Bike trip to Soave, Wine tasting and Pizza with Susan Regis

by chefbikeski Posted on June 30, 2011
Wine tasting at Soave for bikers

A ride to Soave was our plan today. After the hills of yesterday, we were looking forward to something a bit more flat, although the first couple of kilometers followed our route from yesterday. But quickly we were moving downhill, and moving across vineyards, first in the Colli Berici wine zone, then the Gambellera DOC, known for whites as well as the lovely Recioto dessert wines, and finally the vineyards of Soave.

Walls of Soave

A beautiful walled city, busy with outdoors markets when we first arrived. Everyone scattered to do a little shopping, with Sherry discovering a great panifico (bread shop) and picking up the Pane di Soave for us all to try. Some beautiful pottery from Deruta was purchased, and then we all went to the Coffele cantina for a wine tasting from this esteemed producer of the local Soave wines.

Ca' Visco Soave

We were offered any of the wines they produced, but we decided to restrict ourselves to two – at least that was the plan! They insisted we begin with their ‘standard’ Soave Classico, to acclimate our palates to the Soave wines. So this first one doesn’t count towards our two. Nicely tart, refreshing and minerally, made from 100% Gargenega grapes. Next, their award winning Ca’ Visto Soave Classico, a blend of 75% Gargenega, mixed with 25% Trebbiano. This is a wonderful wine, with the great acidity of the first, but with a smoother, rounder palate.

Next, we tried their classic Recioto dessert wine, considered one of the 12 best sweet dessert wines of Italy. This was a fantastic wine, running through a variety of flavors in your mouth from beginning to end. And then they insisted we finish with a taste of grappa as we had a few minutes before our return taxi arrived. Yes, we are taxing back, due to the heat today, and this is probably a good idea at this point…

Susan cooks pizza

We arrive back at the Locanda, and everyone cleans up. Susan and I hit the kitchen quickly, preparing an antipasti for our hungry cooks. We have several pizzas planned for our late lunch, with lots of choices for toppings – pancetta, prosciutto, 4-5 different cheeses, fennel, tomatoes, figs, honey, zucchini and zucchini flowers.

We had a few challenges in front of us today – the only oven seems to be a convection oven, not the best for pizza, or for the heat of the afternoon. And no pizza peel or stone to be found. But part of the fun of these cooking events is ad-libbing when you need to, so we soon had a solution for everything. An upside down hotel pan became our peel, we cooked our pizza right on the rack of the oven. And cold sparkling Bardolino Chiaretto was the antidote for the heat. We even made some tasty breadsticks for tomorrow, as Susan showed us the many things we could do with the pizza dough recipe.

Antipasti at cooking class

Tonight we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Trattoria Nogarazza in Arcugnano. After a few of us expressed interest in trying out some local dishes, our friendly proprietor suggested a  tasting menu he would create for us. We began with stockfish prepared 4 different ways, the traditional baccala and baccala Vicentina, as well as a deep fried fritter – all wonderful. This was followed by a bean soup, made from fresh borlotti beans. As this type of soup quickly begins to ferment, they flash freeze it, and then puree it when frozen to maintain its fresh flavor. Two pasta dishes followed – a pasta roll, with fresh cheese and a squash sauce, then a summer carbonara – a lighter version, made with scallops. We have successfully carb-loaded for our ride to Vicenza tomorrow!

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Biking the Colli Berici with Susan Regis

by chefbikeski Posted on June 28, 2011
Vernon guides us up the hills

Today our first ride – a day to get acclimated to our new bikes and our surrounding here in the beautiful Berici Hills. No better way than to try out a few rolling hills along the spine of the Berici, where we ride over the hilltops along the Strada di Vini Colli Berici (the Wine Road of the Colli Berici).

Cooling off at roadside spring

The first few hills we take a little slowly, with Vernon showing everyone how to use their gears and climb the hills efficiently, so we have enough energy to get us up the last climb back to our locanda! Everyone soon picked it up, and we were making good progress to our destination, the town of Barbarano. It was a bit hot, but Vernon pointed out the roadside springs with fresh cold water where we could refill our bottles and splash some cold water on our arms to cool off. Here, we were greeted by many local bikers who were rather impressed that us Americans were out riding these hills – we were ‘real’ bikers, not just tourists!

Soon we reached the ‘top’, at least temporarily, where Vernon gave us a quick tutorial on how to descend safely; there are a few fun hairpin turns on the way down, but it was nice to pick up some speed – I think I heard a few shrieks of delight from Susie as we descended. Susan and I picked up some fennel fronds and wild oregano we found alongside the road as we cruised down.

Enoteca in Barbarano

We enjoyed a nice snack at an enoteca in Barbarano. A glass of a light, slightly sparking  local wine was required as well; after all, it was after 10am. Refueled, we headed out to complete our loop home. Through the towns of Mossano, Nanto, Longare and Custozza, we wound through the vineyards of the Colli Berici. One last longish climb, and we were back at our Locanda. After a quick shower, we all joined Susan and me in the kitchen for our first cooking class.

Return through the vineyards of Colli Berici

Pizza dough was our first task, after a bit of work to find yeast. We have both yeast to use, as well as a dehydrated sourdough starter that I picked up at a specialty producer, Antico Molino Rosso. We made a dough with each, and will wait until tomorrow to see what happens!

Susan Regis makes pizza dough

We also made our own ricotta cheese, with a combination of whole milk and cream. This is a slightly different recipe than we did last year with Jody Adams, requiring a slower cook time and no stirring! It came out beautifully, perfect for our pizza lunch tomorrow.

Straining ricotta

We braised some fennel, cooked up some wonderful fresh borlotti, or cranberry, beans, and Susie demonstrated how to break down a duck. We’ll grill the breasts, and make a nice ragu from the legs.

Dinner was in downtown Vicenza, at Antica Guelfa. A salad with barley and a mozzerella made from rice (tofu-like was the consensus), a gluten-free pasta made with corn flour, involtini of speck and prunes, a small cheese souffle were our starters. Vitello tonnoto was the specialty of the house; a classic Italian dish of veal scallops topped with a sauce made with the wonderful Italian canned tuna – served cold. Fantastic desserts; two semifreddos, one with peach and one caffe; and a dark chocolate crostata.

Refosco wine

We began with a nice Soave wine from La Cappucina, as we are heading there tomorrow on our bikes. We followed this with a Refosco di Peduncol Rosso, one of my top 10 undiscovered wines of Northeastern Italy. It began with a fruity, almost sweet palate, and then the characteristic slightly bitter finish with the tannins kicked in. Interesting, we all agreed. But after 20 minutes the flavors all blended, and it was quite a different, and wonderful, wine. Smooth, full, robust.

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Welcome Susan Regis and our Bikers!

by chefbikeski Posted on June 27, 2011
Entrance to Locanda Degli Ulivi

I picked up guests at the Venezia San Lucia station at 12:30, and after a short train ride and taxi, we were at our lovely locanda. We are staying at Locanda Degli Ulivi, located in the midst of an olive oil orchard in the Berici Hills, south of Vicenza. These hills are the center of the Colli Berici DOC wine zone, filled with small villages scattered between olive orchards and vineyards.

Our location is the peaceful Locanda degli Ulivi, surrounded by olive groves, about 300 meters up on the Berici Hills. We begin with a welcome aperitif, a Ca’ di Rajo Brut Prosecco; an award winning producer of Raboso wines from the Treviso area, who makes wonderful refreshing prosecco there as well. It is a bit outside the traditional prosecco DOCG zone, but still produces a quality prosecco – and still allowed to use the prosecco name.

Ca' di Raji Prosecco

Vernon reviews safety and the flow of the week while we enjoy our prosecco. We follow with individual bike fittings, along with a nice snack to introduce a few of the local treats – cherries I picked up at a roadside stand, strawberries, and a fragrant melon. A selection of cured meats; a very local prosciutto, the Prosciutto Euganeo-Berico from the Berici and Euganie Hills that are our home for the next week. Another prosciutto, this one from Friuli, the Prosciutto di Sauris, which is smoked, but still called a prosciutto rather than a speck. Finally, a sopressata from the Valli di Pasubio, north of here in the pre-Alps. Two crostini featured some of the great products available here at this time of the year; zucchini and zucchini flower with strachiatella cheese, and sauteed chanterelles. Both were topped with a drizzle of the Locandas home produced olive oil.

Corte Gardoni Mael

We enjoyed a Bianco di Custoza with this, from the DOC region located on the southern edge of Lago di Garda. It is a nice, light white wine, a blend of Gargenega, Trebbiano Toscano, Trebbianello (the local name for the varietal previously called Tocai Fruliano), and, in the case, Riesling. This wine was from the Corte Gardoni winery, their Mael wine.

Locanda degli Ulivi

We relaxed, and then savored a nice dinner at the Locanda. Insalata with octopus, potatoes and olives, a salad with smoked salmon and pink peppercorns, large head-on shrimp wrapped in shredded phyllo, bigoli with chestnuts and truffles from the hills outside our door, and a porcini risotto. We tasted a couple of reds with our dinner; a Dal Maso cabernet, again from the Colli Berici, which was a

Giant shrimp primi

much lighter version of this wine that we usually see in the US.  In Italy, you see many wines produced to be enjoyed with food, and then more robust wines are meant to by enjoyed alone or ‘a wine for meditation’, as you will often see in the Italian description. A Macaulan Cabernet was our final red, moving toward the robust reds. A honey grappa rounded out the evening, then we all headed for bed, ready for our first day on the bikes tomorrow!

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Touring Bardolino and Wineries

by chefbikeski Posted on June 26, 2011
Bardolino - a beach town?

Late afternoon of June 22 my destination was Bardolino. I had got a reasonable lay of the land in the Valpolicella region; Bardolino is just west of Valpolicella, on the shores of Lago di Garda. A very interesting contrast here – totally different wines produced from the same varietals of grapes. Bardolinos are lighter reds, and some nice roses, both still and sparkling. It’s hard to imagine these light, even refreshing wines are made from the same grapes that give us the intense Amarone.

Le Fraghe winery

My first stop was the Le Fraghe winery. I have a bottle of this waiting in my wine cooler at home, but I had to hunt it down in the US. I wanted to try some of their other offerings. However, after a bit of a trip down some country roads (as expected), I arrived to find the winery is not open for tastings in the afternoon. From what I could understand from the gentleman that greeted me, who spoke only Italian, they don’t get enough business in the afternoon to warrant opening. On to the next stop, which was the town of Bardolino.

Ca' Bottura winery and agrotourismo

On the way, I happened upon another vineyard I had happened upon while researching the area; Ca’ Bottura. This location includes vineyards, a full-fledged tasting cantina, as well as an agrotourimso. The pleasant woman in the tasting room was assisting me in English, and the couple next to me in German. They don’t produce enough to export to the US, but do export a bit to German, Denmark, and other European countries. The German couple left with 2 cases. I started with a refreshing Chiaretto rose, a fun sparkling rose perfect as an aperitif. Next, a tranquilo Chiaretto, a still version of the same wine. Then came the reds; their very drinkable table Bardolino, followed by the more upscale (and therefore more intense) wines, ending with a robust Merlot. I purchased both the roses and the table Bardolino. It will be great way to introduce our guests next week on our trip with Susan Regis to the wide range of wines that can be produced with these varietals.

Downtown Bardolino

On to Bardolino proper. I parked, and within a minute or so walk of the parking lot I was on the shores of gorgeous Lake Garda. The largest lake in Italy, formed thousands of years ago during the last ice age by receding glaciers, with dramatic changes of altitude within and around it; it drops as deep as 346 meters, with the immediate surrounds soaring rapidly to the 2217 meter summit of Monte Baldo. I don’t think of the center of a wine district being a ‘beach’ town, but here it is. Crowded this time of year with many tourists, I hear more German being spoken than English.

I found a great wine store with a comprehensive selection of local wines; often the stores here will sell wines from other regions, I suppose to offer their local clientele something ‘new’. My priorities are obviously different, so a wine store in the Veneto with a fantastic selection of Tuscan wines doesn’t appeal to me. Now, if it were in Tuscany…
I picked up a Bianco di Custoza and a Lugana wine; both of these DOC regions are adjacent to Bardolino, on the southern shores of Lago di Garda. Refreshing whites, made to accompany dishes that feature the fresh water fish of the region.

Museo del Vino

I made a quick stop at the Museo del Vino, housed in the Zeni winery here in Bardolino. They were just closing as I arrived, but as I had seen it before, and will again on our upcoming Bike the Wine Roads trip, I’m not too put out. I also stopped by another place we will visit in September, the Church of San Zeno. An interesting example of Carolingian architecture, with fragments of medieval paintings on the wall. Very small, but well worth a quick peek in.

Glass of Bianco di Custoza at Bardolino bar
glass of Bianco di Custoza at Bardolino bar

I stopped in a bar for a snack and a glass of Bianco di Custoza, this one from Aldegheri. A refreshing citrus and floral flavor, with a bit of acidity. It would be nice with salads, fresh cheeses and a light fish, but anything too heavy would overwhelm it.

Back to Fumane tonight; tomorrow I head east to the Gambellara wine region.

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Touring Valpolicella Wineries

by chefbikeski Posted on June 25, 2011
Road from Novaia Winery, Valpolicella

Today is a full day – I have a list of vineyards to visit for our upcoming Italiaoutdoors Bike the Wine Roads of the Veneto adventure, many more than I know I can cover in one day. Touring like this in Italy is very different than in the US. I learned this on my first trip here visiting vineyards with Jody Adams, chef at Rialto restaurant. We expected we could cover 4 or 5 in one day, looking at where they were located on a map. In reality, 3 was pushing it. We neglected to account for lots of things –  the slow speed at which you are driving on these mountain roads, traffic in urban areas, and of course the time to visit and chat with the families that you visit. The traffic I can do without, the mountain scenery and the chance to make new friends is well worth the slower pace.

My first stop was the Tourist office in Valpolicella. There, I was able to pick up a map of all the wineries in the Valpolicella area. Many that only sell locally, so this added numerous other options to my already too long list. This is a great first stop for anyone looking to tour vineyards, but it is worth checking their hours in advance. Many are only open until noon, and not every day of the week.

Entrance to Brigaldara Vineyard
Entrance to Brigaldara Vineyard

San Pietro in Cariano was my first destination; specifically, the Brigaldara winery in the Frazione San Floriano section. I had an address, but no GPS and no map detailed enough, so my plan is basically to drive around the town until I spot the road. Not the most efficient method, I’ll admit. I also had to find a bathroom at this point, so I stopped at a little caffe, ordered a caffe macchiato, used the bagno, and asked for directions to Brigaldara. I can understand and speak just enough Italian to muddle through. I was not far away, and found it pretty quickly. The next part of the battle is garnering up enough courage to approach what is essentially a private home, knowing not much Italian, and asking to taste some wines. At this point, I’ve done it enough that I don’t think too much about it, I have always been greeted graciously. And because I make sure ‘comparer’ (to buy) is part of my opening sentence. I always buy at least one bottle, the most inexpensive offering costs me not more than 5 euros.

Brigaldara makes some wonderful Valpolicella and Amarone. I tasted several version of their Valpolicella, and purchased one, as well as an Amarone. Grand total – 25 euros. I spotted a Brigaldara Amarone last week in the US, retailing for over $50.

Novaia Winery

Next stop was Marano di Valpolicella, which was home to two wineries of interest. The first was right off the main road, Novaia. This is a multi-generational family run operation, I was greeted by the mother, whose grandparents ran the business, and then was introduced to her son, who is continuing the tradition. Mom did not speak any english, but her son did, and was brought in when I described my interest in bring some guests in the future. Wonderful Valpolicella and Amarone, and a gracious family. I will write more about them after I taste the wines I purchased.

I located another vineyard on my list, Fratell Degani, but it was situated more in the center of town, not near vineyards and through a gate that required you to ring for service. Not a place I’d go out of my way to ride a bike to, so that one is off my list.

Grape shoots ready for planting

The last, Ca La Bionda, was also located in town, in a very attractive facility, but I arrived about noon to interrupt their lunch. The person who ran the tastings was gone for the day, and it was suggested I return tomorrow. Wish I could!

I enjoyed a nice lunch in Marano at Antica Trattoria Da Bepi. I enjoyed a glass of Valpolicella, after spending the morning spitting out great wine. A Giuseppe Lonardi Ripasso 2008. A agreeable aroma, with cherry and dark fruits, a bit of smoke, and nice tannins at the finish.

My lunch was very traditional, grilled polenta with local salumi and cheeses. The menu indicates that the polenta is prepared very authentically, in a large pot over a fire with a very long cook time. I was visiting our next guest chef, Susan Regis, and she showed me a large copper pot she had inherited from her grandmother that was used just for cooking polenta over a fire. The long cook time is critical, many of us don’t cook it long enough, resulting a blander product. And you miss out on the crust that forms around the outside, which many cooks believe to be the best part!

Lunch of grilled polenta at Da Bepi

The polenta was some of the best I’ve had, with a great smoke flavor. The salumi were nice, a bit on the fatty side, but the tannic wine helped cut through that. An hour or two to chill out during riposo, then back on the road.

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