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Rome and Journeying South with Love

© Carolan Nathan

The Silvestri Estate is located on the hills surrounding Rome. Producers of sparkling Spumante and other D.O.C.G. wines, their Frascati Superiore made from Malvasia, Greco and Trebbiano grapes literally zings on the roof of the mouth. In its beautiful bottle, the pale clear wine shimmers in an aura of light. Silvestri also produces a bright Rose Vino da Tavola del Lazio with a delicate aroma of fresh fruit. This well-balanced wine is great for summer drinking.

Fontana Candida, the largest producers of Frascati has its headquarters in Monteporzio Catone, Rome, the dwelling place of Cato the Censor. Frascati, the wine of Pope Innocente X and Pope Gregorius XV1 was poured at extravagant Papal feasts. Cato wrote, "plant the vine in the best place, as per your fore-fathers tradition so that when the grapes come to maturation, they can be transformed into wine." Frascati Candida is dry and crisp with a silvery taste of fresh fruit and the Pinot Grigio is spicy and more typical of the Pinot Grigio varietal.

South of Rome is the rugged region of Basilicata where vine cultivation has been practiced since extremely remote times. Historical sources indicate that the sunny, hilly zone of the lower Lucanian Apennines was one of the first places in Italy to grow vines. To facilitate international exposure to the food products of Basilicata, twenty local growers formed a private consortium named Sapori Lucani. I was invited to sample the breads, cheese, olive oil and wines marketed under the Sapori Lucani label. No additives or preservatives are used and their pasta, baked goods, vegetables, honey, fruit preserves, sausages, ham and confectionery are sold to stores, hotels and restaurants.

Basilicata consists of many varied landscapes and scenery. The vineyards and olive orchards of Vulture where chestnut trees turn the land red in the autumn. Brandano Valley whose sweet slopes stretch as far as the eye can see and form a wonderful green carpet in the spring.

Feudi di San Gregorio Aziende Agricole at Sorbo Serpico, north of Avellino in Campania is where the light, flowery Greco di Tufo made from the Greco and Coda di Volpe grape varietals is produced. Their other magnificent wines reflect the union of man with nature, the prime tenet of the Matarazzo family.

Journeying through Italy is always interesting and the Gruppo Italiano Vini, one of the largest wine consortiums in Italy, offers not only tremendous ranges of D.O.C. and D.O.C.G. wines, but also the hospitality and cultures of central and northern Italy.

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