit here is that the wineries are right in the historic center so you don´t need to drive and you can taste as many wines as you like! Most are in walking distance of each other through the pleasant center. Sherry wines are varied (finos, amontillados, palo cortados, and more) and quite strong, perfect on a sunny and cold winter´s day. The ideal winter wine weekend in Jerez would include winery tours, an excursion to beautiful Seville (one hour by train), and a lunch at La Mesa Redonda.

Wineries to visit: Sandeman (our favorite for private VIP tours), Pedro Domecq, Bodegas Tradición, Emilio Lustau, González Byass (Tio Pepe)

Sherry winery consortium: Consejo Regulador Denominacion De Origen Jerez Xerez Sherry

Where to stay: Our favorite hotel in Jerez is the Palacio de Garvey (which made it to our top ten wine hotels in Spain hotlist). The Villa Jerez is another refined little hotel, out of the center in a more residential neighborhood.

More Info on the Sherry wine region

Info on luxurious wine weekends in Seville and Jerez

Valtellina, Italy

The ultimate winter wine escape, Valtellina offers sunny blue skies, fluffy snowy mountains in winter and phenomenal red wines made with the Chiavennasca grape (cousin of Barolo´s Nebbiolo grape). The region is alpine, near the Swiss border and the perfect winter wine weekend could include winery visits and tastings, an excursion to pretty St Moritz (on the Swiss side) and an excursion by horse-drawn sled through the snow. The cuisine is FABULOUS, real mountain food and it perfectly accompanies the rich, velvety “Sforzato” wines.

Wineries to visit: None of the wineries have regular scheduled tours, so you will need to contact them individually to request a (paying) visit and tasting. We particularly love Nino Negri, Triacca, Rainoldi and Conti Sertoli Salis.

Valtellina winery consortium: Consorzio Vini Valtellini have information on the region, wineries and travel tips.

Where to stay: There are some wonderful spa hotels, perfect in winter. We love the Bagni di Bormio, a real destination hotel with wonderful soothing spa treatments and natural springs.

More Info on the Valtellina wine region

We organize luxurious chauffeured wine tasting weekends in Valtellina, more info here.

The mythical Michelin restaurant guide for 2009 has come out and some of Portugal´s finest restaurants are thanking their lucky (Michelin) stars. Here is a quick summary:

NORTHERN PORTUGAL- MICHELIN STARRED RESTAURANTS

Casa Calçada (Amarante)- this restaurant is located inside a fabulous little boutique hotel in the pretty riverside hamlet of Amarante, about 60km (50 minutes drive) east of Oporto . Worth spending dinner and at least one night here, the Casa Calçada is also in easy reach of the Douro Valley wine country. More info.

Arcadas da Capela, Quinta das Lágrimas (Coimbra)- elegant small restaurant at the refined Quinta das Lágrimas resort, this is a major destination for foodies. Again, the best way to enjoy it is to have dinner with wine pairings and then stay the night at their beautiful hotel near Coimbra.  More info.

CENTRAL PORTUGAL- MICHELIN STARRED RESTAURANTS

Fortaleza do Guincho (Cascais)- This Relais & Chateaux restaurant juts out of a stunning cliffside on the rugged Atlantic coast and is a fabulous lunch venue (for the views!). Read a full review of the restaurant in our newsletter here.

Eleven (Lisbon)- Lisbon´s only Michelin starred eatery, Eleven attracts celebrities, politicians and globetrotting gourmets. Superstar chef Joachim Koerper is the consulting chef here (as in Arcadas da Capela), and the atmosphere is contemporary and stylish with a jetset vibe. Info here.

ALGARVE AND MADEIRA – MICHELIN STARRED RESTAURANTS

Vila Joya (Albufeira) - This magnificent restaurant holds two Michelin stars and is located in the sublime Vila Joya resort in a hidden away residential area a few miles from bustling Albufeira.  Star Chef Dieter Koschina is probably the most famous chef in Portugal (although Austrian by birth) and his tasting menus are “a must”.

São Gabriel (Almancil)- German Chef Jens Rittmeyer tantalizes palates in this glamorous corner of the Algarve, and the decor here is cozy and warmer than in some of the other Michelin establisments. More info on the restaurant here.

Henrique Leis (Almancil)- another quaint and very cozy little restaurant in the gourmet epicenter of Almancil, Henrique Leis is run by the same-named Brazilian chef (Algarve is about as international as you can get!). Rustic and traditional Portuguese decor, stellar food and fabulous wine list.  More info on restaurant here.

Amadeus (Almancil)- Again, this excellent restaurant is located in easy reach of the other “golden mile” Michelins of this stretch of the Algarve. In keeping with the multicultural Algarve vibe, chef Siegfried Danler-Heinemann is from Austria. The nice thing here is they offer many different fixed price menus, More info.

Willie’s (Quarteira) - Located near the famous Pinhal Golf Course, Willie´s has it all- great food, charismatic chef, and candlelit romantic ambience. More info on Willie´s.

Il Gallo d`Oro (Funchal)- In the luxurious Cliff Bay hotel in Madeira, this classy restaurant offers elegant and formal (gentlemen are required to wear dinner jackets)  dining, superb sea views and a real old world ambience. Gallic chef Benoît Sinthon is at the helm, and he has achieved no small feat- getting Madeira island its first Michelin star. More info here.

The Prosecco wine region in northeastern Italy is one of our favorite destinations and we are delighted to share with you some of our top picks from the region if you will be travelling to Prosecco:

Appellation(s)- The main appellation is DOC Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene. Other ones in the Treviso-Conegliano-Valdobbiadene geographic triangle include: Prosecco DOC del Montello e dei Colli Asolani, Prosecco IGT dei Colli Trevigiana,  Prosecco IGT della Marca Trevigiana and Prosecco IGT del Veneto.

What to drink- Look out for “Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze” on the label. Top producers include Bisol, Zardetto, Villa Sandi, Carpenè Malvotti, Canevel, Ruggeri & C, Adami and Cantina Produttori di Valdobbiadene.

Wineries to Visit: The Prosecco consorzio have a lot of information on wineries that you can visit, contact them for info on self-drive trips.

Here are a few of our favorites-

Villa Sandi- one of the most architecturally appealing wineries in the entire area, Villa Sandi can offer tours for the general public by previous appointment (paying). More information on this beautiful estate here.

Bisol- Apart from the outstanding visits they do (by previous appointment and paying), Bisol also have a tiny inn located in a converted monastery should you like to stay over on their gorgeous property. More information on Bisol here.

Where to Stay:

Villa Cipriani in lovely Asolo is one of our favorite hotels in the area, luxurious and very quaint with stunning views.

Follina is home to two very elegant historic hotels, the Villa Abbazia (classic charm) and the Hotel dei Chiostri (more contemporary interiors).

Where to Dine:

Villa Sandi have a terrific restaurant close to the wine estate called the Locanda Sandi.

Trattoria alla Cima is one of our favorite little restaurants in the area, located in pretty Valdobbiadene

Try you hand at cooking at home with Prosecco, check out these recipes.

Luxury Private Wine Tours:

Cellar Tours offer private VIP tours for couples and groups by Mercedes sedan and vans to top cellars with special lunches and wine pairings included. More info on day trips from Venice here.

Special Events in the Prosecco Region:

21February – 8 March 2009- In Vidor, they hold a spring “Mostra” (showcasing) of Prosecco wines from the DOC. Info here.

21March – 13 April 2009- In Col San Martino, another spring wine festival takes place, information here.

11– 26 April 2009- this year the“Prosecco Brotherhood” will hold the 39th Cartizze and Valdobbiadene DOC Wine Festival. Info here.

24 April – 3 May 2009- the wine hamlet of Saccol, near San Pietro hosts the ultra high quality Cartizze and Valdobbiadene DOC Wine Show. Info here.

30 May – 14 June 2009-S. Pietro di Feletto ( a medieval hamlet with an ancient Camaldolesi monastery) is the host to the  Vini di Collina wine fair, info here.

26-28 September 2009- In Conegliano they hold an annual grape harvest festival (”Festa dell Uva) Info here.

More events in Prosecco here.

Prosecco is not only a delightful bubbly good on its own as well as part of the famed Bellini cocktail; it is also a fantastic wine to use for cooking. Here are a few easy and sophisticated recipes to try your hand at:

Scallops and Prosecco

Ingredients:

400 grams cleaned scallops

600 grams steamed green asparagus

40 grams salted butter

Half bottle Prosecco wine

Preparation:

Steam the scallops for four minutes then fry them lightly in butter until golden brown on each side. Add the prosecco wine and cook on low heat until the wine has reduced. Add the asparagus (steamed already) for five minutes on low heat until they absorb the flavors of the scallops. Garnish with chopped herbs and sea salt to taste.  Serve immediately.

Risotto al Prosecco

Ingredients:

500 grams Arborio rice

Half liter chicken broth (you can make with a Bouillon cube)

Olive oil for frying

1 chopped onion

Half bottle of Prosecco wine

4 tablespoons of Philadelphia cream cheese

2 handfuls of Porcini mushrooms

Preparation:

Wash the porcini and onions well. Then sautée in olive oil until lightly browned. Slowly add the rice in, and brown lightly. Pour in the prosecco wine gradually followed by the chicken broth gradually.  Cook on low heat. Wait until the rice absorbs the liquid and is “al dente”, then mix in the cream cheese. Serve immediately.