Panoram Italia Luxury Edition 2007

PANORAM

I TA L I A

LIVING ITALIAN STYLE

2007

www.panoramitalia.com

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

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T H I S THIS ISSUE

PARASUCO

JOSÉE DI STASIO

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100 ITALIAN WINES • 70 BLUE CHIPS

FEDERICO CASTELLUCCIO

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GILLES VIGNEAULT

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P U B L I S H E R ’ S

N O T E

Love! Love! Love!

Amore! Amore! Amore!

L’amour! L’amour! L’amour!

A labor of love is the best way I can describe the

Un'opera d'amore. É questa la migliore maniera

La meilleure façon que je puisse décrire le processus

creative process which culminates in the birth

per descrivere il processo creativo che è culminato

de création menant à la parution d’une nouvelle

of a not her, mu c h an t icip at ed , ed it i o n o f

nella pubblicazione, molto attesa, di questa edi-

édition, tant attendue, de Panoramitalia est qu’il

Panoramitalia.

zione di Panoramitalia.

s’agit d’un travail fait avec amour.

I believe that this sixth edition demonstrates

Sono convinto che questa sesta edizione dimostra

Je crois que la sixième édition démontre ce que ça

what it means to be living as an Italian wherever

chiaramente quello che significa "vivere all'italiana"

veut dire d’être italien, peu importe où vous vous

you are on this planet. Our point of view is

in qualsiasi parte del mondo. Il nostro punto di

trouvez dans le monde. Notre point de vue est

Canadian/Italian, specifically Montreal/Italian

vista è Italo-canadese, più precisamente Italo-mon-

canadien/italien, et plus particulièrement mon-

since the magazine was born and is produced

trealese, visto che la rivista è nata e viene prodotta

tréalais/italien, puisque c’est ici que le magazine est

here. But, you might as well be in The United

qui. Tuttavia, potrebbe essere letta negli Stati

né et publié. Mais, vous pourriez également être

States, Argentina, Brazil or Australia. The stories

Uniti, in Argentina, in Brasile o in Australia. Le sto-

établi aux États-Unis, en Argentine, au Brésil ou

are universal and I believe our wonderful, rich

rie sono universali e siamo convinti che la ricchezza

en Australie, car les histoires sont universelles et

culture is influencing every corner of the globe.

della nostra meravigliosa cultura ha lasciato una

je crois que notre culture d’une richesse extraor-

sua influenza in tutti gli angoli del mondo.

dinaire a influencé tous les coins de la planète.

delivering a product which is appealing to all. You

La mia équipe ed io siamo spronati dall'idea di

C’est avec passion que mon équipe et moi nous

do not have to be Italian to live and appreciate

fornire un prodotto che piaccia a tutti. Non c'è

consacrons à fournir un produit qui plaît à tout le

the It alian culture. Hence, our new title:

bisogno di essere Italiani per vivere ed apprezzare

monde. Il n’est pas nécessaire d’être italien pour

“PANORAMITALIA—LIVING ITALIAN STYLE”.

la cultura italiana. Ecco, quindi, il nostro titolo:

vivre et apprécier la culture italienne. D’où le nouveau

"PANORAMITALIA – VIVERE ALL'ITALIANA."

titre : “PANORAMITALIA—LIVING ITALIAN STYLE”

My team and I are totally passionate about

When flipping through the pages, you will be

[« PANORAMITALIA—VIVRE À L’ITALIENNE »].

struck by the ads created by Geraldo Pace, a

Sfogliando le pagine, sarete colpiti dagli annunci

conceptual photographer and editor-in chief of

pubblicitari creati da Geraldo Pace, fotografo

En feuilletant les pages, vous serez frappe par les

Panoramitalia. We took it upon ourselves to come

concettuale e direttore di Panoramitalia.Ci siamo

annonces conçues par Geraldo Pace, photographe

up with aesthetically appealing ads for business-

dati il compito di produrre annunci esteticamente

conceptuel et rédacteur en chef de Panoramitalia.

es that agreed to participate in the artistic

piacenti per delle ditte che hanno consentito a

Nous nous sommes donné la tâche de créer des

vocation of the magazine. The ads are, therefore,

partecipare alla vocazione artistica della rivista.

annonces de grande valeur esthétique pour des

as much a part of the content as the articles

Gli annunci sono, quindi, parte integrante del

entreprises qui ont consenti de participer à la voca-

themselves.

contenuto degli articoli.

tion artistique du magazine. Les annonces sont, ainsi, une par tie intégrante du contenu des

Last year we started distributing Panoramitalia across Canada. This year it will also be sold throughout the United States.

L'anno scorso abbiamo cominciato a distribuire

articles.

Panoramitalia attraverso il Canada. Quest'anno sarà venduto anche negli Stati Uniti.

L’année dernière, nous avons entamé la distribution de Panoramitalia dans tout le Canada. Cette

We invite all our readers, across North America, to participate in future issues of Panoramitalia.

Please let us know what you think. You might want to nominate a person or personality as a future feature. All in the goal of one day creating a truly global magazine about “Living Italian Style”.

Enjoy!

Invitiamo tutti i nostri lettori Nord Americani

Panoramitalia. Fateci parte delle vostre opinioni.

Forse vorreste segnalare una persona o un personaggio come protagonista di una prossima edizione. Il nostro obiettivo è quello di creare un giorno una rivista veramente globale sull'arte di "Vivere all'italiana." Buona lettura!

Antonio Zara

année, il sera vendu également partout aux États-Unis.

a p a r teci p a re n el l e p ro s s i m e ed i zi o n i d i Nous invitons tous nos lecteurs, partout en Amérique du Nord, à participer aux prochains numéros de Panoramitalia. N’hésitez pas à nous faire part de vos commentaires. Vous pourriez nommer une personne ou une personnalité pour un prochain article de fond. Notre but ultime est de créer un magazine véritablement international sur comment « Vivre à l’italienne ». Bonne lecture!

4 PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M

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WORDSMITH / MAGICIEN DES MOTS GILLES VIGNEAULT

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IL BORRO THE NATURE OF A GREAT WINE / LA NATURA DI UN GRANDE VINO

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QUESTION & ANSWER IGNAZIO AND NICCOLÒ D’AFFLITO

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A FULL HEART NICHOLAS DI TEMPORA

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SIENA

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KITCHEN QUEEN FRANCA MAZZA

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RECIPES FRANCA MAZZA

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A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF ITALIAN CUISINE JOSÉE DI STASIO L’ITALIE EN UN TOUR DE MAIN: INCURSION DANS LA CUISINE DES GRANDS ET DES MOINS GRANDS

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FERRI TALES CLAUDIA FERRI

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FREE SPIRIT GIOVANNI RAMACIERI

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PERFECT TIMING LANCASTER

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VITA EROS PARASUCO

100 WINES 100 ITALIAN WINES • 70 BLUE CHIPS 110 MASERATI THE GRANTURISMO IS BACK 116 MAN OF PASSION / UN UOMO, UN ARTISTA DAI TANTI INTERESSI FEDERICO CASTELLUCCIO 124 THE VILLAGE GERALDO PACE 130 ITALIAN ARCHITECTURE 138 ART DISCOVERED THE GILDED BRONZES FROM CARTOCETO OF PERGOLA

PA N O R A M I TA L I A . C O M 7

Geraldo Pace

ABOUT THE COVER n one hand, the wonderful thing about doing a

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Panoramitalia cover is that there is no agenda, no specific theme, basically no stress. But, on the other hand, this wonderful thing can become very difficult. You have many directions you can follow, but which one is the magical way? I thought about this cover for a long time. I had even gone as far as to photograph an image that I thought would be worth submitting. It was definitely cover material, and I had accepted that the job was finished.

Then early one morning, just before dawn (usually when I dream the best), a vision came to me. A white faceless head appeared with abstract lines and curves covering its frontal outline. It is difficult for me to say what the lines were made of exactly, but I can honestly say that the present cover is quite accurate as to my pre-dawn vision. When I awoke, I immediately set out to find the elements of my dream.

My first stop was at Gender Mannequins, where I was lucky enough to find the “head� of my vision within a few short minutes. They graciously lent it to me and I continued on my way to find the lines and the curves that would complete it. The pasta was a natural. I must have had 50 bags of assorted pasta on my studio table! But, without exaggeration, I can honestly say that I completed making the graphic face within five minutes. I just followed the details from my dream. The lighting, however, was not so easy, I spent hours perfecting the visual.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did dreaming it up.

Geraldo Pace

C O N T R I B U T O R S

FOUNDER - PUBLISHER ANTONIO ZARA 514.337.7870 info@panoramitalia.com 2002

EDITOR IN CHIEF GERALDO PACE 514.915.0150 www.geraldo-pace.com 2003

ASSOCIATE EDITORS FILIPPO SALVATORE GABRIEL RIEL-SALVATORE IGNAZIO BLANCO 2004

CHIEF INTERVIEWER/WRITER SHAUNA HARDY

CONTRIBUTORS BARBARA BACCI 2005

CATHERINE SZACKA NICOLETTA MONCALERO MARIO SALVINI

GRAPHIC DESIGN CASSI DESIGN 2006

514.327.4404 www.cassidesign.com

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Paper: Inside - EuroArt Plus Silk Text - 70 lbs (M-Real) Cover - EuroArt Plus Silk Cover - 129 lbs (M-Real) Contains 70% certified wood and is 100% recyclable

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9300 Henri-Bourassa West, Suite 100 Montreal (Qc) Canada H4S 1L5 Tel.: 514-337-7870 / Fax: 514-337-6180 or by e-mail at : info@panoramitalia.com We look forward to hearing from you!

www.panoramitalia.com Publications Mail Agreement # 40981004 Return undeliverable Canadia addresses to circulation dept.

9300 Henri-Bourassa West, Suite 100 Montreal (Qc) Canada H4S 1L5 email: info@panoramitalia.com

www.panoramitalia.com PRINTED BY : www.accentimpression.com

printed in canada

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Geraldo Pace

Gilles Vigneault

By Shauna Hardy

efore we begin, I have a confession to make. I have never found it difficult to speak with people. In order to guarantee a successful interview, I have always

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thought that I needed only one thing: a common point of interest. It can be a shared belief, an emotion, the shared love of a hobby. Whatever it is, the minute that point reveals itself, the article is guaranteed.

But when I was told that I would be sitting down with Gilles Vigneault, my confidence tucked its tail between its legs and scuttled out of the room. Gilles Vigneault – a man whose name has been idolized and politicized. He is regarded as a legend, a man whose words have effectively shaped Quebec culture. I was completely dumbstruck, and with every thump of my heart, the same question repeated itself.

“Where, where, where is your common point of interest?

What, will you speak about?” English journalist, French poet, Italian magazine – where do the lines collide? Until the minute that he began to speak, I was still looking for their intersection.

Vigneault has recently started working on a joint venture with photographer Geraldo Pace. The latter had been shooting what can only be described as landscape portraits and when Vigneault saw them, he jumped on board – agreeing to write texts that would accompany the photos. u

12 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

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'abord, je dois vous révéler un petit secret : j'ai une certaine facilité à discuter avec les gens. J'ai toujours cru, avant de faire une entrevue intéressante, que je n'avais besoin que d'une seule carte dans mon jeu : un intérêt commun entre mon interlocuteur et moi. Cet intérêt peut être le partage d'une opinion, l'échange d'une émotion ou d'un même passe-temps.

Peu importe, dès l'instant où cet intérêt mutuel est identifié, le succès de l'entrevue est assuré. Et par le fait même, celui de l'article.

Toutefois, lorsque l'on m'a appris que j'allais interviewer Gilles Vigneault, ma confiance fut ébranlée; j'ai pris donc mes jambes à mon cou et me précipitai hors de la salle de conférence.

Imaginez! Gilles Vigneault, un homme dont le nom est idolâtré et politisé. Une légende. Un poète dont les mots ont servi à façonner la culture québécoise. J'étais tout à fait stupéfaite. Et avec chaque battement de cœur, la même question surgissait : « Quel intérêt avons-nous en commun? Y en a-t-il vraiment un?

De quoi allons-nous discuter? » Je suis une journaliste de langue anglaise qui interviewe un poète québécois pour un article dans un magazine italien… Y a-t-il un point commun dans tout cela?

Je le cherchais. Jusqu'à la toute dernière minute, avant même que Gilles Vigneault ne prononce un seul mot.

Récemment, Gilles Vigneault s'est mis à travailler sur un projet conjoint en collaboration avec le photographe Geraldo Pace. Ce dernier venait de photographier des paysages. Quand Gilles Vigneault les vit, il s'est immédiatement emballé pour le projet, c'est-à-dire qu'il a accepté d'apposer ses mots sur les images de Geraldo. u

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

“Each tree has the ability to become a mast, each smaller branch, an oar.”

“Chaque arbre peut devenir un mât, chaque branche menue un aviron.”

“Words are like seeds. If they fall upon infertile earth, nothing can grow” “Les mots sont comme les graines : à les semer en terre infertile on n'en récolte rien”

“There are landscapes, trees, plants. It’s really very ecological as a project – I would say it’s eco-poetic,” he jokes with a smile. “This project really brings together the idea of a journey, a voyage. Each tree has the ability to become a mast, each smaller branch, an oar. These photos bring you into the countryside – they allow you to travel.”

Proceeds from the book will be donated to two distinct causes - the Patrimoine de Natashquan (Vigneault’s birth place), and a foundation benefiting autistic children, the Miriam foundation.

“Both foundations are linked to human destiny to all of its wonders and to all of its miseries,” he explains. “One represents the present while the other represents the passage of time.”

While Vigneault’s cause is important to him, he admits that it is the autistic foundation that tugs at his heart. He would have accepted the project simply to be of assistance to them.

“It is my hope that one day they will be able to speak for themselves,” he says. “I speak every day – it touches me deeply to be involved in a project where people cannot speak for themselves. We cannot be indifferent to each other; we are all responsible for each other.”

A beautiful sentiment, but not so easily put into practice in a world that is often characterized by mistrust, suspicion, and cynicism. A world where many are so unsure of other people’s motives, that they would rather alienate themselves than risk a connection. But Vigneault tends to see it another way.

“We must have faith in each other,” he says. “It should be a thing of growth, you begin with faith in yourself, then in others, and building upon that, faith becomes something larger than all of us. ‘The one that is larger than me that I strive to become.’ Faith is an ingredient of the human condition.”

But Vigneault cautions that even the noblest of sentiments can be perverted. Faith in oneself, in one’s fellow man, does not necessarily guarantee a smooth ride through life.

Vigneault’s faith did not stop him from being marginalized at u

« C'est un véritable projet écologique. On y retrouve des paysages, des arbres, des plantes. Je dirais qu'il s'agit d'un projet éco-poétique, s'aventure-t-il, un sourire au coin des lèvres. Ce projet prend l'aspect d'un périple. En effet, chaque arbre peut devenir un mât, chaque branche menue un aviron.

Ces photos rappellent le terroir et incitent au voyage. » Les recettes générées par les ventes du livre seront remises à deux organismes distincts : le Patrimoine de Natasquan (ville natale de Vigneault) et la fondation Miriam qui s'occupe des enfants autistes. « Les deux organismes sont liés à la destinée humaine, à ses émerveillements et à ses misères, continue-t-il. L'un est une représentation du temps présent, l'autre du temps qui passe. » Ce projet est important pour Vigneault, mais c'est celui des enfants autistes qui lui tient le plus à cœur. En fait, il aurait accepté de s'engager dans ce projet uniquement pour leur venir en aide. « J'espère qu'un jour ils auront leur voix propre. Je m'exprime tous les jours, et je suis énormément touché d'être engagé dans un projet où les enfants ne peuvent parler par eux-mêmes. On ne peut demeurer indifférent les uns envers les autres. Nous sommes répondants les uns des autres. » Un beau sentiment qui n'est pas aisément mis en pratique dans un monde souvent caractérisé par la méfiance et le cynisme. Un monde dans lequel tant d'individus se méfient tellement des motifs des autres qu'ils préfèrent s'éloigner d'eux plutôt que de tenter de communiquer avec eux. Mais ce n'est guère le point de vue de Gilles Vigneault. « Nous devons nous faire confiance mutuellement, précise-t-il.

Celle-ci devrait servir à nous grandir, en commençant par avoir confiance en soi, puis par faire confiance aux autres. En l'érigeant sur ces assises solides, elle devient une force plus colossale que nous tous, 'celle qui est plus grande que moi et vers laquelle j'aspire'.

La confiance est l'un des moteurs de la condition humaine. » Gilles Vigneault nous met en garde, cependant : même le plus noble des sentiments est corruptible. La confiance en soi, comme en son semblable, n'est pas nécessairement simple à suivre au cours d'une vie. Cette confiance en lui ne l'a pas empêché d'avoir été marginalisé parfois, à cause de ses croyances. « Il est évident que j'ai été l'objet de préjudices. Mais cela ne m'a guère empêché de vivre ni de faire ce que je devais.u

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 15

“eco-poetic” times for his beliefs. “Obviously, there has been prejudice but it never stopped me from living, from doing what I needed to do. I am not a depressive pessimist nor am I an exuberant optimist.

We must acknowledge that prejudice exists, we cannot be naïve.”

But again, realism need not be linked with negativity. “Life has taught me that when we can’t see the end of the tunnel we must have hope,” he continues. “It is through that hope that we will eventually see some light – it might be an invented light, but much better that than the complete darkness.”

We live in such a hurried world – words often tumble forth without consideration. Disposable, superficial, they merrily trip over the surface without being given the time to sink to any real depth, carrying such little weight that they are forgotten as soon as they are uttered. Their value has become so cheap that we forget the hurt that they can cause, the happiness that they can generate.

But Vigneault’s words are the exact opposite, they are a precious

“Every time that we meet a person, every time that a conversation is shared, we are changed.”

commodity. There are long silences that bloom into a thought. Watching him, I imagine the wheels of his mind turning, taking the time (and profiting from the silence) to weave together an idea that is so perfectly described the image leaps onto the table. “Don’t rush me,” his words say. “Give me time, give me space and I will try to show myself to you.” u

Je ne suis ni un pessimiste dépressif ni un optimiste expansif. On ne doit pas être naïf; on doit plutôt reconnaître que les préjudices existent. » Attention! Réalisme n'est pas synonyme de négativisme. « J'ai appris un chose dans la vie : on doit garder espoir même si l'on ne voit pas la lumière au bout du tunnel, poursuit-il. Car c'est cet espoir qui nous la fait percevoir éventuellement, si mince soit-elle. Peut-être est-elle un produit de notre imagination, mais je préfère l'imagination à l'obscurité totale. » Nous vivons dans un monde si pressé que les mots déboulent souvent sans qu'on y porte attention. Des mots vides, surannés, sur lesquels on joue sans qu'ils aient le temps de nous pénétrer de quelque manière que ce soit, qui n'ont aucun poids et qui sont oubliés sitôt qu'on les prononce. Nous leur accordons si peu de valeur que nous oublions le mal qu'ils peuvent causer ou le bonheur qu'ils peuvent apporter.

Les mots de Gilles Vigneault, eux, sont aux antipodes de cette situation. Ils sont une denrée précieuse dont notre esprit doit prendre le temps de se nourrir.

Ils l'épanouissent. En le regardant, j'imagine son cerveau inventif prendre le temps, grâce au silence, de donner forme à une pensée dont la description est si méticuleuse qu'elle prend forme sous nos yeux. « Ne me pressez pas, dit-il.

Donnez-moi du temps, de l'espace, et je ferai tout pour me révéler à vous. » « Les mots sont comme les graines : à les semer en terre infertile on n'en récolte rien. En effet, nous devons être prudents dans la façon dont nous les utilisons, prévient-il. Pour moi, ils sont comme le serment d'Hippocrate : la guérison commence avec des mots, puis viennent les médicaments, ensuite le scalpel. Les mots sont dotés d'une force incroyable.u

Words are what link us to each ot connaître,” says Vigneault. “It cont born. By knowing someone, or so knowledge, that experience enhanc to new things and new deeper levels every time that a conversation is sh altered, born anew, each and every

“Words are like seeds. If they fall upon infertile earth, nothing can grow. One has to be careful in the manner that one uses words,” he cautions, “To me, they are like the Hippocratic oath – you heal first with words, then with medicine and then with the knife. Words are incredibly powerful – just look at a prayer in its simplest form: ‘Just say the words and I shall be healed.’ Words of love have the power to heal, even when you are not sick.”

Vigneault animatedly tells me a story about Winston Churchill escorting a woman into his rose garden. When the woman asks why she has been taken into this place, Churchill was said to reply – ‘I wanted my roses to see you.’ Vigneault adores this story, he is caught up by the effect that a few simple words can have on a person. “What a compliment - can you imagine what this woman must have felt?”

Much more than an expression of an idea, words, in effect, are our gifts. They are what bind us to each other, offering solace, recognition, humour and love. They can be the stable ground upon which we build our lives or the shifting sands that can cause our greatest deceptions.

Words are what link us to each other. “Just look at the French word connaître,” says Vigneault. “It contains the smaller word naître – to be born. By knowing someone, or something, you are born again. That knowledge, that experience enhances your life, effectively giving birth to new things and new deeper levels. Every time that we meet a person, every time that a conversation is shared, we are changed. We have been altered, born anew, each and every time. Life is hidden in its words.”

So what happened during my two hours spent with a renowned French poet? Did I ask the right questions? Did I finally find the place where all those lines intersected? The answer is, no. We live in a world defined by a multitude of different views, different cultures, and different languages.

And sometimes, we are so busy sorting our similarities and the differences that we miss out on an opportunity entirely.

Sometimes, finding a common interest isn’t the point. It is enough to sit with this man on a hot summer’s day and share a meal together. It is enough to hear him speak and learn a little bit about how he views the world. It is enough to enjoy the pleasure of his company for a few hours. Sometimes, appreciation is simply enough. n

Vous n'avez qu'à lire la plus simple des prières : 'Dites un seul mot et je serai guéri'. Les mots qui parlent d'amour ont un pouvoir de guérison, même si vous n'êtes pas malade. » Gilles Vigneault s'anime en me racontant une histoire au sujet de Winston Churchill. Celui-ci invite une dame à le suivre au jardin de roses, et lorsqu'elle lui demande pourquoi il l'amène à cet endroit, Churchill lui répond : « Parce que je veux que les roses vous voient, Madame. » Vigneault raffole de cette anecdote, car il est touché par les mots simples que Churchill a utilisés, et l'effet qu'ils ont dû avoir sur cette dame. « Quel compliment! Pouvez-vous imaginer ce qu'elle a pu ressentir? » Les mots sont beaucoup plus que de simples émetteurs d'idées. En réalité, ils sont comme un cadeau. Ce sont eux qui nous unissent les uns aux autres. Ils réconfortent. Ils permettent la reconnaissance. Ils disent l'amour et cachent une pointe d'humour. Les mots sont ambivalents : ils peuvent servir de fondement pour façonner notre vie ou former une marre de sable mouvant dans laquelle peuvent s'enfoncer nos désillusions.

Les mots nous lient les uns aux autres. « Prenez le mot 'connaître', propose Vigneault. On y trouve un autre mot : 'naître'. Faites la connaissance de quelqu'un ou prenez connaissance de quelque chose, et voilà que vous naissez à nouveau. Cette connaissance, cette expérience illumine votre vie, en donnant effectivement vie à de nouvelles choses, à des degrés plus forts.

Chaque fois que nous rencontrons quelqu'un, chaque discussion que nous partageons, nous changeons.

Indubitablement, nous naissons à nouveau, chaque fois. La vie se cache dans les mots. » Alors, comment se sont passées les deux heures d'entretien avec notre célèbre poète? Ai-je posé les bonnes questions? Ai-je trouvé l'endroit où se rencontrent ces points communs? Que non! Car nous vivons dans un monde rempli de points de vue multiples différents, saupoudré de cultures variées et enrichi de langues distinctes. En fait, nous sommes parfois si préoccupés à inventorier nos similitudes et nos différences, que nous passons complètement à côté d'une occasion unique qui se présente. En réalité, il arrive parfois qu'il ne soit pas essentiel de trouver un intérêt commun. En effet, il suffit de s'asseoir en face de cet homme, par une belle matinée d'été, et de partager un repas.

Je me suis contentée d'écouter ce magicien des mots me raconter comment il perçoit le monde. Je me suis délectée quelques heures plaisantes en compagnie de Gilles Vigneault. Parfois, la plus simple marque de reconnaissance suffit.

“Chaque fois que nous rencontrons quelqu'un, chaque discussion que nous partageons, nous changeons.”

ther. “Just look at the French word tains the smaller word naître – to be omething, you are born again. Tha ces your life, effectively giving birth s. Every time that we meet a person hared, we are changed. We have been y time. Life is hidden in its words.

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 17

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Il Borro THE NATURE OF A GREAT WINE La Natura di un grande vino

By Ignazio Blanco reat wine is a fantastic experience. One can taste its fruit, learn to speak its dialect and the culture of the land where it was made. One can learn to know the people who made it. Those who harvested its grapes.

A great wine comes from the pride of men, from the desire and often the dream of realizing, in one single taste, the fullness of a variety of meanings, and to be the best, or at least try to be.

Il Borro is a young winery, which was born in the splendid region of Tuscany. A winery that has managed to reach great recognition worldwide thanks to products of high quality and character. An ambitious quest for perfection, a charisma that is found in the land where these wines are created and in the ownership itself, the Ferragamo family.

In 1993, the family of Ferruccio Ferragamo, son of Salvatore, founder of the fashion house of the same name, decided to purchase 700 hectares of land, roughly fifty kilometres outside of Florence, heading towards Arezzo. The area included a medieval village called "Il Borro" that had remained untouched in its historical elements and its vocation. Laura Bacci (Export Manager for "Il Borro") warns: "this isn't very noble land." There isn't much of the typical image one gets of Tuscany, of the gentle hillsides that almost caress you, surrounded by colors and maybe a golf course or two… This is the real countryside; it's an authentic expression of art and nature in which Tuscany expresses itself like no other. Il Borro was once a fortified castle with a drawbridge.

Today, it still is a splendid example of medieval architecture, in a village safely located atop a peak, in constant defence of its land and its people. And of a secret that's starting to become rather well known on the international wine scene.

On a historic note, "Il Borro" has been producing wine since the end of the 700s, thanks to the Medici-Tornaquinci family. More recently, under the property of the Duke Amedeo of Aosta (heir to the Royal family) the estate boasted some six hectares of vineyards. u

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l grande vino é un’esperienza fantastica. Ne si assaporano i frutti, si imparano a conoscere i dialetti, le culture della terra in cui nasce. Si conoscono le persone che l’hanno creato. Chi ne ha raccolto gli acini. Un grande vino nasce per la fierezza degli uomini, per un desiderio e spesso anche un sogno di realizzare in un assaggio la pienezza di tanti significati ed essere i migliori, o almeno provarci.

Il Borro é una cantina giovane che nasce nella splendida regione Toscana. Una cantina che ha saputo farsi rispettare nella scena internazionale grazie a prodotti di grande qualità e di carattere.

Un’ambiziosa ricerca di perfezione, un carisma che ritroviamo nel luogo in cui questi vini sono creati e nella proprietà stessa, la famiglia Ferragamo.

Nel 1993, la famiglia di Ferruccio Ferragamo, figlio di Salvatore fondatore della casa di moda che ne porta il nome, decide di acquistare 700 ettari di terreno ad una cinquantina di chilometri da Firenze in direzione di Arezzo. L’area includeva il borgo medioevale detto “Il Borro” rimasto autentico negli elementi storici e nella vocazione.

Laura Bacci (Responsabile Settore Estero de “Il Borro”) mi avverte; “..questi non sono terreni nobili”. Non c’é molto dell’immagine tipica della Toscana, delle colline che quasi ti accarezzano, immersi nei colori e magari in qualche campo da golf… Questa é campagna vera, autentica, un’espressione d’arte e natura in cui la Toscana si esprime a livelli unici.

Il Borro era anticamente un castello fortificato con tanto di ponte levatoio. Oggi rimane uno splendido esempio di architettura medioevale in un villaggio arrampicato su di uno sprone sempre a difesa dei suoi terreni e delle sue genti. E di un segreto che incomincia a diventare molto conosciuto nell’ambito vinicolo internazionale.

Come piccola nota storica, “il Borro” produceva vino fin dal Settecento, grazie alla famiglia dei Medici-Tornaquinci. Piu’ recentemente, sotto la proprietà del Duca Amedeo D’Aosta (discentente della famiglia Reale d’Italia), la tenuta vantava di circa 6 ettari di vigne.

Dall’acquisto della proprietà, Ferruccio inizia il restauro del borgo, sopratutto inizia la rincorsa di un sogno: produrre un vino fantastico, un supertoscan migliorato dagli elementi di razza unici che il terreno e le condizioni climatiche della zona sono capaci di creare. Il Borro ha un grande potenziale; bisogna realizzarlo. Compagno di scuola del fratello Massimo e di casa a Firenze, Niccolò D’Afflitto, era ed é uno dei piu’ rinomati consulenti nella scena vinicola internazionale. La decisione u

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From the moment he purchased the estate, Ferruccio started the restoration of the village but, most of all, he initiated to chase his dream: to produce a fantastic wine, a supertuscan, improved by the unique elements that the land and the climatic conditions can create.

Niccolò D'Afflitto, a schoolmate of his brother Massimo, living in Florence, was and still is one of the most renowned consultants of the international wine scene. The decision to bestow on Niccolò the responsibility and the honour to seize this dream and create a unique wine both in terms of quality and character was rather natural. The last problem was to blend all the elements together. It is agreed upon that wine can be considered a science, but it is also true that there are no absolute rules. There are principles, experience, a lot of passion and philosophical concepts, I wouldn't know how else to call them.

It was decided by the winemaker and technical consultant, D'Afflitto, but perhaps it was the "Borro" itself who decided, to follow the rule of terroir, according to which it is the land to impose the choice of grapes that will most likely enhance the elements typical and inherent to the land itself. This was a considerable risk, considering that we are talking of an area usually dedicated to the Prince Sangiovese. A research was oriented towards the vocation of this extremely stratified soil, of alluvial origin, that during the Pliocene was covered by vast lakes. If you imagined a lake without water, in the center of it you would find a soil of clay and sand, excellent for Merlot (which has a predilection for clayey-calcareous soils) and for Cabernet Sauvignon (sandy soils). When the waters flow from rivers and streams the soil is loose and pebbly, perfect for Syrah.

Sangiovese has a predilection for soils rich in galestro, schist based soils typical of the banks of the beautiful landscapes which once were wine lakes. These are the soils which embrace the “Borro” and define its character, its charm and its perfumes.

The purchase by the Ferragamo family coincided with the necessity of uprooting the existing vines in order to introduce Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Sangiovese, over some 40 hectares. The strategies have changed in order to reflect a decisively more youthful attitude, in which a touch of youthful presumptuousness can be detected, and rightfully so. Besides, the one who took over the reins of “Il Borro” is the son of Ferruccio, Salvatore. A heavy name to carry in the Ferragamo family. But Salvatore has strong shoulders and clear ideas: class and elegance, worldwide characteristics of the name Ferragamo, with the duty and the talent to prove with facts a stature worthy of his grandfather’s name. Salvatore shares the dream of a wine of the outmost quality, without compromise, carrying it to a superior level by applying this to the cellar and the different phases of production. u

quindi naturale di concedere a Niccolò l’onere e l’onore di carpire questo sogno e concepire, realizzare un vino qualitativamente e caratterialmente unico. Rimane ancora il problema di unire tutti gli elementi. E’ condivisibile che il vino sia considerato scienza, ma é altrettanto vero che non esistono regole assolute. Esistono principi, esperienza, tanta passione e concetti filosofici, perché veramente non saprei come altro chiamarli.

L’enologo e consulente tecnico D’Afflitto decide, ma forse fu “Il Borro” stesso a decidere, di seguire la regola del Terroir, secondo la quale é il terreno ad imporre la scelta delle viti per esaltare gli elementi tipici ed intrinsechi del territorio. Un azzardo notevole considerando che stiamo parlando di un’area normalmente dedicata al principe Sangiovese. Una ricerca orientata alla vocazione stessa di un terreno estremamente stratificato, di origine alluvionale che in epoca pliocenica era coperto da grandi laghi.

Se vi immaginate un lago senz’acqua, al centro potreste trovare dei terreni argillosi con sabbia, eccellente collocazione per Merlot (che predilige argillo-calcarei), e per Cabernet Sauvignon (terreni sabbiosi).

Nel momento in cui le acquee defluiscono su fiumi e torrenti, il terreno é sciolto e ciottoloso, da dedicare al Syrah. Il Sangiovese predilige terreni ricchi di galestro e scistosi tipici delle sponde di questi splendidi paesaggi che furono laghi da vino. Sono i terreni che abbracciano il Borro e che ne definiscono il carattere, il fascino, i profumi.

Il passaggio di proprietà in Ferragamo coincide con il necessario espianto delle vigne esistenti per l’introduzione di Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah e Sangiovese su di un territorio di circa 40 ettari. Sono cambiamenti e strategie che riflettono un’attitudine decisamente giovane, dove un pizzico di presunzione “di gioventú” ci stà, eccome. E d’altra parte chi ha preso le redini de “Il Borro” é il figlio di Ferruccio, Salvatore. Un nome pesante da portare all’interno della famiglia Ferragamo. Ma lui, le spalle le ha forti. E le idee chiare: classe ed eleganza, caratteristiche a livello mondiale del nome Ferragamo, con il dovere ed il talento di provare sul campo una statura propria del nome del nonno.

Salvatore condivide il sogno di un vino di altissima qualità senza compromessi, e lo porta a livelli superiori applicandolo anche alle cantine e alle diverse fasi di produzione.

E’ Gioia (Gioia Giacomelli – Relazioni Pubbliche “Il Borro”) a spiegarmi questo procedimento chiamato a gravità naturale. “Il posizionamento su diversi livelli ai quali sono state poste le fasi di u

Ferruccio and Salvatore Ferragamo

It’s Gioia (Gioia Giacomelli – Public Relations “Il Borro”) who explains the procedure of natural gravity. “The setting on different levels of the various phases of production, from the crushing of the grapes and the fermentation, to a lower level where the ageing in oak takes place, allows the product to flow naturally from one phase to the other by gravity, thus avoiding the use of mechanical pumps which stress the juice/wine. It is a simple and efficient procedure, that exploits natural gravity to move the juice or the wine, from one phase to the other.” From the way she tells it, this doesn’t even sound like a very big accomplishment, other than the fact that, to apply this procedure, the different phases of production materially have to be on different levels. And we are talking about a medieval village.

I must admit that I’m starting to be overcome by the undeniable charm of a place that is both historical and extremely young. Fresh, respectful of its great culture, yet evolving to a new chapter, with elegance.

And then there are the vines. The same which we mentioned in relation to the territory, which are protected by rigorous rules of density (4500 plants par hectare) with a very limited production per vine. Towards the end of August, after the thinning of the vines, a single kilogram of grapes is left on each vine. During the harvest, the grapes are picked and sorted manually, destemmed, crushed and placed in vinification tanks by, as we mentioned, natural flow. The same procedure is employed to the transfer of product into the Allier oak barriques, after the alcoholic fermentation and the racking. The use of the barriques varies according to the structure of the wines and the grape type utilized. u

pigiatura delle uve, di fermentazione e al livello più basso quella di maturazione in legno del vino, consente il trasferimento del prodotto da una fase all'altra, per caduta naturale, per gravità, evitando così l'uso di pompe meccaniche e quindi stress per il mosto/vino. E’ un procedimento semplice ed efficace che sfrutta la gravità naturale per lo spostamento del mosto prima e poi del vino, da una fase all’altra.” E da come lo si racconta non sembrerebbe neanche cosi’ speciale, se non fosse che per applicare questo semplice concetto le cantine e le fasi di produzione devono materialmente essere su livelli diversi. E stiamo parlando di un villaggio medioevale.

Devo ammettere che inizio a subire questo fascino innegabile di un luogo allo stesso tempo storico ed estremamente giovane. Fresco, che nel rispetto di tanta cultura, si evolve ad un nuovo capitolo, con eleganza.

E poi ci sono le vigne. Quelle stesse di cui parlavamo a proposito del territorio, che sono protette da rigorose regole di densità (4500 piante per ettaro), con una produzione per pianta molto limitata. A fine agosto, dopo i diradamenti, viene lasciata una capacità di circa 1 kg di uva per singola unità. Durante la vendemmia, l’uva viene raccolta e cernita manualmente, diraspata, pigiata ed inviata nelle vasche di vinificazione per, come abbiamo detto, caduta naturale. Stesso processo applicato per il trasferimento in barricchi di rovere di Alliers, dopo la fermentazione alcoolica e la svinatura. L’utilizzo delle barriques dipende dalla struttura del vino e varia a seconda delle tipologie prodotte.

Da qui nasce “Il Borro”, vino d’eccellenza ed ambasciatore della cantina di cui porta il nome. Un blend, una composizione di Merlot u

This is how “Il Borro” is produced. A wine of excellence, an ambassador for the winery whose name it carries. A blend, made of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Syrah (10%) and Petit Verdot. It is a very ambitious grape blend, that recalls, on different terms, the beginnings of another famous supertuscan. “Il Borro” – two glasses on the Gambero Rosso for each vintage since his debut, in 1999. A great wine, offering an intense, full perfume, with notes of underbrush and spices. The colour is red, with purple tones. A wine that should be drunk in company of friends, around a dinner table. A little for the pride of showing a youthful and qualitatively excellent new wine, but mostly to breathe the perfumes that will take you back to a medieval village in which we too wish we could be, perhaps only for a few days.

From the same family, but made up from a different grape blend, is the "Pian di Nova." The Gambero Rosso called the 2004 “exuberant and expressive” and awarded it 1 glass. It is made mostly with Syrah (75%), with the balance made of Sangiovese. A very pleasant wine, with an intense perfume. It shows a fruity and spicy finish, which highlights the fullness and the drinkability that characterize it.

Of course, there had to be a wine made purely of Sangiovese.

This is Tuscany, after all. The Polissena is reminiscent of the typical elements of this region, which are carried to the nose with notes of underbrush and aromas of red berries. The colour is a vibrant ruby red; intense like its perfume. An excellent choice for red and white meats, as well as for roasts. u

(50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), Syrah (10%) e Petit Verdot. E’ un uvaggio molto ambizioso che ricorda in termini differenti gli inizi di un altro celebre vino super-toscano. “Il Borro” 2 bicchieri Gambero Rosso per ogni annata dal debutto nel 1999. Un Grande Vino che regala un profumo intenso, pieno, con note di sottobosco e sentori di spezie.

Colore rosso con riflessi purpurei. Un vino che si vuole bere in compagnia di amici, a tavola. Un pò per l’orgoglio di mostrare un vino giovane nuovo e qualitativamente eccellente, sopratutto per respirare quei profumi che riportano ad un borgo medioevale in cui vorremmo essere anche noi. Magari solo per pochi giorni.

Dalla stessa famiglia ma composto di uvaggi differenti, é il Pian Di Nova. Esuberante ed espressivo é stato definito dal Gambero Rosso per l’annata 2004 (1bicchiere), é composto in prevalenza di Syrah (75%) con saldo di Sangiovese. Un vino estremamente piacevole e dal profumo intenso. Presenta un finale fruttato e speziato, che amplifica quella pienezza e grande bevibilità che lo caratterizzano.

Non poteva mancare in Toscana un Sangiovese in purezza. Il Polissena ricorda gli elementi tipici della regione, portati all’olfatto con note di sottobosco e sentori di frutta a bacca rossa. Colore rosso rubino intenso; intenso quanto il suo profumo. Un’eccellente scelta per carni rosse, bianche, e per arrosti.

Nel futuro della cantina vi sono progetti molto interessanti che riguardano anche vini bianchi. Uno Chardonnay potrebbe rivelarsi molto difficile da fare emergere ad alti livelli, ma sicuramente interessante da affiancare alla serie dei rossi di grande carattere. Le scelte del Borro sono sempre state ambiziose, e non sarei sorpeso di vedere anche prodotti nuovi con basi francesi, ma uno sviluppo molto piu’ …toscano. u

In the future of this winery there are very interesting projects regarding white wines as well. It can be difficult for a Chardonnay to stand out at very high levels, but it sure can be interesting to have one support the line up of great character reds.

"Il Borro" isn't only a fascinating and successful winery. It also offers to visitors from across the planet a splendid agriturismo, in which art and tradition meet with nature and with rhythms more in keeping with our passions than our necessities. If you visit this marvellous Tuscan village, you might have the pleasure of tasting the dishes of the "Osteria" a restaurant managed by young and talented chefs (I cinque sensi – The five senses) trained in local schools and putting forward a cuisine "on a human scale." A phrase pronounced by these young men has struck me in a particular way, when they mentioned that their formation rises from "the perfumes and the odours of our home kitchens, in the genuine environment of our families where, since our childhood, our grandfathers passed on to us traditions that were both simple and full of country know-how, accustoming us to savour all the good things that Tuscany can offer and teaching us to tell the good things from the bad ones." Have you made reservations yet? I beat you to it… But I did even better, I enrolled in the cooking class called: Pasta, risotto and soup. If all goes well, we'll move on to the class on modern Tuscan cuisine.

The village is alive. There is the Osteria, but apartments are also available for those who care to enjoy an unforgettable experience, wake in a countryside wrapped in a golden light, admiring the trees painted through the morning fog. A holiday to taste real flavours, but also to get out of the city and find values that were almost forgotten. In the village, craftsmen live and work. The guests can u

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“Il Borro” non é solo un’affascinante cantina di successo. Oggi si propone ai visitatori di tutto il mondo come splendido agriturismo in cui l’arte e la tradizione si incontrano con la natura e con ritmi piu’ consoni alle nostre passioni che alle nostre necessità.

Se vi recate in questo meraviglioso villaggio toscano, potreste avere il piacere di gustare I piatti dell’ ”Osteria”; un ristorante gestito da giovani e talentuosi cuochi (I cinque sensi), cresciuti nelle scuole locali che propongono una cucina …”a misura d’uomo”. C’é una frase che mi ha paticolarmente colpito di questi ragazzi, quando raccontano che la loro formazione nasce “tra i profumi e odori delle cucine di casa, negli ambienti genuini delle nostre famiglie, dove fin da piccoli i nostri nonni ci hanno tramandato le tradizioni semplici ma colme di sapere della campagna, abituandoci così ad assaporare ciò che di buono la Toscana offre e insegnandoci a saper distinguere le cose buone da quelle cattive”. Avete già telefonato per riservare il tavolo? Vi ho preceduti…

Ma ho fatto anche meglio, mi sono iscritto al corso di cucina che si intitola: La Pasta, i Risotti e le Zuppe. Se tutto va bene, passeremo anche al corso sulla cucina Toscana moderna…

Il borgo vive. L’Osteria, ma anche appartamenti disponibili per chi vuole regalarsi un’esperienza indimenticabile e svegliarsi sulla campagna avvolta da una luce dorata, ammirando gli alberi pennellati dalla foschia mattutina. Una vacanza per gustare veri sapori, ma anche per uscire dalla città e ritrovare valori quasi dimenticati. Nel borgo vivono e lavorano gli artigiani. Agli ospiti vengono offerti corsi legati a quelle attività che storicamente facevano parte di un villaggio medioevale. E tanta arte, dal legno, alla pittura, oreficeria, ceramica, vetro. Sono espressioni di una generazione di artisti/artigiani che ancora ripropongono il loro talento con tanta passione in un contesto u

take part in classes teaching those activities that historically made up the every day life of a medieval village. Many crafts, from woodwork to painting, goldsmith's art, ceramic and glass. These are the expressions of a generation of craftsmen, who still display their talent with much passion, in a homely and extremely creative context.

The secret of "Il Borro" isn't very hard to grasp. It represents centuries of history, through wars and countless sacrifices, to shed light on a nature that is still genuine, true. It would be enough to simply visit the vineyards to feel part of the magic, walking across the different landscapes, driven by our curiosity and by the colours that surround us, step after step.

And understanding how it is possible for a perfume to be different in one same flower, a color more ruby if matured in a certain area, how in a little village atop a peak, in the splendid Tuscan countryside, it is nature to guide man and not the opposite. n

famigliare ed estremamente creativo.

Il segreto del Borro non é difficile da carpire. Rappresenta secoli di storia, attraverso guerre e tanti sacrifici, per dare luce ad una natura ancora genuina, vera. Basterebbe solo visitare le vigne per sentirsi parte di questa magia, attraversandone i diversi terreni, guidati dalla nostra curiosità e dai colori che ti avvolgono, passo dopo passo.

E comprendere come sia possible che un profumo sia diverso nello stesso fiore, un colore piu’ rubino se maturato in una certa area, di come in quel piccolo borgo arrampicato nella splendida Toscana, sia la natura a guidare l’uomo e non il contrario. n

My visit to "Il Borro" had many ambassadors of exception.

Laura and Gioia were extremely kind in collaborating with Panoramitalia, but a special thanks goes to the ownership, represented in excellent fashion by Salvatore Ferragamo and by one of the luminaries of the world of wine, Niccolò D'Afflitto. I asked them a few questions. I had initially thought of integrating these interviews in the text of the article, but I decided otherwise in order to propose to the readers of Panoramitalia the answers exactly in the way they were given to whom, with great interest, has listened to them.

La mia visita a “Il Borro” ha avuto diversi ambasciatori.

Laura e Gioia sono state estremamente gentili nel collaborare con la rivista Panoramitalia, ma un ringraziamento particolare va alla proprietà rappresentata in modo eccellente da Salvatore Ferragamo e da uno dei luminari nel mondo del vino, Niccolò D’Afflitto. A loro ho fatto alcune domande. Avevo pensato di integrare queste interviste con il testo dell’articolo, ma ho deciso diversamente, per proporre ai lettori di Panoramitalia le risposte esattamente come riferite a chi, con tanto interesse le ha ascoltate.

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QUESTION & ANSWER Ignazio and Niccolò D’Afflitto Q. Which is the most exciting qualitative aspect of "Il Borro"?

A. Il Borro is an exciting project because it represents a beautiful union between an enlightened ownership, always willing to invest in quality, and a diversified land, with multiple viticultural and enological vocations, in a relatively small geological area.

Q. Qual'é l'aspetto qualitativo piu' esaltante de "il Borro"?

A. Il Borro è un progetto esaltante perché rappresenta un bellissimo connubio tra una proprietà illuminata, disponibile ad investire in qualità ed un territorio variegato con molteplici vocazionalità viticole ed enologiche in un'area geologica relativamente piccola.

Q. A young winery such as "Il Borro" has proved to be foreboding of innovative ideas in the research for quality products; what is the importance of tradition and respect of history in this process?

A. The bond with the territory of the Borro has been the guiding thread of all our investments, therefore, in the areas rich with schist, more inclined to the cultivation of the primary grape type of Tuscany, Sangiovese, we planted such variety; but where the land expressed itself with more sandy or clayey soils, we preferred Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. For the vinification, we chose to build an underground cellar that respected the contour lines of the land and exploited the gravitational force to respect the grapes.

Q. Una cantina giovane come "il Borro" ha dimostrato di essere foriera di idee innovative nella ricerca di prodotti di qualità; qual'é l'importanza della tradizione e del rispetto storico in questo processo?

A. Il legame col territorio al Borro è stato il filo conduttore di tutti gli investimenti, dunque nelle zone ricche di scisti vocate alla coltivazione della varietà regina da sempre in Toscana, il Sangiovese abbiamo piantato questa varietà; ma dove il territorio si esprimeva con terreni sabbiosi o argillosi abbiamo preferito Cabernet sauvignon o Merlot.

In vinificazione la cantina é stata costruita interrata rispettando le curve di livello del terreno e sfruttando la forza di gravità per il rispetto delle uve.

Q. A great wine is destined for success, but on which table?

A. This is the difference between a great wine and a good wine: great wine has success on all tables, because of its complexity, concentration and elegance, which allow it to reap a unanimous success.

Q. What do you look for in a wine? Or, even better, what would you suggest readers of Panoramitalia to look for in a wine?

A. Wine, with its personality, should be an ambassador of a message, it should be the reflection of a territory and of its pedoclimatic characteristics, with a proper interpretation of the estate. Therefore, typicality, with characteristics that are constant through time and reflect a specific area.

Q. Un grande vino é destinato al successo, ma su quale tavola?

A. Questa è la differenza tra un grande vino ed un buon vino: il grande vino ha successo su tutte le tavole perchè ha una complessità, concentrazione ed eleganza che raccoglie un successo unanime.

Q. Cosa cerca in un vino? O meglio, cosa suggerisce ai lettori di Panoramitalia di cercare in un vino?

A. Il vino con la sua personalità deve essere ambasciatore di un messaggio, deve essere il riflesso di un territorio e delle sue caratteristiche pedoclimatiche, con la dovuta interpretazione della proprietà. Dunque tipicità, con caratteri costanti nel tempo e riflesso di una zona ben specifica.

QUESTION & ANSWER Ignazio and Salvatore Ferragamo Q. How do you reconcile the search for aesthetic value, typical of the Ferragamo production, with the search for a product of inherent quality such as wine?

A. One thing's for sure, refinement and a natural sense for good taste are indispensable in fashion just as they are in the world of wine. A quest for style and quality, supported by commitment and steadfastness, in order to give birth to something distinctive and of relevance, to be remembered in time. We also should emphasize that the Borro's estate, purchased by my father in 1993, after completely falling in love with this magical place, represents the realization of a dream for both of us, and for me a true choice of lifestyle, this is why we insisted that the estate remained a distinct reality, separated from our fashion sector and, therefore, from the Salvatore Ferragamo SpA; It's the Borro, simply and solely our dream, that everyone can appreciate.

Q. Come si concilia la ricerca del valore estetico tipica della produzione Ferragamo, con la ricerca di un prodotto di qualità intrinseca come il vino?

A. E’ certo che ricercatezza e un naturale senso del gusto sono indispensabili nella moda come nel settore vitivinicolo. Ricerca di stile e qualità sostenuti da impegno e costanza, per dar vita a qualcosa di significativo e particolare, da ricordare nel tempo. Ma bisogna sottolineare che la tenuta del Borro, acquistata da mio padre nel 1993, a seguito di un totale innamoramento per questo luogo magico, rappresenta un sogno per entrambi e per me una vera e propria scelta di vita ed è per questo che abbiamo assolutamente voluto che la tenuta rappresentasse una realtà a se, separata dal settore della moda e quindi dalla Salvatore Ferragamo SpA; è il Borro, solo e semplicemente il nostro sogno, che tutti possono apprezzare.

Q. What has been the international response to a winery that is extremely young both in terms of management and production, such as "Il Borro"?

A. Our production is destined, in balanced proportions, to three main markets, the United States, Asia and Europe. Our objective is to be present with "il Borro" on the best marketplaces around the world, and this has been possible so far mainly thanks to the enthusiasm that foreign markets have shown towards our products, hence stimulating even more our constant search for quality. But let's not forget the importance of the Italian market, let alone our region, where it's essential to maintain the presence of a regional product, for a rightful valorization of the Tuscan territory.

Q. Qual'e' la risposta internazionale di fronte ad una cantina estremamente giovane in termini di gestione e di prodotti come "il Borro"?

A. La nostra produzione è destinata in percentuali equilibrate in tre mercati principali, Stati Uniti, Asia ed Europa. Il nostro obiettivo è quello di essere presenti con il Borro, nelle migliori piazze mondiali e questo fino ad oggi è stato possibile, soprattutto grazie all’entusiasmo che il mercato estero ha manifestato nei confronti del nostro prodotto, così da stimolare ancor di più la nostra costante ricerca qualitativa.

Ma non scordiamoci l’importanza del mercato italiano, nonché la nostra regione di appartenenza, dove è essenziale garantire la presenza di un prodotto regionale, per una giusta valorizzazione del territorio Toscana.

Q. Is the wine marketplace being handed over to a new generation?

A. More than a transfer of authority, one should wish for a synergy between tradition and innovation, looking to tomorrow while respecting what has been done yesterday. This is why, the dream that is mine and my father's, lives in the long history of an estate, the Borro, that narrates the events of valorous men, that have gone to great lengths for this land. And what we hope for today is that the Borro could reach the highest levels of success, both in the production of wine and in the agrituristic hospitality, in total respect and valorization of a land with a millenarian history. n

Q. Il mercato del vino sta passando le consegne ad una nuova generazione?

A. Più che passaggio di consegne bisogna auspicare ad una sinergia tra tradizione ed innovazione, guardare al domani nel rispetto di quanto è stato fatto ieri. Non a caso il sogno mio e di mio padre, vive nella lunga storia di una tenuta, quella del Borro, che narra antiche vicende di uomini valorosi che tanto hanno fatto per questa terra. Ed oggi quello che ci auspichiamo è che il Borro, sia nella produzione del vino, che nell’ospitalità agrituristica, riesca presto a raggiungere le vette più alte del successo, nel totale rispetto e nella valorizzazione di un territorio dalla storia millenaria. n

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

A

F UL L HEART NICHOLAS D I TEMPORA

By Shauna Hardy Success stories fascinate me. I am always moved by a person’s determination to turn a dream into reality despite obstacles that might turn others away. I have come to recognize that people who achieve their dreams share many characteristics – they are passionate, confident, persistent and talented. And while the road to success is always an intriguing one, I am even more curious about what happens once a person attains their goal. Is that accomplishment a final destination or simply a stop along the way to greater things? Nicholas Di Tempora is certainly the definition of a successful man. Along with being the honorary chairman of the board for MAPEI Americas, Di Tempora enjoyed considerable success as a real estate developer. Dreams were never ephemeral imaginings for Di Tempora; instead they were concrete goals that were imminently attainable. “I have enormous faith in life and in myself,” he explains humbly. “Everything that I have wanted in life, I knew that I could work for it and that I would be able to get it.”

His resume, studded with accomplishments and accolades attracts attention during our interview, but it is Di Tempora’s heartfelt generosity that truly occupies centre stage.

Life was challenging from the get go for Di Tempora.

He was born in Campobasso on the same day the war started. His father, who was in the army, was imprisoned for five years, and the young boy would only meet him when he was 6-years-old. Times were extremely tough after the war and with little work and no hope for the future, the family decided to immigrate when Di Tempora was 11-years-old. Thanks to a sponsorship from a distant cousin, Montreal became the destination point.

Two values dominated home life on Grand Boulevard. While the household budget might have been tight, his mother, Eleonora, always donated money, sending it back to Italy to the children of Rome.

From his father, Giuseppe, who worked the night shift at the bakery, Di Tempora learned the importance of hard work. “I can never remember a time when I wasn’t working two jobs,” he says matter of factly.

Di Tempora’s passion for real estate began while working with Esso. After working as a sales representative, Di Tempora was

promoted to the real estate department where he was responsible for opening new stations and closing unprofitable ones.

His instincts in the field were strong and his enjoyment was obvious. Craving new challenges, Di Tempora eventually left the job to open his own real estate venture company, specializing in speculating and developing commercial and industrial real estate.

Mix passion and intelligence, add a heavy dose of drive and you’ve got a recipe for success. In 1982, Di Tempora’s company was flourishing to such an extent that he moved to Arizona and actually contemplated retirement. But succumbing to a completely leisurely lifestyle just wasn’t an option for a man who loves to have a project.

The entrepreneur entered into discussions with MAPEI, an Italian-based company regarded as a leader in the floor covering installation industry.

Di Tempora’s experience in real estate development, his Italian heritage and long-time residency in Canada was the perfect formula for MAPEI. Di Tempora initiated expansion in the US and Canada as well as opening up new markets in the Carribbean and South America. As President of MAPEI Americas, he was responsible for all of the company’s operations in the Western Hemisphere.

Mix passion and intelligence, add a heavy dose of drive and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Under his watchful eye, the gradual expansion on this side of the globe yielded huge financial growth - earning $275,000 in the first year and ballooning to over $230 million today. Seven years ago, Di Tempora spearheaded the initiative to move the company headquarters from Texas to Florida, where they are presently located in Deerfield Beach. Di Tempora would always take time to make frequent u

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 31

trips back to Montreal to visit the Canadian head offices and to continue nurturing his strong ties to the city’s Italian community. Now retired, he still occupies the position of honorary chairman of the board for MAPEI Americas.

As we trace the arc of his business career, one thing becomes apparent – Di Tempora is insistent upon crediting the contributions of those that surround him.

“The key to running a business is earning the respect of those that you work with,” he explains. “I do a lot for the people that work for me, I consider them a part of my family.”

But Di Tempora’s kindness and generosity extend miles beyond the corporate reach. They are truly the essence of the man. “I’m in the autumn of my life and I want to give back,” he says quietly. “Children and immigrants, these are my weaknesses.” The causes that

You needed to be with your own – you needed that sense of identification and comfort.”

Di Tempora currently acts as co-president for the joint fundraising campaign for the Casa d’Italia. While the institution is a monument to the Italian immigrant community of Montreal, Di Tempora believes that it has not been able to keep up with the needs of the community. “People used to come here for connection – it was a place to exchange leads for work, volunteers were there to help fill out forms for those who weren’t comfortable with the language. But these needs no longer need to be fulfilled, they are outmoded and outdated. We need to find ways to bring the community back to the Casa, things like a museum and a kindergarten. These are my roots,” he finishes passionately. “My ambition is to awaken the pride in the younger generation – it’s such a wonderful thing to share.”

Thoughts of the younger generation are constantly on Di Tempora’s mind. While living in Arizona, he befriended a family who had five children. Times were tough for the family and they were forced to live out of their car. More than simply giving them money, Di Tempora would pay weekly visits to spend some time with them. “The first time that I took them shopping, I told the children that they could buy anything that they liked.

The first thing one of them bought was rat poison - that was their reality. We all have so much to give to those that are less fortunate than we are. Children are a gift from god,” he finishes emotionally. “They don’t ask for misery. I go out of my way to do what I can for children.”

Another cause that lies close to Di Tempora’s heart is Boy’s Town of Italy. The charity began after the Second World War when Monsignor John Patrick Carroll-Abbing started setting up a shelter for orphaned boys who had no where to go. After a few months, the boys were willing to move with him to Civitavecchia, the ancient port of Rome, where they all founded the first Boys’ Town of Italy. These self-governing, democratic communities offer shelter, education and a chance at life for children of all nationalities, creeds and races. Replacing hopelessness and loneliness with more constructive and positive values, children learn about responsibility, democracy and leadership. They become well-adjusted positive citizens imbued with a sense of love as well as self-worth. Di Tempora tells me that while each child is offered shelter until the age of 18, many find the experience so fulfilling that they return to get married in the local community church. On his last visit to Boy’s Town, Di Tempora was named an honorary citizen. “It’s really an experience that you need to live. Everybody should visit this place at least once in their lifetime,” he says enthusiastically. Di Tempora takes time out of his busy schedule to also sit on the Dean’s Executive Council at the Florida Atlantic University School of Business. In addition, he is a guest lecturer, an experience that he finds deeply fulfilling. “We have honest conversations about what business students can expect when they enter the real world,” he explains.

“It’s better than making $100,000 profit! I don’t teach, I just talk and then the students ask me questions. It’s a conversation and it’s just amazing!” Not long ago, Di Tempora was given a great distinction – he was named 2005’s “Man of the Year” during the 60th anniversary of Boys’ Towns of Italy. While the honour put him squarely in the spotlight, Di Tempora remains modest about the accolade. “I am humbled,” he says simply. “I would have done it anyway. There was never a goal or ulterior motive; it just makes me feel good. People look at you in a different light, with a different level of respect when you are committed to something. I really just want to be regarded as a man who has helped children in need.” Boys’ Town founder Monsignor Carroll-Abbing was often quoted as saying that “the secret of happiness is to love and the essence of love is to serve.” Nick Di Tempora has certainly taken this credo to heart. n

“My ambition is to awaken the pride in the younger generation – it’s such a wonderful thing to share.”

Di Tempora has taken on, strike a chord deep within the man. They are deeply personal choices based upon his life experiences.

Growing up as an immigrant, Di Tempora felt the uneasy pull of having two feet in two cultures. “You were never truly accepted as a Canadian,” he explains.

“But you didn’t want to lose your roots or your language in order to fit in. This country has been extremely good to me – we had to fight our way through the unpopular welcome and turned it into a positive. We have earned our respect. I’m very proud to be a part of this community.

But growing up, small sections of Italian community were created by need.

32 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Commissioned artwork on Mr. Di Tempora’s retirement by Geraldo Pace.

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

By Nicoletta Moncalero and Mario Salvini

hen travelling through Italy, in every city, even in the smallest village, if you stop and wonder, all you need is a little sensibility and you can imagine yourself in a different age. You can dip yourself in history. There are areas, regions, in which you could almost choose randomly: every place has its marvels and its suggestions ready. Nevertheless, even in such an endless selection of art and history, if you ask an Italian where he truly felt in touch with the past, he would have no hesitation: Siena is pure medieval harmony, unaltered through the centuries.

Anyone who's heard about it, even if only once, can quickly make the connection: the city of the Palio. Yes, of course, the Palio and so much more. Like its gothic architecture, per example, intact, protected through the centuries with a care and intelligence that are unique even for Italy's standards. Walking through the narrow and often incredibly steep alleys, one can't see much difference from what a Sienese, or any walker by, could have seen in the 1500s. The same houses, the same spire windows, the stones and the paved roads on which the history of this proud and beautiful city has slipped by. One might even thinks that the tables of the "osterie," where one can eat like a king and drink perhaps even better, are the same on which might have eaten our forefathers, six or seven hundred years ago.

And the funny thing is that this doesn't happen only on certain streets, or in restricted areas. The whole urban plan, still surrounded by its medieval walls, is like this: unaltered and yet by no means cloying. Not for one minute one can get the feeling of being in a fake atmosphere. Come to think of it, this is the most amazing aspect of it. One never feels like in Disneyland, for a very simple reason: Siena doesn't live for the tourists. u

W

iri l’Italia e ad ogni città, persino in ogni più piccolo villaggio, se ti fermi a pensare, ti basta un minimo di sensibilità per immaginarti in un’altra epoca. Per intingerti nella storia.

Ci sono zone, regioni, in cui potresti persino scegliere a caso: ogni posto ha pronte le sue suggestioni e le sue meraviglie. Eppure anche lì, in quella sterminata scelta di arte e storia, se chiedi a un italiano in quale posto si sia sentito veramente in simbiosi col passato, il vostro interlocutore non avrà dubbi: Siena è Medioevo puro, armonia immutata nei secoli.

Chiunque ne abbia sentito parlare anche solo una volta avrà già pronto il collegamento: la città del Palio. Certamente sì, il Palio, e molto altro. L’architettura gotica, per esempio, intatta, salvaguardata attraverso i secoli con una cura e un’ intelligenza uniche persino per l’Italia. Cammini per i vicoli stretti, spesso ripidissimi, e non vedi molte cose diverse da quelle che avrebbe visto un senese o un viandante del 1500. Le stesse case, le medesime finestre a cuspide, le pietre e le strade lastricate su cui è scivolata via la storia di questa città bellissima e fiera. Ti verrebbe da pensare che persino i tavolacci delle osterie, dove si mangia divinamente e si beve persino meglio, siano gli stessi su cui potrebbe aver pranzato un tuo antenato di sei o settecento anni fa.

E il bello è che non ti succede solo in poche strade o in una zona ristretta. Tutta la pianta urbana ancora racchiusa tra le mura medievali è così: immutata, eppure per nulla stucchevole.

Nemmeno per attimo ti può venire il dubbio di essere in un’atmosfera finta. A ben pensarci è questo l’aspetto più strabiliante. Non ti senti a Disneyland per una ragione molto semplice: Siena non vive per i turisti. u

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P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 39

Every day, and rightfully so, foreigners and Italians arrive in large numbers. And they are welcome, too. Welcomed by the kindness and the genuine likeability typical of Tuscany. But the urban economy has its alternatives and one gets the impression that the plans and the projects are thought more for the inhabitants than for the tourists. Except that, the taste, the sensibility and the intelligence of those who, through the years, have managed everything public, coincided in the end with the functionality and the charm for those who come from the outside. Furthermore, the real secret is that no one has stopped to bask in the memories. Siena is also a modern city, the first in Italy to be completely cabled. One will not see even a single satellite dish on the roofs, but thousands of kilometres of fiber optics run under its streets.

It now is primordial to talk about this harmony, to try to explain the wonder that is widespread, street after street, in small squares and tiny churches, even before the more renowned monuments, which are also extraordinary. Over all, Il Campo, the shell-shaped main square. It's enormous, if you compare it to the narrow boroughs that are embedded all around it. Concave, to give a chance to the tens of thousands who fill it to watch the Palio, to see the horses race around its perimeter. The Sienese simply call it "Campo," because in fact, right there, in the middle of the city, there used to be a field. Right up to the day when, il Governo dei Nove (the Government of Nine – 1287-1355) decided to transform it in a real square. Overlooked by what is today, more than any other, the symbol of the city: la Torre dei Mangia (1325) which, standing 88 meters tall, is the emblem of municipal liberty. Symbol of the liberation from feudal powers of a city who, throughout the Middle Ages, was proudly "Ghibellina," or loyal to the Emperor and, therefore, opposed to the "Guelfa" city of Florence, loyal to the Pope. The two cities were at war for u

Di stranieri e italiani ne arrivano tanti ogni giorno, tantissimi, come è ovvio e giusto. E sono anche i benvenuti, accolti dalla gentilezza e dalla schietta simpatia tipiche della Toscana. Ma l’economia cittadina ha le sue alternative e l’impressione è che piani e progetti siano pensati più in funzione degli abitanti che non dei turisti. Solo che il gusto, la sensibilità e l’intelligenza, di chi attraverso gli anni ha gestito la cosa pubblica, hanno finito per coincidere con la funzionalità e il fascino per chi arriva da fuori. Di più: il segreto vero è che nessuno si è fermato a crogiolarsi sui ricordi. Siena è anche una città moderna, la prima, in Italia, ad essere stata completamente cablata. Sui suoi tetti non vedi nemmeno un’antenna parabolica, sotto le sue strade corrono migliaia di chilometri di fibra ottica.

Diventa prioritario raccontare di questa armonia, per cercare di spiegare una meraviglia che è diffusa, strada per strada, nelle piccole piazze, nelle chiesette minuscole, prima ancora che nei monumenti più noti che pure sono straordinari. Su tutti Il Campo, ovvero la piazza principale, a forma di conchiglia. Enorme, se la si paragona agli stretti borghi che le si snodano tutt’attorno. Concava, per dar modo alle decina di migliaia di persone che la riempiono per il palio, di vedere i cavalli che filano via lungo il suo perimetro. I senesi la chiamano solo Campo, perché davvero lì, nel bel mezzo della città, una volta c’era un prato. Fino a quando il Governo dei Nove (1287-1355) decise di trasformarlo in una piazza vera e propria. Sovrastata da quello che oggi è più di ogni altro il simbolo della città: la Torre del Mangia (1325) che coi suoi 88 metri di altezza è l’emblema della libertà comunale.

Dell’affrancamento dal potere feudale di una città che per tutto il Medioevo è stata fieramente ghibellina, vale a dire fedele all’imperatore.

E dunque contrapposta alla guelfa u

centuries. The final victory of Florence would result in the conditions we can witness today. Florence, the capital of the Gran Ducato di Toscana (Great Duchy of Tuscany) and, for a short period, also of the Italian Kingdom, is a small metropolis, beautiful, but a metropolis nonetheless. Siena's defeat, in 1555, caused the loss of its Republic and, closed within its walls, the city remained the jewel that it's always been. Just as the rivalry between the two cities remained unaltered. Parochialism, or "campanilismo" as it's called in Italy, a longing to show to the neighbouring town, that one's own bell tower ("campanile") is taller than the other's. Well, nowhere else is this "campanilismo" felt as strongly as in Tuscany. From it derive rivalries that divide neighbouring cities, such as the renowned one between Pisa and Livorno. But the one between Florence and Siena certainly isn't outdone by any other rivalry. It's still not uncommon to hear a Sienese describe a Florence native as a "Guelfo" just as his ancestors might have done six or seven centuries earlier. This, too, is a sign that among the stones of Siena, history hasn't completely passed us by.

One can realize this climbing the steps of the "Duomo" (the Cathedral), looking up, entranced by the beauty of a church, built between 1285 and 1296, that is a masterpiece of Italian gothic.

Admiring the remarkable pattern of black and white stripes (the colour of the city's coat of arms, but also of its football team), the statues and the fine marbles that ornate the façade. And then, once inside, the unique floor, with its 56 square marble panels, inlaid with mythological figures and scenes from the Old Testament. Sacred and profane, myths, legends and deeply-rooted traditions, felt as strongly as perhaps nowhere else in the world. One would realize this by visiting the Duomo on a 16th of August, when, right after the end of the Palio, the men and women of the winning "contrada" (quarter) with their flags and the traditional handkerchief around their necks, burst in triumphantly carrying the jockey. There, in the church that represents the city's unity, to show off before the people of the other "contrade," the allied ones, but most of all the rivals ones. Singing their own anthem and then the Te Deum, giving thanks to the Lord for the victory. Today, exactly like seven centuries ago. u

Firenze, leale al Papa. Per secoli le due città si fecero guerra. La supremazia finale dei fiorentini si sarebbe poi tradotta nelle condizioni che vediamo oggi. Firenze, capitale del Gran Ducato di Toscana e per un breve periodo anche del Regno d’Italia, è una piccola metropoli, splendida, ma pur sempre metropoli. La sconfitta Siena che nel 1555 vide cadere la Repubblica cittadina, chiusa tra le sue mura, è rimasta lo stesso gioiello che è stata. Così come è rimasta, per certi versi immutata, la rivalità tra i due centri. Campanilismo, lo chiamano in Italia, smania di mostrare al vicino che il campanile della propria chiesa è più alto del suo. Ebbene, da nessuna altra parte, il campanilismo è forte e sentito come in Toscana, dal quale derivano le rivalità che dividono città vicine. Chiunque potrebbe citarvi quella celeberrima tra Pisa e Livorno. Ma anche quella tra Siena e Firenze non è da meno. Non è poi così strano sentire un senese che definisce un fiorentino “guelfo”, esattamente come avrebbe fatto un suo avo sei o sette secoli fa. E anche questo è un segno che tra le pietre di Siena la storia non è mai passata del tutto.

Ve ne rendete conto quando salite i gradini della scalinata del Duomo, col naso all’insù, incantati dalla meraviglia di quella chiesa che è un capolavoro del gotico italiano, costruita tra il 1285 e il 1296. Ammirando il singolare motivo a strisce bianche e nere orizzontali (i colori dello stemma cittadino, ma anche della maglia della squadra di calcio), le statue e i marmi che ornano la facciata. E poi, una volta entrati, quel pavimento unico al mondo, coi suoi 56 riquadri di marmo intarsiati con figure mitologiche e scene del Vecchio Testamento. Sacro e profano, miti, leggende e tradizioni radicate, sentite come forse in nessun altra parte al Mondo. Ve ne rendereste conto se in quel Duomo vi capitasse di entrare il 16 di agosto, quando, appena finito il Palio, gli uomini e le donne della contrada vincente, con le bandiere e il loro fazzoletto al collo, irrompono di corsa, col fantino portato in trionfo. Lì, nella chiesa che rappresenta l’unità cittadina, per farsi ammirare da quelli di tutte le altre contrade, quelle amiche e soprattutto quelle nemiche. Cantando il proprio inno e poi il Te Deum di ringraziamento, grati al Signore per la vittoria. Oggi come sette secoli fa. u

T he P alio

Let's make something clear right away: the Palio is anything but folklore. The 75 seconds that the horses need to race the three laps around the Campo, on the 2nd of July and the 16th of August, in fact, last all year round. Because life takes place in the contrade, the quarters, or neighbourhoods, which divide the city. Each one has its church, its fountain, in which every baby receives his contrada's baptism. Each one also has an office which, in the end, is not much different from any club: where people play cards, organize trips and excursions and meet to watch football games on giant screens. But with a passion and an extraordinary mission: the one for the Palio. It would take a book to tell everything there is to tell about the Palio. To try and summarize is to run the risk of leaving out important details and not stressing adequately the attraction of a race that is absolutely unique. But we'll try anyway.

The contrade are 17 and they are very ancient, going back to the Renaissance. However, only 10 of them take place on the square for each Palio. These are the 7 that were left out the previous year, plus three which are chosen by luck of the draw. And the same happens on the 16th of August. The ceremony and the way the approach to the race is lived have an incomparable power of seduction. Starting from the draw of the three lucky contrade. Then, the secret negotiations to enrol a skilled jockey (they are always the same, famous, in great demand, loved and loathed, just like the stars in other sports). The horses are assigned to each contrada by draw too, this is called the "tratta" and it gives place to the most important decision: if the Barbary (the horses are all from this breed) is considered a winner, based upon the results of the other palios in the province, one "goes to win," in other words a contrada can aim for victory. If, instead, the horse isn't worthy of trust, the people will decide to race against a rival contrada, because all the contrade (or almost) have one or more loyal allies, but also one or two sworn enemies. And there is no bigger disgrace than the victory of the Palio by a rival contrada.

Victory justifies any means: corruption, flogging (to strike a rival with the "frustino" or riding whip), which the jockeys exchange on the starting line. There are also people who would go as far as to sedate the horse of a rival contrada, this is why, after the "tratta," a group of people from each contrada never leave their horse out of their sight, they keep watch, they nurse him, they feed him. And the morning of the Palio, they take the horse to church, to receive the blessings of the contrada's priest.

Before the Palio, test runs take place on the tuff track that is set up on the edges of the Campo. Meanwhile, the tension rises, and clashes between boys or men of rival contrade aren't uncommon. The evening of the "Prova generale," a sort of dress rehearsal, people in u

Il P alio

Spieghiamo subito una cosa: il palio è tutto fuorché folklore. I 75 secondi che impiegano i cavalli a fare tre volte il giro del Campo, il 2 luglio e il 16 di agosto, in realtà durano tutto l’anno. Perché nelle Contrade, ovvero i rioni in cui è divisa la città, si vive la quotidianità.

Ognuna ha la sua chiesa, la sua fontana, dove ad ogni bimbo viene fatto il battesimo da contradaiolo. E ovviamente una sede che alla fin fine non è diversa da quella di un qualsiasi altro circolo: dove si gioca a carte, si organizzano gite ed escursioni, ci si ritrova a vedere le partite di calcio al maxi-schermo. Ma con in più una passione e una missione straordinarie: quella per il palio. Ci vorrebbe un libro intero per raccontare tutto. A provarci in sunto si rischia di tralasciare particolari importanti e di non far avvertire l’ attrazione di una corsa unica al Mondo. Ma ci proviamo ugualmente.

Le contrade sono 17, antichissime, risalgono al Rinascimento. In piazza però ad ogni palio ne vanno solo 10. Corrono il palio di luglio le 7 escluse l’anno precedente, più tre estratte a sorte. E lo stesso avviene il 16 agosto. Il cerimoniale e il modo di vivere l’avvicinamento alla corsa hanno un potere di seduzione impagabili. A partire dalla estrazione a sorte delle tre Contrade fortunate. E poi via via nelle trattative segrete per assicurarsi un fantino di valore (sono sempre gli stessi, celebri, richiesti, amati e odiati come le stelle dello sport). C’è poi il momento della tratta, l’assegnazione, sempre a sorte, dei cavalli alle varie contrade. Da cui dipende la decisione più importante: se il berbero (i cavalli sono tutti di quella razza) è ritenuto buono in base ai palii corsi in provincia, si “va a vincere”, si punta cioè alla vittoria. Se invece non merita la fiducia, si cerca di far perdere la Contrada avversaria, perché tutte (o quasi) le Contrade hanno una o più alleate fidate, ma anche una o due nemiche acerrime. E una loro vittoria è un’onta insopportabile.

Per riuscirci vale tutto: la corruzione, le nerbate (i colpi di frustino) che i fantini si scambiano sui canapi di partenza. C’è anche chi potrebbe sedare il cavallo dell’avversario: per questo dal momento della tratta un gruppo di contradaioli non perde mai di vista il proprio berbero, lo vegliano, lo accudiscono e lo nutrono. E la mattina del palio lo accompagnano in chiesa, dove il parroco provvede alla sua benedizione.

Prima del Palio si fanno varie prove sulla pista in tufo che viene allestita su bordi di piazza del Campo. Intanto la tensione cresce, e non sono infrequenti scontri tra ragazzi e uomini di contrade nemiche. La sera della prova generale in ogni contrada, anche quelle che non corrono, si montano tavoli per le strade e si cena tutti insieme. Si calcola che u

Il P

each contrada, even the ones not taking part in the race, dine together on tables that are set up in the streets. It is estimated that, in the streets of Siena, some 25000 people eat, sing and chant hymns and profane prayers, and make toasts, many toasts!

The day of the Palio, the atmosphere is electric. In the morning, the jockey's Mass is celebrated, after which takes place the umpteenth trial. Then, in each of the 17 contrade, the "Comparse", or historical figures, dress up in their traditional costumes for the "Corteo storico" the historic cortege. They will parade on the Campo, along the track: playing their drums, waving and tossing their flags. The lucky ones, selected by their contrada for this event, will have been practicing months in the squares of the city.

When the horses enter the Campo, some fifty or sixty thousand people are already waiting in the centre of the square. About 75 seconds are all it takes to complete the prophetic three laps. Often with disastrous falls, in the turns of the Casato and of San Martino (where protection mattresses are set up). Sometimes, jockeys get thrown off: but it doesn't matter, because the horse can win even if it is "scosso," or without a rider.

"Scosso" or mounted, as soon as a horse crosses the finish line, right under the judges' box, people from the winning contrada race under the box to request with loud shouts the "drappellone" or the "palio" a big drape, often painted by famous artists (in a recent past, also by the likes of Guttuso, Sassu, Fiume). With the palio well in sight and the jockey triumphantly on their shoulders, the people from the winning contrada run to the Basilica of S. Maria di Provenzano, on the 2nd of July, or to the Duomo, on the 16th of August: to chant the Te Deum. An then, on with the partying, which will last weeks. Already, on the night of the victory, no one sleeps: people improvise corteges along the streets of the city's core, with standard bearers and drums, while the horse enjoys unlimited amounts of sweets and care. The following day, the first celebration dinner is organized, with long tables set up in the middle of the streets. Corteges of sneer at the rival contrade take place. These scenes will go on until the real Victory dinner, which takes place only a few weeks later, after the celebrations organized by the committees nominated by the contrada. There will be sketches to mock the rivals, some rather impressive drinking binges, speeches by the contrada's Captain and the jockey. All around, hundreds and hundreds of people from the contrada, seated at the tables along the streets.

At the head of the table, the true protagonist: the winning horse, with his own bucket of forage and hay. u

nelle vie di Siena, tutti comodamente seduti a tavola, mangino non meno di 25.000 contradaioli, tra canti, inni, preghiere profane e brindisi, molti brindisi.

Il giorno del palio l’atmosfera è elettrica. Al mattino viene celebrata la Messa del fantino, poi l’ennesima prova. Quindi in ciascuna delle 17 contrade le Comparse del corte storico cominciano la vestizione coi loro costumi d’epoca. Per sfilare poi sul Campo, lungo la pista: suonando i tamburi, volteggiando e roteando le bandiere. Attività per cui i fortunati prescelti dalla varie contrade già da mesi si allenano nelle piazzette cittadine.

Quando i cavalli entrano nel Campo, in mezzo alla piazza ci sono 50-60mila persone. A compiere i tre giri fatidici impiegano all’incirca 75 secondi. Spesso con cadute rovinose alle curve del Casato e di San Martino (dove vengono appoggiai materassi di protezione). A volte i fantini vengono disarcionati: ma non importa, il cavallo può vincere anche “scosso”, vale a dire da solo.

Scosso o montato, non appena il cavallo taglia il traguardo sotto il palco dei Giudici, i contradaioli vincenti corrono sotto il palco a richiedere a gran voce il drappellone, ovvero il palio, una tela dipinta spesso da pittori celebri (in un recente passato anche da Guttuso, Sassu, Fiume). Col palio in vista, il fantino in trionfo sulle spalle, i contradaioli vittoriosi corrono alla Basilica di S.Maria di Provenzano se è il 2 luglio, al Duomo se è il 16 agosto: per cantare il Te Deum di ringraziamento. E poi via con le feste che dureranno per settimane. Già la notte stessa del trionfo in Contrada con si dorme: si improvvisano cortei con alfieri e tamburini lungo le vie del centro, mentre il cavallo si gode attenzioni e dolci offerti a volontà. Il giorno successivo si allestisce la prima delle cene di celebrazione, ovviamente con lunghi tavolacci montati lungo nelle strade. E partono i cortei di scherno nei confronti delle contrade nemiche. Scene che si ripeteranno fino alla Cena della Vittoria vera e propria, che si terrà dopo qualche settimana, preceduta da celebrazioni allestite da varie commissioni nominate in Contrada. Ci saranno scenette per sbeffeggiare i nemici, solenni bevute, discorsi del capitano di Contrada e del fantino. Attorno, centinaia e centinaia di contradaioli, ancora una volta a tavola lungo la strada.

E al posto d’onore, il vero grande protagonista: il cavallo vincitore, a tavola anche lui, col suo bravo secchio di biada e fieno. u

P alio P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 43

T he Contrade

Aquila (Eagle): yellow-black; allied with Civetta and Drago; rival of Pantera.

Chiocciola (Snail): yellow-red; allied with Bruco, Istrice, Pantera and Selva; rival of Tartuca.

Onda (Wave): white-azure; allied with Nicchio, Tartuca, and Valdimontone; rival of Torre.

Pantera (Panther): red-azure; allied with Chiocciola, Civetta, Giraffa and Leocorno; rival of Aquila.

Selva (Forest): green-orange; allied with Chiocciola and Tartuca; it has no official rivalries.

Tartuca (Turtle): yellow-purple; allied with Leocorno, Onda, Nicchio and Selva; rival of Chiocciola.

Civetta (Owl): red-black; allied with Aquila, Istrice, Giraffa and Pantera; rival of Leocorno.

Leocorno (Unicorn): white-orange; allied with Bruco, Pantera, and Tartuca; rival of Civetta.

Nicchio (Shell): azure-red-yellow; allied with Bruco, Onda, and Tartuca; rival of Valdimontone Torre (Tower): crimson red; allied with Bruco; rival of Oca. Valdimontone (Ram): yellow-red; allied with Onda; rival of Nicchio.

Bruco (Caterpillar): yellow-green; allied with Chiocciola, Istrice, Leocorno, Nicchio, Torre; it has no official rivalries (but doesn't have any official relations with Oca) Drago (Dragon): green-red; allied with Aquila; it has no official rivalries.

Giraffa (Giraffe): red-white; allied with Civetta, Istrice and Pantera; it has no official rivalries.

Istrice (Porcupine): white-red-black-blue; allied with Bruco, Civetta, Chiocciola and Giraffa; rival of Lupa.

Lupa (She-wolf): white-black-orange; it has no allies; rival of Bruco.

Oca (Goose): white-green; it has no allies; rival of Torre (but doesn't have any official relations with Bruco).

Aquila

Nicchio

Chiocciola

Torre

Onda

Valdimontone

On the road

Le Contrade

Aquila: giallo-nero, alleate Civetta e Drago; nemica Pantera Chiocciola: giallo-rosso, alleate Bruco, Istrice, Pantera e Selva; nemica Tartuca Onda: bianco-celeste, alleate Nicchio, Tartuca, Valdimontone; nemica Torre Pantera: rosso-celeste; alleate Chiocciola, Civetta, Giraffa, Leocorno; nemica Aquila Selva: verde-arancio; alleate Chiocciola e Tartufa; non ha nemici Tartuca: giallo-viola; alleate Leocorno, Onda, Nicchio e Selva; nemica Chiocciola Civetta: rosso-nero; alleate Aquila, Istrice, Giraffa e Pantera; nemica Leocorno Leocorno: bianco-arancio; alleate Bruco, Pantera, Tartuca; nemica Civetta Nicchio: azzurro-rosso-giallo; alleate Bruco, Onda, Tartuca; nemica Valdimontone Torre: Rosso cremisi; alleata Bruco; nemica Oca Valdimontone: giallo-rosso; alleate Onda, nemica Nicchio Bruco: giallo-verde; alleate Chiocciola, Istrice, Leocorno, Nicchio, Torre; non ha nemici (ma non ha relazioni ufficiali con l’Oca) Drago: verde-rosso; alleata Aquila, non ha nemici Giraffa: rosso-bianco; alleate Civetta, Istrice, Pantera; non ha nemici Istrice: bianco-rosso-nero-blu; alleate Bruco, Civetta, Chiocciola, Giraffa; nemica Lupa Lupa: bianco-nero-arancio; non ha alleati, nemica Istrice Oca: bianco-verde; non ha alleate, nemica Torre (non ha relazioni ufficiali con il Bruco)

Pantera

Bruco

Selva

Drago

Once you've left Siena behind, all around, you are spoilt for choice. Everywhere, there are things to see, to taste, to admire. Any guide can confirm this with data, addresses, historical facts. But it is even more enjoyable to lose yourself in villages not mentioned by the travel book you bought: to discover that there too, you'll find a fourteenth century Abbey, an ancient library, an old monastery that's been turned in a bed & breakfast, a winery with enormous casks in which wine has been produced for who knows how many centuries.

Head North West, towards Florence, you'll find Monteriggioni, a boutique-village, set securely within its walls. And then San Gimignano, with its towers, a perfect example of how, even in the Middle Ages, the skyline could be the symbol of a city. Or you can head u

Tartuca

Giraffa

Civetta

Istrice

Sulla strada

Leocorno

Lupa

Oca

Una volta lasciata Siena, tutt’attorno non hai che l’imbarazzo della scelta. Ovunque ti fermi c’è da vedere, assaporare, ammirare.

Qualsiasi guida può confermartelo con dati, indirizzi, cenni storici. Ma ancora più bello è perdersi in villaggi non menzionati dal libro di viaggi che ti eri comprato: per scoprire che anche lì c’è una abbazia trecentesca, una biblioteca antica, un convento trasformato in bed and breakfast, una cantina con enormi tini in cui producevano il vino chissà quanti secoli fa. Vai a nord ovest, verso Firenze, e trovi subito Monteriggioni, paesino-bijoux, incastonato, al sicuro, tra le sue mura. E poi San Gimignano, con le sue torri, ovvero l’esempio di come anche nel Medioevo una skyline poteva essere il simbolo di una città. Oppure ti dirigi verso sud, tra la val d’Orcia e la val di Chiana: Montalcino, San u

South, between the Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana: Montalcino, San Quirico d'Orcia, Pienza, Montepulciano. Land of exceptional wines and choice meats, of ancient villages, each one very proud of its own identity, for it comes from centuries of history. Between medieval palaces and gothic or Romanesque churches. Walking up and down over steep, stone paved roads, prying in the handicraft shops.

Admiring the serene peacefulness of its people, thinking that, truly, the quality of life in these lands of Tuscany is as good as it gets. That everything proceeds with the right rhythm, the natural one.

And if you look around yourself, you'll realize why. It will happen while you travel from one village to the next and notice that the wonders are right there: on the road. While you drive, you'll feel submerged by a landscape that was designed with the sole aim of relaxing your eyes.

The gentle slope of the hills, the vivid colours: the yellow of the sunflowers, the green of the wheat, broken up in the spring by the red of the poppies. And atop each hill, a farmhouse, a single one, made of stone, in perfect harmony with the landscape: you would think nature itself had planted it there. The are no other buildings that can bother your sight: only the road, the fields, the vines that come down the slopes, making them look like they're perfectly combed. It's well worth stopping here for a few days: to cuddle oneself for a while. u

Quirico d’Orcia, Pienza, Montepulciano. Terre di vini eccezionali e carni prelibate, di paesi antichi, ognuno ben orgoglioso della propria identità che gli viene dalla storia di secoli. Tra palazzi medievali e chiese gotiche o romaniche. Camminando su e giù per ripide strade lastricate di pietre, scrutando dentro botteghe di artigianato. Ammirando la serena calma della gente, con l’idea che davvero in quelle terre di Toscana la qualità della vita sia quanto di meglio ci si possa immaginare. Che tutto cioè proceda con il ritmo giusto, naturale.

E se ti guardi attorno ti rendi conto del perché. Ti succede mentre ti sposti tra un paese e l’altro e ti accorgi che la meraviglia è proprio lì: sulla strada. Mentre guidi ti senti immerso in un paesaggio che sembra disegnato con l’idea di rilassarti gli occhi. Colline dalle curvature dolci, colori vivi: il giallo dei girasoli, il verde del grano inframmezzato dal rosso dei papaveri in primavera. E sopra ogni collina un casale, uno solo, di pietra, perfettamente in armonia col paesaggio: ti verrebbe da credere che lo abbia piantato lì la natura stessa. Non si sono altre costruzioni che possano infastidirti la vista: solo la strada, i campi, le viti che scendono lungo i pendii e fanno sembrare le colline tutte belle pettinate. Vale la pena di fermarcisi per qualche giorno: a coccolarsi per un po’. u

Bagno vignoni

Bagno vignoni

One can literally dive in the extraordinary scenery of Siena's lands. This is possible in Bagno Vignoni, an excellent starting point, just a few kilometres away from San Quirico d'Orcia, easily within reach of all the marvels of the Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana.

Don't think of the usual hilltop village. Actually, don't even think of a village. This is a hamlet of barely a dozen stone houses, most of which around a square that is probably unique in its kind: because it's a pool. Yes, a pool, right there, in the middle of ancient buildings, there is a tub, unchanged through the centuries, with its spring in the middle and its arcade on the side: a colonnade named after Santa Caterina, who stayed in Bagno Vignoni, accompanied by her mother, who was trying to dissuade her from becoming a nun.

The more expert cinema buffs might remember the pool-square in Andrei Tarkovskij's "Nostalgia."

It is no longer possible to bathe in that pool. But that's no problem, just a few metres from it there is the Hotel Posta Marcucci, which our ideal starting point for excursions. Because, upon returning from a visit to a neighbouring village, from a sampling of cold meats and a tasting of Brunello di Montalcino or Nobile di Montepulciano, one can slip into a swimming suit and dive into the Hotel's big swimming pool. This might not sounds like a very special thing, but one should actually see the basin of the "Piscina Val di Sole," a hillside pool where, soaking in neck high water, one feels like part of the scenery, among the fields, the vines, the flowers. Before the eyes, the tower of Rocca d'Orcia, the village perched on the opposite hill, and the Park of Val d'Orcia, a Unesco World Heritage protected site.

And it's still not all: one can swim there all year long, even in the wintertime, because the pool is thermal and the water that gushes out from the underground is very hot. Anyone, even the most sensitive to the cold, will be able to relax fully, even when surrounded by snow.

It's been this way for more than a century: the Marcucci family has been managing the Hotel Posta for four generations, since 1888.

Continuously. From the great-grandfathers, Agostino and Stella, to Leonardo and Riccardo Marcucci, the actual proprietors. More than a Hotel, it is a great big house where, among armchairs and velvets, freely goes about his business Minou the cat, who the Marcucci brothers call the "Chief Executive." The food here is divine. "We lunch and dine here every day – Leonardo and Riccardo assure us – along with our guests, with the food that we purchased ourselves."

Food that is cooked in accordance with recipes that have been handed down for generations by the local housewives. Truly, being based in Bagno Vignoni is a good and relaxing idea. u

Nel paesaggio straordinario delle Terre di Siena ci si può immergere, letteralmente. E’ possibile a Bagno Vignoni. Che è un ottimo punto in cui fare base, a pochi chilometri da San Quirico d’Orcia, giusto a tiro di tutte le meraviglie della val d’Orcia e della val di Chiana.

Non immaginate il classico paese sul cucuzzolo. Anzi, non immaginate nemmeno un paese. Saranno una dozzina di casa di pietra, la maggior parte della quali attorno ad una piazza che è probabilmente unica al mondo. Perché è una piscina. Proprio così: in mezzo a palazzi antichi c’è una vasca che è la stessa da secoli, con la sua sorgente nel mezzo e su un lato un loggiato. Ovvero un portico intitolato a Santa Caterina che soggiornò a Bagno Vignoni, lì accompagnata dalla madre che intendeva distoglierla dall’intento di farsi monaca. I più esperti di cinema forse ricorderanno la piazza-piscina in Nostalghia di Andrei Tarkovskij.

In quella vasca non è più possibile fare il bagno. Ma non è un problema. A pochi metri da lì c’è l’Hotel Posta Marcucci che è la nostra idea di base per le escursioni. Perché quando si torna da una visita ad un villaggio vicino, da una assaggio di salumi locali e una degustazione di Brunello di Montalcino o di Nobile di Montepluciano, ci si può mettere in costume da bagno e immergere nella grande piscina dell’albergo.

Che detto così non sembra niente di eccezionale. Ma bisogna vedere cosa significa: la vasca della “Piscina Val di Sole” è sul bordo della collina.

Si sta nell’acqua fino al collo e sembra di essere dentro il paesaggio, tra i campi, le viti, i fiori. Davanti agli occhi la torre di Rocca d’Orcia, il paese arrampicato sulla collina di fronte, e poi il Parco della Val d’Orcia, patrimonio dell’umanità tutelato dall’Unesco.

E non è ancora tutto: il bagno lì lo potete fare tutto l’anno, anche in inverno, perché la piscina è termale e l’acqua che sgorga dal sottosuolo è caldissima. Chiunque, persino i più freddolosi, possono rilassarsi a mollo anche se attorno c’è la neve. Senza problemi.

E’ così da più di un secolo: la famiglia Marcucci gestisce l’Hotel Posta da quattro generazioni, dal 1888. Ininterrottamente. Dai bisnonni Agostino e Stella, giù fino a Leonardo e Riccardo Marcucci, i proprietari di oggi. Più che un albergo è una grande casa, dove tra le poltrone e i velluti circola il gatto Minou che i fratelli Marcucci definiscono l’”amministratore delegato dell’hotel”. E dove si mangia divinamente.

“Pranziamo e ceniamo qui ogni giorno – garantiscono i fratelli Leonardo e Riccardo – insieme ai nostri ospiti, coi cibi che compriamo noi, personalmente”. E che vengono cucinati secondo le ricette tramandate attraverso le generazioni dalle donne di casa. Davvero far base a Bagno Vignoni è una idea buona e rilassante. u

46 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Tu scan Wines

One should stay at least a week in Siena and its outskirts.

Otherwise, one might not have sufficient time to taste all the wines of the area, which – certainly, you already know – are exquisite.

There is an area, straddling across the communes of Florence and Siena, which is called Chianti: from which derives the denomination of the renowned wine, undoubtedly among the better known in North America too. But many other delights also come from this region, such as the Nobile di Montepulciano and, most of all, Brunello di Montalcino, one of the most refined wines in the world.

Brunello, from the Sangiovese grape, is rigorously produced and bottled exclusively in the area of Montalcino. It has an intense red ruby colour, with garnet shades resulting from the 5 years of ageing (6 for the riserva.) The wine from Casanova di Neri is a Brunello, produced by Giacomo Neri and his family in the area of Castelnovo dellAbate (in the commune of Montalcino, obviously.) The Wine Spectator, after tasting some 13500 wines from the whole world, elected the one from Casanova di Neri as wine of the year for 2006. In other words, it's the best there is. We need not split hairs too much: there are numerous labels available, all are excellent. Simply pay a little attention to the prices, some can be astonishing: a restaurant can ask as much as 300 euros, sometimes even more. But don't let this discourage you, there are excellent Brunellos for a lot less and they are always worth it.

The area of Montalcino also produces Sant'Antimo and Rosso di Montalcino.

Loyal to tradition and, therefore, to rivalry too, each territory has its wines. In Montepulciano one can find the excellent Nobile, less refined than Brunello, but not so different in the end. And from the same region, one can find Rosso di Montepulciano. Chianti, as we mentioned, is produced just a little to the North. Careful to the denomination: if the label reads Chianti Classico, one can be sure that all the procedures and rules foreseen in the disciplinary of the appellation. There is also the Chianti Colli Senesi, usually more perfumed and easier to drink, even for those who are less accustomed to wine. We should also remember the Doc Orcia Rosso, the San Gimignano rosso and Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

As you might have guessed, the commune of Siena, a lot like the rest of Tuscany, is a land of red wines, ideal to accompany the refined meats of the area (one must try the "Fiorentina" steak). But there also a few whites: the Moscatello di Montalcino, the Val d'Arbia Doc and the Val di Chiana Doc. We could not finish without mentioning Vin Santo. Just as, when one is in Tuscany, he will not be able to finish a dinner without asking to have a glass of it, accompanied by its cantucci. It is a wine u

Vini T oscani

A Siena e dintorni bisognerebbe restare almeno una settimana.

Diversamente si rischia di non avere tempo a sufficienza per assaggiare tutti i vini della zona. Che - senza dubbio lo saprete già - sono squisiti.

C’è un’area, a cavallo tra le province di Siena e di Firenze, che si chiama Chianti: da cui la denominazione del celebre vino, senz’altro tra i più conosciuti anche in Nord America. Ma da qui arrivano anche altre delizie, come il Nobile di Montepulciano, e, soprattutto, il Brunello di Montalcino, uno tra i più pregiati vini al Mondo.

Il Brunello, dal vitigno del Sangiovese, è rigorosamente prodotto e imbottigliato nel solo territorio del comune di Montalcino. Ha colore rosso rubino intenso, tendente al granato per l’invecchiamento di 5 anni (6 per la riserva).

E’ un Brunello di Montalcino il Casanova di Neri, prodotto da Giacomo Neri e dalla sua famiglia nella zona di Castelnovo dell’Abate (comune di Montalcino, ovvio). La rivista Wine Spectator’s dopo ave testato circa 13.500 tipi di vino provenienti da tutto il Mondo, ha deciso che quello, il Casanova di Neri, è il vino dell’anno 2006. Che è come dire il migliore che ci sia. Ma non è il caso di stare troppo a sottilizzare: di etichette disponibili ce ne sono tante, tutte ottime. Solo fate un poco di attenzione ai prezzi, potrebbero stupirvi: al ristorante possono chiedervi anche 300 e più euro. Non scoraggiatevi, si trova dell’ottimo Brunello anche a molto meno, e ne vale sempre la pena.

Nella zona di Montalcino sono prodotti anche il Sant’Antimo e il Rosso di Montalcino.

Fedeli alla tradizione e dunque anche alle rivalità, ogni territorio ha i suoi vini. A Montepulciano si trova l’ottimo Nobile, meno pregiato del Brunello, ma non poi così dissimile. E della stessa zona è il Rosso di Montepulciano.

Nella parte nord, come si diceva, si produce il Chianti. Attenzione alle denominazione: se sull’etichetta leggete Chianti Classico sarete certi che sono state seguite tutte le procedure e le regole previste dal disciplinare di produzione. Esiste poi il Chianti Colli Senesi, mediamente più profumato e facile da bere anche da chi non è troppo abituato al vino. Da ricordare poi anche il Doc Orcia Rosso, il San Gimignano Rosso e la Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

Come avrete capito il Senese e un po’ tutta la Toscana, sono terre di vini rossi, ideali con le pregiati carni della zona (assolutamente da provare è la bistecca “alla Fiorentina”). Ma qualche bianco non manca: il Moscatello di Montalcino, il Val d’Arbia Doc e il Val di Chiana Doc. Non si può però chiudere senza il Vin Santo. Esattamente come, quando sarete in Toscana, non potrete terminare una cena senza farvene portare un bicchierino, corredato dai suoi cantucci. E’ un vino prodotto prevalentemente con uve bianche (ma può esserci un’aggiunta di uve rosse), negli stessi territori del Brunello di Montalcino e del Nobile di u

produced predominantly from white grapes (but red grapes can be added), in the same territory as Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Montepulciano. It has an amber colour, it can be dry or "amabile" (sweet) and rather alcoholic (at least 16 degrees.) In the small glass, one will dip the cantucci, the characteristic dry almond cookies. And, in Tuscany, only when the cantucci will have soaked up all the Vin Santo from the glass, will dinner truly be considered finished.

Montepulciano. Ha colore ambrato, può essere secco o amabile (più dolce) ed è piuttosto alcolico (minimo 16°). Nel bicchierino che vi porteranno intingerete i cantucci, ovvero i caratteristici biscottini secchi alla mandorla. Ed è solo quando i vostri cantucci avranno raccolto tutto il Vin Santo dal bicchiere che termineranno le vostre cene, in Toscana.

Francigena street, La via Francigena, the road of the P il grims. la strada dei pellegrini One of history's itineraries, a main road travelled in the past by thousands of pilgrims, on their way from England to Italy, from Canterbury to Rome, to pray on the Tomb of Saint Peter. It was originally created by the Longobards to allow them to reach their dukedoms beyond the Appennino mountains. It was subsequently widened by the Francs, hence the name Francigena. It is Europe's backbone: 1600 kilometres long, it crosses 33 cities and divides itself in 79 religious halts.

The Past. In A. D. 990, it took 79 days to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sigeric, to cover the 1600 kilometres of the journey, mostly on foot. He designed the route and its halts, on the way back from Rome, where the Pope had given him the Pallium, a white woollen stole, sign of the Episcopal mission, granted by the Pontiff to metropolitan Archbishops. Used for more than a thousand years by merchants, kings and commoners, the road, from a religious point of view, needed to be travelled by foot, for penance reasons, with a distance of 20-25 kilometres par day.

The Future. In 1994, the European Council recognized to the Francigena road the dignity of a "European Cultural Itinerary." Now, after centuries of neglect, the Francigena road is about to be brought back to its origins (perhaps even improved) thanks to an international intervention plan, sponsored by the European Parliament and from the Nations touched by the ancient route. The example to follow is already known: the Pilgrim's road to Santiago de Compostela.

Part of this ancient road can be travelled by shifting from San Gimignano – Siena, to Viterbo.

These are the halts that we suggest, for an itinerary of at least five days, to travel not on foot, but with the necessary steadiness to appreciate and savour the art and the many great local things (even at the table). We are certain that history will find its place at every meal and with every sip. u

48 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Un itinerario della storia, una via maestra percorsa in passato da migliaia di pellegrini in viaggio dall’Inghilterra all’Italia, da' Canterbury a Roma per pregare sulla tomba di San Pietro. In origine venne creata dai longobardi per raggiungere i propri ducati al di là dell’Appennino, fu poi ampliata dai franchi, di qui il nome di Francigena. È la spina dorsale dell’Europa: lunga 1600 chilometri, attraversa 33 città e si divide in 79 tappe religiose.

Il passato. L’arcivescovo di Canterbury Sferico, nel 990 dopo Cristo, impiegò 79 giorni a percorrere, per lo più a piedi, tutti i 1600 chilometri di tragitto. Disegnò il tracciato, con tanto di tappe, di ritorno da Roma dove aveva ricevuto dal Papa il pallium, la stola di lana bianca, segno della missione episcopale concessa dal pontefice agli arcivescovi metropoliti. Attraversata per oltre un millennio anche da mercanti, sovrani e gente comune, la via, dal punto di vista religioso, doveva essere percorsa prevalentemente a piedi, per ragioni penitenziali, con un percorso di 20-25 chilometri al giorno.

Il futuro. Nel 1994 il consiglio d’Europa ha riconosciuto alla via Francigena la dignità di “Itinerario Culturale Europeo”. Ora, dopo secoli di abbandono, la via Francigena sta per essere riportata alle origini (ed eventualmente migliorata) grazie a un piano di intervento a carattere internazionale sponsorizzato dal Parlamento Europeo e dagli Stati toccati dall’antico tracciato. L’esempio da seguire è già noto a tanti: la via del pellegrinaggio per Santiago di Compostela.

Parte di questa antica via può essere percorsa spostandosi da San Gimignano – Siena, fino a Viterbo.

E queste sono le tappe che vi consigliamo, per un itinerario di almeno cinque giorni, da percorrere non a piedi, ma con la necessaria calma per poter gustare arte ed eccellenze locali (anche a tavola).

Sicuri che la storia spunterà a ogni pasto, a ogni sorso. u

San Gimignano

San G i mignano.

History. Even before being a fief of the Bishops of Volterra, this was an ancient Etruscan and then Roman settlement. San Gimignano was liberated in the thirteenth century only to fall under Florence a century and a half later. The city, entirely surrounded by walls, is still articulated on the plans of the Francigena road, that runs through it from East to West. The two main squares open up atop the hill, the square of the Cisterna (a triangle surrounded by buildings) the square of the Potere (the power), which divides the Duomo (the cathedral) from the Municipal Palace.

Odd fact. The appeal of San Gimignano (besides the art collections, endowment of the religious orders and kept since the Florentine ages) are the towers. In the Middle Ages, every important family in the city built one. With time, the rivalry – every one wanted his tower to be taller than the neighbour's – had left a unique heritage. Of the 72 built in the Middle Ages, only 14 are still standing. One should not miss the Rognosa, standing 52 metres tall next to the Palazzo del Podestà, the twin towers of the Ardinghelli and those of the Salvucci, their eternal rivals. The soul of the city is Santa Fina: the Patron Saint whom, according to legend, saved San Gimignano from a siege by sending a shower of flowers.

Storia. Già feudo dei vescovi di Volterra e prima ancora insediamento etrusco e poi romano, San Giminiano si affranca nel Duecento e cade definitivamente sotto Firenze un secolo e mezzo dopo. La città cinta interamente da mura si articola ancora sull’impianto della via Francigena che la percorre in direzione Nord Sud (da porta San Matteo a porta San Giovanni) e con l’antica strada fiorentina che la percorre da Est a Ovest. In cima alla collina si aprono le due piazze principali, quella della Cisterna (triangolo contornato da edifici) e quella del Duomo, la piazza del Potere (divide il Duomo dal palazzo Comunale).

Curiosità. L’attrattiva di San Giminiano (oltre alle collezioni d’arte, dotazioni degli ordini religiosi custodite fin dall’età fiorentina) sono le torri. Nel Medioevo ogni famiglia importante della città se ne costruiva una. E alla lunga la rivalità – ognuno voleva che la propria fosse più alta di quella del vicino – ha lasciato un’eredità unica. Delle 72 medioevali ne restano però solo 14. Imperdibili sono la Rognosa che svetta per 52 metri accanto al palazzo del Podestà, le gemelle degli Ardinghelli e quelle dei Salvucci, loro rivali eterni. L’anima della città è Santa Fina: la santa patrona che secondo la leggenda salvò San Gimignano da un assedio inviando una pioggia di fiori.

Monteriggioni

Monteriggioni

A few kilometres North of Siena, one will encounter this city on the road in from Florence.

A square, a hamlet, a few vegetable gardens: all of it contained in the most suggestive example of defence walls one can imagine.

They call it "la Corona" (the crown): those who have good memory u

Pochi chilometri a nord di Siena, la si incontra sulla strada arrivando a Siena da Firenze.

Una piazza, un gruppo di case, qualche orto: il tutto racchiuso nell’esempio più suggestivo che possiate immaginare di cerchia muraria ancora intatta. La chiamano la Corona: chi ha buona u

will remember the old 100 liras. As a matter of fact, it was taken as a model for the crown that wreathed Italy's head on the old coin.

The fourteen towers, built between 1212 and 1219, represent Siena's attempt to stop Florence's expansion. The defensive impact is obvious: the bay on which the guards walked the rounds is still intact (and can be travelled every day between 10.00 AM and 8.00 PM). Today, 12 of those 14 towers are still standing, two were destroyed during the Second World War. Odd facts. Only 42 people live between these walls year-round; the borough is rich with handicrafts shops: in Piazza Roma there is the Bottega di Anna (Anna's shop), with embroidered tablecloths and hand woven baskets, it stays open also for evenings of tasting (olive oil and Grigioni wines) and music.

Buonconvento. In the area that marks the confluence between the Arbia and the Ombrone, Buonconvento is, historically, a place of meetings, clashes and exchanges. The rectangular map of the city is delimited by surrounding walls, the façade of the Municipal Palace shows the 25 coat of arms of the Podestà, who governed the borough until 1270.Buonconvento, with Asciano, Monteroni d'Arbia, Rapolano Terme and San Giovanni d'Assio, is the land of clay.

memoria vedendola ricorderà immediatamente le vecchie 100 lire.

E’ stata infatti presa a modello per la corona che cingeva la testa d’Italia sulla moneta.

Le quattordici torri edificate tra il 1212 e il 1219 rappresentano il tentativo senese di controllare la continua espansione fiorentina.

L’impatto difensivo è evidente: intatto anche il camminamento per il passaggio della ronda (percorribile tutti i giorni dalle 10 alle 20). Oggi di quelle 14 torri ne restano 12, due sono state distrutte durante la Seconda Guerra Mondiale.

Curiosità. Tra le mura vivono durante l’anno appena quarantadue persone; il borgo è ricco di negozi d’artigianato: in piazza Roma c’è la bottega di Anna, con le tovaglie ricamate e i cesti intrecciati a mano, resta aperta anche per le serate d’assaggio (olio e vino Grigioni) e musicali.

Buonconvento. Nella zona che segna la confluenza tra l’Arbia e l’Ombrone, Buonconvento è storicamente luogo d’incontri (e scontri) e scambi. La pianta rettangolare è delimitata da una cinta muraria; sulla facciata del palazzo comunale ci sono i 25 stemmi dei podestà che hanno governato il borgo fino al 1270.

Buonconvento con Asciano, Monteroni d’Arbia, Rapolano Terme e San Giovanni d’Assio è terra delle Crete.

Other localities in the co mmune

Altre località della provincia

Before we carry on with our tour, a curiosity for movie lovers: Valdorcia, with its castles, farmhouses, monasteries and noble palaces, has seduced cinematographers and spectators from around the world.

It would be sufficient to mention the route between Montepulciano and San Quirico d'Orcia: from the main road, it's possible that the view might seem familiar to those who have seen, even if only once, Ridley Scott's The Gladiator (2002).

Montepulciano. Also known as the pearl of the 500s, Montepulciano is famous (other than for its wines) for its u

Prima di proseguire il tour,una curiosità per chi ama il cinema: la Valdorcia con i suoi castelli, casolari, monasteri e palazzi nobiliari ha sedotto cineasti e spettatori di tutto il mondo.

Basti citare il percorso tra Montepulciano e San Quirico d’Orcia: dalla strada principale è possibile che in più punti la vista del paesaggio risulti familiare a chi abbia visto anche solo una volta Il Gladiatore di Ridley Scott (2002).

Montepulciano. Nota anche come la perla del ‘500, Montepulciano è celebre (oltre che per i vini) per gli autentici capolavori di architettura rinascimentale. Basta partire da piazza Grande: vi si affacciano il palazzo Comunale (progettato da u

authentic masterpieces of Renaissance architecture. Start from the Piazza Grande: overlooked by the Palazzo Comunale, the Municipal Palace, (designed by Michelozzo); flanked by palazzo Cantucci, palazzo del Capitano and palazzo dei Nobili. Very esteemed are also the churches of Sant'Agostino and Santa Lucia.

Odd fact. It is in Montepulciano that was founded the Monte dei Pegni (Monte Pio), the first Pawn Bank, the original version of the modern day bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena; also, in the Oratory of San Girolamo, a pharmacy from the 500s is still being kept.

San Quirico d'Orcia. About 45 kilometres south of Siena, San Quirico is of Etruscan origins. In 1154, Federico I Barbarossa, set up camp here to negotiate with the ambassadors of Pope Adrian IV regarding his coronation as Emperor. This site, at the boundary between the Sienese Republic ad the Papal territories, was for a very long time a place of passage for armies, Emperors, Popes and illustrious men.

Its territory of 42 square kilometres is one of the smallest of the commune.

Odd fact. Between San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza, for enthusiasts of history (and taste), a halt at the "Taverna del Barbarossa" : inside a thirteenth century farmhouse, it is possible to have dinner inside the same walls where took place the historical meeting between the Pope's ambassadors and the Emperor Federico I, il Barbarossa. Skillfully restructured, it still shows today intact architectural details from the past (just take a look at the fireplace!)

For a real dive back in the Middle Ages: every year, in June, the people of San Quirico celebrate the Festa del Barbarossa. A flag tossing and longbow competition that takes place inside the Horti Leonini gardens, in a two day festival of falconry, among medieval taverns, in the four quarters of the village (Borgo, Canetti, Castello e Prato.)

Pienza. No more than thirteen kilometres from Montepulciano, Pienza, was declared a World Heritage site in 1996.

History. The city was built by will of Pope Pius II (from which it takes its name: city of Pius) in 1462: it is the first example of realization of a town planning scheme. It is a tiny jewel of architecture which, thanks to masterful tricks of perspective, appears much bigger than what it really is: hardly 400 meters from one end to the other of the main street.

Odd fact. Nearby, it is possible to visit the Monastery of S. Anna in Camprena, where were shot many of the outdoor scenes of Minghella's "The English Patient" (1996). n

Michelozzo; sui due lati palazzo Cantucci, il palazzo del Capitano e il palazzo dei Nobili. Di pregio anche le chiese di Sant’Agostino e di Santa Lucia.

Curiosità. A Montepulciano venne fondato il Monte dei Pegni (Monte Pio) anticipazione della odierna Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena; nell’Oratorio di San Girolamo invece è ancora conservata una farmacia del ‘500.

San Quirico d’Orcia. A circa 45 chilometri a sud di Siena, San Quirico è di origine etrusca. Nel 1154 Federico I Barbarossa vi si accampò per trattare con gli ambasciatori di papa Adriano IV la sua incoronazione ad imperatore. Località di confine tra la repubblica senese e i territori pontifici fu per lungo tempo luogo di passaggio di eserciti, imperatori, papi e uomini illustri.

Il suo territorio di 42 km quadrati è uno dei più piccoli della provincia.

Curiosità. Tra San Quirico d’Orcia e Pienza, per gli appassionati di storia (e di gusto) è d’obbligo una sosta a “La taverna del Barbarossa”: all’interno di un casale del 1200 è possibile cenare fra le stesse mura dove avvenne lo storico incontro tra i Messi Papali e l’imperatore Federico I, il Barbarossa. Sapientemente ristrutturato, conserva integri ancora oggi particolari architettonici del passato (date un’occhiata al camino!).

Per un vero tuffo nel Medioevo: a San Quirico ogni anno a giugno si celebra la festa del Barbarossa. Gare di bandiere e di archi nella parte alta degli Horti Leonini, in una due giorni di spettacoli di falconeria tra taverne medioevali nei quattro quartieri (Borgo, Canneti, Castello e Prato).

Pienza. Appena a tredici chilometri di distanza da Montepulciano, Pienza, dichiarata patrimonio dell’Unesco nel 1996.

Storia. La città fu costruita per volontà di Papa Pio II (da cui il nome: città di Pio) nel 1462: è il primo esempio di attuazione di un piano regolatore urbano. È un minuscolo gioiello di architettura che grazie a sapienti giochi prospettici sembra ben più grande di quanto è in realtà: appena 400 metri da un capo all’altro del corso principale.

Curiosità. A breve distanza è possibile visitare il Monastero di S.Anna in Camprena dove vennero girate molte scene de Il Paziente Inglese di Minghella (1996). n

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Kitchen Queen

Franca Mazza

By Shauna Hardy

ohn Lennon’s succinct observation that “life is what happens when

J

you’re busy making other plans”,

beautifully captures the unpredictability of our time here on earth. I think that Franca Mazza would agree. While she was busy carving out her plans, and listening to her ambitions, the road curved and suddenly she found herself at an entirely different destination. And while it’s quite different from the life she originally envisioned for herself, Mazza is relishing every minute of it.

Mazza grew up on her grandparents’ farm in what many would consider an idyllic situation. “We were surrounded by acres of land in the mountains of Calabria. It was so remote that it took us an hour to walk to school in the mornings,” reminisces Mazza. “It really is a place that feels as if time has stopped. We made our own flour and bread. Animals, milk, mushrooms and wine, everything came from that farm.”

But paradise for some is a prison for others. “My parents had been living with their own parents and they really wanted to experience something new,” she says. “They had heard so much about ‘the land of opportunity’ and it sounded very exciting to them.”

Armed with a sense of adventure, the family moved to Montreal and installed themselves in Little Italy. And while city life might be considered shocking after the Italian countryside, it was really learning a new language that proved to be nine-year-old Mazza’s most daunting challenge.

“Little Italy starts to feel like a village, its streets are all you know. But learning to speak French? It was so difficult – the teasing and the bullying that you have to face. That was the hardest part of moving,” she confesses.

Coping with the cold was another factor that was difficult to get used to. “It would snow occasionally in Calabria.

Everyone would get excited, it was such a thrill - we’d lie in the snow and make angels. But in Montreal – it lasted so long!”

When Mazza’s family moved to Montreal, her parents began working in the kitchen at a restaurant on St-Zotique, work life blended with home life and her parents never seemed to tire of each other. “I don’t know how they did it,” she laughs. “They would be yelling and screaming one minute and then holding hands the next!”

After 23 years at the same restaurant, the couple, along with Mazza’s husband at the time, decided to invest in opening a place of their own. Il Mulino quickly developed a loyal following, making it one of Little Italy’s most popular destination spots.

With two parents in the restaurant business, one might imagine that cooking would be in Mazza’s blood. But it turned out that she inherited something else – their sense of adventure. u

“I never thought in a million years that this is how my life would work out!”

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 55

Mix food with passion and you have a combination that is as potent as the light that pulls a moth to a flame.

“I wanted to get as far away from the restaurant business as possible – I think it was just to get on my parents nerves!” she says with a laugh. “I originally wanted to be a pilot, but my father wouldn’t hear of it. So, I became a stewardess instead.”

For 15 years, Mazza’s flight routes transported her all over Canada, down the Pacific coast, over to Europe and Spain. “I just loved encountering so many cultures, so many nationalities,” she explains. “Experiencing them helps to complete you, it blends with what you have already learned from life. There is so much diversity, so much life to experience!”

“While growing up, I got to feel and touch the land – it really is what made me who I am today. But I also needed the hustle and bustle of city-life. I just love it – it is equally a part of who

Meanwhile, business was booming at Il Mulino and her

I am. A city is filled with adventure, with challenges. I thrive on the chaos. Now I can’t sleep without noise, it is a real

parents were desperate for another body in the kitchen.

Mazza agreed to come on board, dealing with the restaurant’s

comfort to me.”

Mazza’s cooking career thrived at Il Mulino. When the

fruit and vegetable suppliers. At that point, she had little skill

business was sold in 2000, the grief for everyone, owners,

in the kitchen, but she gradually found her niche. “I just started to help out and I got stuck there,” she says with a laugh. “I never thought in a million years that this is how my life would work out!”

The real pleasure came when she started adding her own personal touches to the food. In a way, the arc of Mazza’s life makes perfect sense to me. There is little doubt that her years in Calabria made an indelible mark upon her. Mazza agrees.

staff and customers alike, was palpable. “You were saying goodbye to 15 years of relationships,” says Mazza. “It was really hard and very sad.” She moved to New York for a year and a half, allowing herself the time and the distance that was needed to be able to move on with her life.

“When I came home, it was as a new person,” she explains. “I began working as the caterer for the Club de Golf in Anjou. For a while the pace was fine, but I still needed more. I started to give cooking classes, but I really missed my clients. I really started my catering business as a way for me to get back to them – I wasn’t just sitting around waiting for them to come to me. The relationships that I have with them, they are like family; they will be around for a lifetime.” u

parmigiano sticks and honey

torta mascarpone and cubed mango

tuna tartare, fennel and avocado salad

beef tenderloin with sea salt and balsamic vinegar Frenetic doesn’t even come close to describing the pace of Mazza’s life.

Along with her duties at the golf course, Mazza gladly caters for events that range from ten people to one thousand.

There are weddings and celebratory get-togethers, parties and private events for clients that have included La Senza, Holt Renfrew, and Ogilvy’s.

And while Mazza is always happy to

toward elements that are unusual and non-conventional. Bananas leaves, terracotta tile and wood have all figured prominently for her platings.

Mazza’s inventiveness can be traced back to her first days in the kitchen.

“When we immigrated to Canada, my father was suddenly introduced to a whole new world of ingredients. He was always curious and very excited about

her dishes and requesting a taste. She now often works out of a site’s garage in order to escape the attention. “It was the same thing when I worked at Il Mulino. The restaurant would be packed and I would have clients and their guests eating in my kitchen. It would be a sweltering hot night, no air conditioning and they would refuse to leave!”

work with clients who have an idea of the theme that they want for their evening, her best work often happens when she is handed a blank slate.

“It’s important that I feel challenged,”

learning about these new types of foods. We were always open to trying new things.”

Her cooking is defined by a tapasstyled approach that proves when it

But her clients’ enthusiasm is hardly surprising. Mix food with passion and you have a combination that is as potent as the light that pulls a moth to a flame. Whether it is located in a home

she explains. “The less parameters I have

comes to food, less is definitely more.

or in a restaurant, the kitchen is possibly

to restrict me the more that I’m allowed to be myself. I just love to impress; letting my mind go and just getting really creative!”

For Mazza that creativity begins

“If you serve one huge main course, people will be too full to try anything else,” Mazza explains logically. “Small servings let you discover so many different things. It brings you into a

the one room that radiates true honesty.

It is a room that exudes sustenance and depth, character and profoundness.

Pretension and posturing cannot exist in a place that is defined by care,

with the ingredients and ends with the way that each dish is plated. Absolutely nothing escapes her eye. “I’m a perfec-

new dimension; it’s very difficult to refuse just one bite of something!”

Mazza’s passion and intensity

nourishment and love. Food binds people together; it deepens bonds, providing sustenance to the body and

tionist and if I can’t eat something, then there is no way that you are going to be able to eat it!” She thrives on

about her profession are just as addictive as her food. She tells me that even during large, elegant events, guests will come

the soul. That is why people are drawn to the kitchen and that is why people are drawn to Franca Mazza. n

beautiful presentation and gravitates

through the kitchen doors, examining

“A city is filled with adventure, with challenges. I thrive on the chaos. Now I can’t sleep without noise, it is a real comfort to me.”

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 57

Parmigiano sticks and honey.

Torta mascarpone and cubed mango.

INGREDIENTS 4 parmigiano sticks 1 teaspoon of honey 2 teaspoons of mascarpone 1 small mango Papaya and charentais melon may serve as a replacement to the mango.

Best as a snack or dessert.

Cut the parmigiano in sticks (size does not matter. Its how you prefer) place the sticks in a plate; square,rectangular..... On a porcelain tile or even on wood.

Drizzle the cheese with honey or pear jam. Use your imagination and try different types of honey. Thyme, wild flowers, acacia....

Torta mascarpone. Layers of mascarpone and gorgonzola. Together they become a delicacy for the palate.

Cubed mango. Peel the mango. Cut in cubes. Throw the cubes in the plate.

Franca Mazza

Geraldo Pace

Beef tenderloin with sea salt and balsamic vinegar.

INGREDIENTS 500 grams of beef tenderloin type AAA Sea salt 20 grains 1 teaspoon of olive oil 10 drops of aged red balsamic vinegar 1 mozzarella di bufala. 200 grams Pappardelle 100 grams 1 tablespoon of salted butter 1 tablespoon of seppia ink Half a cup of cooking cream a pinch of white pepper Cut the beef tenderloin in cubes 2 x 2 inches. On the cook top, heat up a skillet with a few grains of sea salt. Place the cubes of tenderloin in the skillet and cook each side for approximately 1 minute. Drain the mozzarella di bufala and set it aside.

Black pappardelle. Cook the pasta as usual. Keep it al dente. In a skillet. Place the cooking cream and bring to a boil. Add the butter, the seppia ink and the white pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon. Now you should have a grey rich texture. Incorporate the pappardelle in the sauce. Mix for a few minutes. Remove from the stove.

Plating. Wrap the pappardelle around a pair of chop sticks. Place them in a corner of the plate.

The mozzarella di bufala break it up with your hands and place half in each plate. Place the cubes of beef tenderloin in a different corner of the plate. Add a few grains of sea salt, a few drops of olive oil and a few drops of red balsamic vinegar. Serves 2.

Franca Mazza

Geraldo Pace

Tuna Tartare, Fennel and avocado salad.

INGREDIENTS. Tuna loin 200 grams. (preferably yellow fin tuna) 4 to 5 capers 10 to 12 pomegranate kernels 1 lemon A pinch of sea salt A pinch of white pepper 10 grams of onion 6 drops of pure olive oil Using an extremely sharp knife, slice the tuna paper thin. Set it aside. Cube the onion. Delicately place it over the slices of tuna. Add the sea salt and the white pepper. Add a few drops of olive oil and press half the lemon. Serves 2

Avocado and fennel salad.

2 ripe avocados 1 fennel head 1 orange A pinch of sea salt- a pinch of black ground pepper 1 teaspoon of olive oil 1 branch of fresh mint 1 teaspoon of white balsamic vinegar Clean the 2 avocados. Clean the fennel head. In a salad bowl. Slice the fennel and the avocado. Add salt,pepper, mint leaves,olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and squeeze the orange. Mix and plate.

Plating. Fish always looks fabulous served on glass. Separate the tuna in half and place it in each plate. Add a spoonfull of salad and serve. Add extra lemon if necessary.

Franca Mazza

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Beaucoup plus qu’un boucher...

158, Place Marché du Nord

80, de Callières

Montréal (Québec) H2S 1A1 Tél: 514.276.1345 • Fax: 514.274.0410

Duvernay • Laval (Québec) H7E 3N1 Tél: 450.661.6800

Geraldo Pace

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By Gabriel Riel-Salvatore Translation by Filippo Salvatore

Spaghetti alle vongole e zucchine, concerto di limone, bucatini alla matriciana, saltimbocca alla romana, pasta alla carbonara, filetto di pesce agrodolce alla siciliana, polpette campane alle patate, pizza margherita, cavatelli freschi con cime di rapa e pancetta, ragù alla genovese, torta caprese et coetera...

Spaghetti alle vongole e zucchine, concerto di limone, bucatini all’amatriciana, saltimbocca alla romana, pasta carbonara, fileto di pesce agro-dolce alla siciliana, polpette campane alle patate, pizza margherita, cavatelli freschi con rapini e pancetta, ragù alla genovese, torta caprese...

o, this is not the menu of the next hip Italian restaurant, but a sample of the numerous recipes suggested by Josèe di Stasio, Télé-Quebec gastronomic queen, in her six transmissions series on Italian cuisine.She presents a guided tour of a gastronomic tradition steeped in history and nourished by rich regional traditions with breathtaking landscapes as background.

From Sicily to Tuscany di Stasio and her team reveal to a North-American audience the secrets of a locally-based cuisine by exploring first-hand market-places, restaurants, wine cellars and countrysides. Simplicity, tradition, tasty ingredients are the recurring words when she speaks about food in Naples, Amalfi, Ischia, in the Southern part of the Italian peninsula, the Chianti region in central Italy, or Modena in the northern part of the country. In the following interview Panoramitalia records the impressions that Josée di Stasio cherishes at the end of her gastronomic tour in the Bel Paese della Dolce Vita.

on, il ne s’agit pas du menu d’un restaurant italien à la mode, mais des nombreuses recettes que Josée di Stasio nous propose dans sa série de six émissions sur la cuisine italienne. En plus de donner l’eau à la bouche, ce spécial dédié à l’Italie permet d’entreprendre un bref tour d’horizon d’une gastronomie séculaire nourrie par la tradition, la convivialité et des paysages à couper le souffle.

De la Sicile à la Toscane, explorant marchés, restaurants, campagnes et caves à vins, di Stasio et son équipe nous révèlent les secrets d’une cuisine aux mille visages. Que l’on soit à Naples, à Amalfi, à Ischia, à Chianti, ou à Modène, tradition, simplicité et bon goût sont toujours les mots d’ordre. PanoramItalia recueille les impressions sur cette expérience haute en saveurs qu’a vécue la reine des fourneaux de Télé Québec au pays de la Dolce vita.

N

What motivated you to do the series in Italy? Where did the idea come from?

There are many reasons that brought me to do the series. It is natural that I should be interested in Italian cuisine, since I am of Italian origin and also because it is my favourite kind of food. The best kind of cuisine for me is the one that uses basic ingredients. u

68 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

N

Compte-tenu du succès de votre émission, qu’est-ce qui vous a poussée à faire cette série d’émissions en Italie ? D’où vous est venue l’idée ?

Des centaines de choses m’y ont poussée. D’abord c’était tout à fait normal et naturel, parce que c’est ma cuisine préférée et aussi, parce que mes origines sont italiennes. Pour moi la cuisine par excellence est une cuisine simple. u

JosĂŠe di Stasio

It is the extreme simplicity of Italian cuisine that attracted me as well as the quality of the products being used and its long, illustrious tradition. I wished to gather a broad picture of Italian gastronomy by visiting several regions. I realize( laugh) that six television programs are not enough to cover the entire spectrum of Italian cuisine. I hope I was able to give a taste of it.

I did the research myself and I loved doing it. I already had some contacts, (friends and people I know in Italy)as well as people involved in the importation of food products from Italy. My aim was to go beyond the recipes one can get from a book.

I wished to combine food with the life-style and the attitude people have towards food in Italy. I have always been fascinated by the long time allocated to the preparation of the meal, by the meticulous choice of the kind of wine to be drunk with a specific ingredient or kind of pasta to use with a particular sauce. My feeling was like everywhere else in the world, Italians have become addicted to the fast food trend. Now I can say that generally they have to a much less degree.

How does the Italian tradition inspire you in the way you cuisine?

A meal is the cornerstone of Italian lifestyle. The joy of eating does not go away with age or social class. Sitting together around a table establishes a natural, unpretentious union that in Italy, by and large, is still present. I believe this makes a lot of difference.

You can have someone over and prepare a simple meal without having to perform.

What counts is the pleasure and the happiness of sitting together around a table. This is for me a defining trait of Italian culture. During the taping of a program I asked Don Alfonso, a renowned chef, what his favourite dish was he answered simply ’ Pasta with tomato sauce and fresh basil’. It is this simplicity, this lack of pretentiousness that creates friendliness and conviviality. u

C’est cette extrême simplicité qui m’attirait dans la cuisine italienne ainsi que la qualité de ses produits et sa longue tradition. Je voulais faire un tour d’horizon. Je sais que six émissions c’est minime par rapport à la richesse de la cuisine italienne, mais ça donne le goût… (rires). J’ai fait ma recherche toute seule et j’ai adoré ça. J’aurais eu du mal à déléguer ça à quelqu’un d’autre. Ça me tenait trop à cœur. J’avais déjà quelques contacts un peu par des amis et en Italie aussi. Un peu par des gens qui faisaient de l’importation ici.

Mais, je voulais aller au-delà de la recette et ajouter un point de vue « Life Style.» Vraiment miser sur l’aspect d’une qualité de vie associée à une approche de la nourriture bien différente de celle de notre mode de vie ultra rapide. J’ai été fascinée du temps qu’on accorde à parler du repas qu’on va faire, du vin qu’on va boire et des nouilles qu’on va utiliser avec telle sauce. Ça peut prendre des heures et des heures. Je pensais que, comme partout à travers le monde, les Italiens aussi avaient été happés par le courant fast food. Mais, j’ai réalisé qu’en général beaucoup moins qu’ailleurs.

La tradition culinaire italienne vous inspire-t-elle dans votre façon d’appréhender la cuisine?

Tout passe à travers le repas. Par cette joie de vivre qui fait qu’autour d’une table il n’y a pas d’âges, ni de classes, ni de métiers, ce qui permet cette union toute naturelle et qui demeure encore très présente en règle général.

Tout passe par la table et c’est sans prétention. Ça fait une grosse différence, je pense. Tu peux recevoir et cuisiner un plat extrêmement simple sans vouloir performer.

Tu veux juste être bien autour de la table. C’est une partie intégrante de la culture italienne.

Quand j’ai demandé quel était son plat préféré à Don Alfonso, par exemple, ce grand cuisinier qui fait des plats surfins, il m’a simplement répondu : « Des pâtes à la sauce tomate et au basilic. » C’est cette simplicité, cette non prétention qui fait que c’est bien plus facile d’être convivial. u

Italians, at least according to the perception many North Americans have of them, can be very colourful people. During your trip you met all sorts of persons. Did you notice a common denominator in their character?

Les Italiens tout comme les paysages qui les entourent sont souvent des personnages hauts en couleur. Vous avez rencontré toutes sortes de gens lors de votre voyage, avez-vous noté chez eux un dénominateur commun ?

Simplicity! As well as conviviality. In some cases we had to deal with people that had never heard of us, but it was always simple. ‘ Ok, they would say, just come to my place tomorrow... what kind of food are you looking for?’ The common denominator of Italians is their openness. Which made my life simple because my goal was also to go and visit people and observe how they cooked at home.

Simplicity, conviviality and good food is a defining trait also of Italians (or their descendents) living in North America.

People do not follow a standard recipe.

People love cooking using their flair, never using a book. In Italy cuisine is based on feelings. Both women and men have their own special touch. They cook to a large extent according to what they can find at the market and the peculiar recipe developed in the family. I am talking about traditional cuisine, of course. There are obviously, more elaborated kinds of recipe, but my aim was to discover the way people cook in different regions of the country.

La simplicité ! Toujours la simplicité et la convivialité. Même si on faisait affaire avec des gens, des fois, qui n’avaient jamais entendu parler de l’émission, ça a toujours été simple : « Ok, vous viendrez demain chez moi … et qu’est-ce vous voulez comme cuisine.»

Donc le dénominateur commun, c’est cette ouverture. Mon but aussi était d’aller chez les gens. De voir comment on fait ça à la maison.

Je trouve qu’ils aiment le monde. Vraiment la convivialité. Je veux partager. Et ça se passe comme ça. Tout se passe autour de la table là-bas. Même chez les Italiens d’ici.

Mais, c’est aussi plus que ça. Cette façon de s’approprier une recette. Au delà du régional, c’est familial. Il y a une façon de la faire et c’est celle que ta famille t’a apprise.

Les hommes cuisinent beaucoup comme ça, simplement, jamais avec un livre. De toute façon, les gens en Italie ne suivent pas les recettes. C’est une cuisine très sentie, autant pour les hommes que pour les femmes. Tout tient à un tour de main. Ce n’est pas une cuisine qui requiert de la technique, des appareillages très élaborés. Ça repose sur très peu de choses finalement. Ils fonctionnent beaucoup avec ce qu’ils trouvent au marché, ou comme ça se fait dans la famille. Je parle d’une cuisine traditionnelle, évidemment.

C’est sûr qu’il y a des recettes plus élaborées.

Mais, moi je voulais une idée de la cuisine de chaque région.

In your opinion why is Italian cuisine so popular worldwide?

Simplicity, once again. Rather than spreading the taste, like we tend to do, Italian food relies on few basic ingredients.

This enables it to focus on flavours with more precision. Obviously this requires high quality products. It is a must! If a recipe requires a cup of ground basil, that is exactly what it takes. In the television series I taped, one of my aims was to show viewers a simple way of cooking. I wanted to teach them to respect regional cuisines based on fresh products because this makes all the difference.

I also inserted in my programs a pinch of dolce vita that is hidden somewhere in every Italian soul. During the shooting the nicest part was to be received by different people.

We were allowed to go in their kitchens and still feel at ease. It all boils down to a lifestyle based on simplicity and openness. u

Qu’elle est à votre avis la recette du succès de la cuisine italienne ?

La simplicité, encore une fois. Plutôt que de s’éparpiller en termes de goût comme on a tendance à le faire ici, ils se concentrent sur peu d’ingrédients. On va donc chercher un parfum beaucoup plus précis. Tout ça nécessite des produits de qualité, bien évidemment, ça ne pardonne pas. Si une recette requiert une tasse de basilic haché, bien, c’est tout ce que ça prend. u

Which dish or product did you enjoy most during your stay in Italy?

The fresh mozzarella produced daily is what I liked the most. I just loved it as well as ricotta di pecora which cannot be found in North America unfortunately. They are magnificent products. Huge lemons from around the Amalfi region also captivated me. The pizza with tomato and mozzarella prepared by Motta in Naples made me go crazy. I just could not stop eating it.

What about the most practical lesson you learned?

I have learned that pasta is alive and one has to get the feel of it to extract its full potential. In other words, just following a recipe is not enough in the kitchen. You have to know when the fresh pasta lacks humidity, when you need to add more oil and so on. No artichoke will give you the exact same sauce. I loved discovering these little but fundamental tricks. For instance pasta has a different flavour if you first put sauce in the bowl and then you add and mingle the pasta.

There are other regions I still wish to visit. The Florence I know or Bologna and the Emilia-Romagna region in the North, a truly extraordinary gastronomic reality.

During my trip I loved the island of Ischia, near Capri and Naples as well as the towns in the bay of Naples. The richness of Italian cuisine is simply amazing. I just opened a little door for North American viewers and I hope I put acquolina in bocca to them. n

To learn more about Josée di Stasio: web site: http://www.telequebec.tv/sites/aladistasio Cook-book: A la di Stasio (2006) éditions Flammarion

Le but pour vos auditeurs, c’était de leur transmettre dans un sens cette façon de faire ?

C’était surtout de leur montrer une façon de cuisiner simplement. Leur apprendre à respecter une cuisine dite régionale basée sur des produits frais. Ça fait toute la différence.

Mais aussi, de leur montrer cette approche, ce fond de dolce vita qui traîne toujours quelque part au fond des Italiens.

Le ou les plats que vous avez le plus appréciés ?

J’opterais plutôt pour un ingrédient que j’ai apprécié le plus : la mozzarella fraîche de la journée. Ça j’ai adoré. Et la ricotta di pecora (ricotta de brebis) aussi. On n’a pas ça ici, malheureusement. Ce sont deux produits magnifiques. Les citrons m’ont envoûtée aussi. La pizza sans croûte de chez Motta avec un peu de tomate et de la mozzarella, j’en suis devenue comme folle. Je n’arrêtais pas d’en prendre. Finalement, je suis extrêmement gourmande, surtout pour la cuisine italienne.

Le truc le plus utile ?

J’ai appris qu’une pâte ça vit et qu’il faut la suivre. C’est-à-dire qu’on ne suit pas une recette. Si ça manque d’humidité, on rajoute de l’eau. Si ça manque d’huile, on rajoute de l’huile. Si j’ai appris quelque chose, c’est vraiment une question de sentir la cuisine qu’on fait et de la suivre et de l’accompagner. Il n’y aura pas un chou fleur qui va donner le même jus. J’ai adoré ça.

L’ordre dans lequel on met les pâtes dans les bols. On met la sauce, après on met les pâtes, etc. Toutes les petites astuces, les tours de main essentiels pour faire les pâtes.

Il y a plein d’autres régions que j’ai envie de faire découvrir. La Florence que je connais. Bologne est un centre extraordinaire pour la gastronomie. Mais, j’ai adoré Ischia et la baie de Naples. n

Donc ce n’est qu’un début ?

J’espère. De toute façon, c’est extrêmement riche. Ça a juste ouvert une petite porte.

Et ça nous a permis de dire ça se peut.

Pour en savoir plus sur Josée di Sasio : Site web : http://www.telequebec.tv/sites/aladistasio Livre de cuisine : À la di Stasio (2006) Édition Flammarion.

Bucatini alla matriciana Recipe : 30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil 250 g (8 oz.) diced guanciale, pancetta or larding bacon 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1 pepperoncini (small hot pepper) cut in half 8 to 10 Italian tomatoes, blanched, hollowed out and diced 500 g (1 lb.) bucatini, spaghetti, spaghettini or rigatoni Coarsely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan Salt and ground pepper

Recette : 30 ml (2 c. à soupe) d’huile d’olive 250 g (8 oz) de guanciale, de pancetta ou de bacon* coupé en lardons 1/2 oignon ciselé 1 pepperoncini (petit piment fort) coupé en deux 8 à 10 tomates italiennes émondées, évidées et coupées en dés 500 g (1 lb) de bucatini ou spaghetti, spaghettini ou rigatoni Fromage Pecorino romano ou parmesan râpé grossièrement Sel et poivre du Moulin

In a large frying pan, heat the oil and brown the meat over low heat for 10 minutes until it takes on a lightly golden colour.

Transfer to a plate with the cooking fat, while making sure that a bit of fat is left in the pan for frying the onion.

In the same pan, fry the onion over low heat for a few minutes or until it is lightly browned. Add the pepper and let it infuse the flavour for the desired length of time based on how spicy you wish the dish to be (mild to very spicy), that is anywhere from 2-3 minutes to 8-10 minutes. Remove the pepper after this time.

Add the tomatoes to the pan, season lightly and increase to medium-high heat.

Place the meat back in the sauce and let simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, according to the instructions on the package, depending on the type of pasta used. Strain the pasta, add it to the sauce and stir so it is nicely coated by sauce.

Serve immediately and garnish each serving generously with Pecorino.

Dans une grande poêle, faire chauffer l’huile et faire revenir la viande à feu doux pendant 10 minutes jusqu'à ce que les morceaux soient légèrement dorés. Réserver dans une assiette avec le gras de cuisson en prenant soin de laisser un peu de gras dans la poêle pour la cuisson de l’oignon.

Dans la même poêle, faire cuire l’oignon à feu doux pendant quelques minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’il colore légèrement. Ajouter le piment et laisser infuser plus ou moins longtemps selon le degré de piquant désiré (peu piquant à très piquant), c’est à dire 2-3 minutes à 8-10 minutes. Retirer ensuite le piment.

Ajouter les tomates dans la poêle, assaisonner légèrement et augmenter à feu moyen-élevé. Remettre la viande dans la sauce et laisser mijoter 10 minutes.

Pendant ce temps, cuire les pâtes dans une grande casserole d’eau bouillante généreusement salée, en tenant compte des indications du fabricant, selon la variété de pâtes utilisée. Les égoutter et les ajouter à la sauce en mélangeant afin de bien les enrober.

Servir immédiatement et garnir généreusement chaque portion de Pecorino.

*Note: If you are using larding bacon, blanch it in boiling water for 1 minute.

Guanciale is made from cured pork jowl that has not been smoked.

*Note: Si vous utilisez le bacon, le blanchir dans une eau bouillante pendant 1 minute.

Le guanciale est fait à partir de la bajoue de porc séchée et non fumée

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Ferri Tales Having lunch with a girlfriend is probably one of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon. Lively conversation is served alongside tempting food with amusement and insight spending equal time at the table. My lunch with actress Claudia Ferri turned into exactly that kind of affair. Although I had never met her before, she greeted me with open arms.

Over the next couple of hours, we sat side by side at Lucca, one of her favourite eateries in Montreal’s Little Italy. It was a memorable afternoon heightened by delicious food, lively discussion and of course, lots and lots of laughter.

In 1958, Claudia’s father Gregorio Ferri arrived in Montreal from Santa Caterina dell’Ionio, Calabria, in the province of Catanzaro to study architecture. He fell in love with a French-Canadian woman, Lucette Bedard from Quebec, and married her a few years later. The couple returned to Italy for a romantic, extended honeymoon, but then decided to make their lives in Canada. Throughout his lifetime, Gregorio Ferri worked in a variety of fields. He operated a Marché Richelieu store, opened a medical secretary school, and along

Claudia Ferri

By Shauna Hardy

very strong part of the Ferri philosophy. Rather than worrying about what the future holds, the family seems to embrace it. Their world is large; a terrain defined by curiosity and good will.

“I like to think of my career as a tree – the branches might be pointing in a bunch of different directions, but they are all directed towards the sky.”

“I have a very passionate and gregarious family,” says Ferri proudly. “We were always surrounded by food and good company. My mom could cook like a goddess – I’ve got such an inferiority complex! We really are a multi-cultural, open family. Different members of my family married into various cultures – Egyptian,

Polish, Lebanese. Just imagine what our Christmases were like! When you can understand and have an appreciation of a culture through food, how can you go back?”

with a partner started an International Hotelier School. The Quebec government later opened the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie based upon his practices.

For some people, acting is a very uncertain, unstable business. There are no guarantees and the rewards are often few and very far between. Along with talent, launching into

Ferri smiles when she talks of her father’s exploits. It is obvious that the entrepreneurial gene was handed down through generations. “I think it started with my great grandfather,”

such a business requires an incredibly strong character and emotional fortitude. A person must have the presence of mind to have faith in the future and refrain from pushing the panic

Ferri reminisces. “He understood that if you bought a certain quantity of a product that people needed - a truck load of chairs or lots of dishes - that people would buy them. It was a sideline

button every time that rejection rears its head. Through their attitudes, Ferri’s parent equipped their daughter with tremendous life tools, supplying her with a vision that truly

business for him, but it really worked! My great grandmother used to say all the time ‘What are you doing with all this stuff?’ ‘Don’t worry,’ he’d answer, ‘they will sell!’ And they

contained no boundaries.

“I understand that there are absolutely no limits in life,” she says. “It’s not a matter of your arrival, life is the most

always did!”

Her great grandfather’s quip underlines what seems to be a

beautiful terrain for growth – you learn through life and through what it gives to you. From the age of twelve, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. I like to think of my career as a tree – the branches might be pointing in a bunch of different directions, but they are all directed towards the sky. u

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 77

1

I make very conscious choices about the way that I want to behave with this career. ” Ferri’s words are marked by a sense of conviction and deep self-awareness.

When the soul whispers, many turn away in fright. How can you follow a dream if you don’t know where it is going to lead, if the outcome might

But for others, a job takes on an added meaning. It becomes a playground for personal growth, a place where the character is stretched beyond its limits and shaped in new ways. This is definitely the case for Ferri.

“This career gives you the opportunity to peek into the human soul, it gives you the chance to

mean failure? While these are questions

encounter a lot of other souls,” she

that she might have posed herself, Ferri

says.

never gave into her fears.

teaching me and shaping me into the

“I didn’t choose this career,” she explains. “It was a call, a flame in me. I

“It has taught me so much;

woman that I had an ideal about when I was little.”

knew that I would only be content, knowing that I had tried my best. I would keep saying to myself, by the time I’m 30 I’m going to be on the big screen – it’s not just a fluke that it

She is certainly someone who is willing to embrace and learn from

happened. It’s called trust, I’ve seen miracles happen.”

everything that life gives her. And while times might get tough, as they

Ferr i

2

And, just who is that woman?

has

worked

hard

at

inevitably do, in all of our lives, Ferri

accomplishing her dreams and has been rewarded for her ef for ts.

refuses to shy away from any of it.

“Life isn’t small,” she explains.

Along with appearing regularly in films and on television, she won a 2005

“Life is exactly what you intend it to be.

You might have to live through the

Actra Award for Outstanding Female

difficult times, but you don’t have to

Performance in a Film or Television Series for her role as Elena Battista, the series lead in Ciao Bella!. She also received a 2004 Jutra nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Mambo Italiano. And while she is undeniably ambitious, she is both humorous and grounded about her goals.

“I am very grateful for the route that my career is taking. You have to measure every single step. I might not yet be internationally known, but look how many more people know Claudia Ferri than 10 years ago!”

For some people, a job is just a job.

It is a means to an end – a way to pay the bills and live a certain lifestyle.

dwell in them. In order to be complete, you have to learn from the whole spectrum of emotions. You don’t just learn through pain, there are things to learn through joy as well. That is the thing to remember - we might often experience joy, but do we stop and really learn those lessons from it? So many people are used to learning through misery. But who do you become when you are fulfilled; when you are a strong, empowered, happy, loved and a healthy person?”

The answer, I believe, is a whole person. Ferri tells me a story about when her father passed away. “A month preceding my father’s death, he went to u

1- Bench: Claudia Ferri - Portrait by Luigi Lieggi 2- Nos étés - role: Arlette Bélanger - Photo: Sébastien Raymond 3- Viva la Frida! - Role: Frida Kahlo - Photo: Maxime Côté 3

visit his cousins in Rome,” she recounts.

“During one of their expeditions, he mentioned that zagare (orange blossoms) were his favourite flowers. But they had already dried up for the season. But a month later, when his cousins were making the journey from Rome to Santa Caterina for his funeral, they came across trees full of zagare! Gregorio's

wrong with aiming for the stars while you keep your feet on the ground. ” As we are wrapping up the interview, Ferri asks if I might mention a few people who are very important to her.

There are her three daughters: Gabriella, Camille and Marika. There is her agent, Sandy Martinez and her hair colourist Marco Bruzzese from Furisme.

favourite

in

There are also Olivier & Betty Reguin, a

September, as a last homage to him...

couple that she affectionately refers to

that was extraordinary!

Carlo and

as her surrogate parents, and Jenny

Elisabetta couldn't help but pick a few

Ring her very best friend. I ask her why

blossoms for my father. These blossoms

she wants these names included and the

now lie with him in the walls of my family's

answer is acknowledgment. “Because of

mausoleum.” Amid all the sadness of that day, there was still beauty and Ferri insisted upon seeing it and

their kindness, their visions and their consideration,” comes the reply.

“Behind any kind of accomplishment you will always have a team, this is my team.”

blossoms

blooming

appreciating it.

There are few boundaries between Claudia Ferri the person and Claudia

5

While our conversation was spinning out into a thousand different

Ferri the actress. The passion and

thought-provoking directions, it occurs

integrity that she applies to her every day life are the same values that she

to me that Claudia Ferri takes this business of living life very, very seriously. Each

applies to her career.

“Make what you say mean

moment is savoured, each word is carefully chosen, inviting openness and

something,” she says passionately.

excitement. Darkness and negativity

“We are all connected, every person on this planet has been a child, every person has a right to their own happiness, to their own welfare. Actors and actresses are in a unique position because people really pay attention to them. What is wrong with using that status in a commendable, positive way

don’t seem to occupy a prominent place in her world. Instead, it is a place that is constantly expanding, constantly bringing new challenges as well as new

– look at George Clooney, Angelina Jolie. Why would you want to denigrate that? You have to make a difference where you can – I would love to be a goodwill ambassador for the UN. I’ll rest much more easily knowing that I had contributed positively to bring balance to this world. There is nothing

4

6

“This career gives you the opportunity to peek into the human soul, it gives you the chance to encounter a lot of other souls” joys. It is a world governed by “Why not?” rather than “It will never happen.”

It is a world that I would very much like to inhabit. n

4- Bonanno - Role: Fanny Labruzzo (Seen here with Tony Nardi as Joseph Bonanno) - Photo: Attila Dory 5-Durham County - Role: Roxy Calvert - Photo: Philippe Bossé 6- On the set of Mambo Italiano: Luke Kirby, Ginette Reno, Claudia Ferri & Steve Galluccio 7- "The Assignment" : Donald Sutherland, Aidan Quinn & Claudia Ferri - Photo: Philippe Bossé 7

Geraldo Pace

WINDOW DRESSING...

T I S S U S

D E

D É C O R A T I O N

•

H O M E

D E C O R

7500, rue Saint-Hubert, Montréal, Qc, H2R 2N6 • 514.272.0247 Emerald Plaza • 15-1547, ch. Merivale Rd., Ottawa, On. K2G 4V3 • 613.727.1547 www.cmtextiles.com • info@cmtextiles.com

F A B R I C S

Geraldo Pace

Giovanni Ramacieri

By Shauna Hardy

uestion some people about their goals and they will pull out a carefully worded five-year plan.

Things must fall into place by a certain date, in order to get to Point C, start at Point A, satisfy the conditions for Point B and then move on to the next desired

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destination. And while it might work for some, it doesn’t come close to the way that eighty-year-old Giovanni Ramacieri is living his life. Born in Campobasso, and raised in Quebec, Ramacieri favours a more free-style approach. His recipe for success?

Combine imagination with an entrepreneurial spirit; mix in a heaping dose of passion, and flavour with ingenuity and open-mindedness.

Giovanni Ramacieri was born with an entrepreneurial spirit. When he was 17, the young Ramacieri came to his first set of cross-roads regarding his career. His father gave him a choice – either he could continue in school or begin to work in construction.

Seizing the opportunity, Ramacieri started his career cutting stones and bricks, quickly soaking up as much information as he could about the industry. His entrepreneurial spirit kicked into high gear. “My boss liked to sleep late and I liked to work early,” he explains. “In fact, he was the only boss I ever had!”

In the 50’s, before he founded his own company, Ramacieri approached the US-based Emco Cement products to become a Brandstone dealer in Montreal. Even though Ramacieri was the first man in Canada to become a dealer of the manmade stones that were used on exterior facades and on interior projects, the administration at Emco was a little dubious at first. In an interview for the Toronto Star Weekly they recounted: “Some years ago, a strange figure walked into the office.

He was clad in a plaid jacket, black cap, heavy rubber boots, and spoke with a ‘smiling French accent.’ His heavy black

hair poked out over his weather-beaten face. This was our first Brandstone Dealer in Canada. In my own mind, I didn’t give him much of a chance of being a very good dealer, but I learned at a young age not to be a judge. He was young, eager and willing to learn. He was a good working man and bragged about his working abilities. I nicknamed him ‘Johnny Canada’ because Ramacieri was a mouthful to say over the telephone.”

Ramacieri proved to be as good as his word and when he appeared at a sales meeting a few years later in a well-tailored suit, his associates barely recognized him, but they did recognize his successful business philosophy. The credo is simple: “Keep selling and do good work. Make your customers happy and they will in turn help you sell to their friends.”

In 1967, Ramacieri founded Ramca (a combination of Ramacieri and Canada) – a small outfit of just three people that specialized in tile. u

“Keep selling and do good work. Make your customers happy and they will in turn help you sell to their friends.”

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 83

“My life is divided between work and work,” he explains.

“It was either at the office or on the farm. I didn’t plan a thing out, I don’t have drawings. Everything is in my head; I love to give myself a challenge.”

But what set Ramacieri apart was his vision. He embraced the architectural and artisanal possibilities of the product, travelling the world – from Brazil to Spain, Italy to China - to find original and beautiful tiles for his customers.

The company grew exponentially, employing over 100 people and taking on mammoth jobs. Montreal landmarks

Mondo rubber built a plant in Quebec in order to supply the necessary ingredient and after being approached by Ramacieri, Mapei set up a Canadian division in Montreal and supplied the special flooring adhesive.

Ramacieri’s entrepreneurial spirit had far-reaching consequences upon the cultural, social and economic

But Ramacieri saw its potential and when he wasn’t pouring his energy into his company, he was pouring it into the house. “My life is divided between work and work,” he explains. “It was either at the office or on the farm. I didn’t plan a thing out, I don’t have drawings.

Everything is in my head; I love to give myself a challenge. ” The first thing he

including Westmount Square, the Air

development of Quebec. Thanks so his

did was to raise the house in order to

Canada offices, the Palais de Congres

vision, jobs were being created and an

give it an underground cellar. He spent

and most of the city’s metros have been

interest from foreign investors was

a year turning it into a habitable space

decorated with Ramacieri’s work.

Always keeping his clients’ needs in mind, Ramacieri came up with an innovative concept for showcasing his tiles. Rather than letting his clients be overwhelmed by a blinding choice of colours and styles, Ramacieri grouped the tiles in cabinets, with each drawer revealing a different colour or motif. As a result, clients were able appreciate

being fostered. In honour of his achievements, he was given a prestigious tribute by the Canadian government – the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada.

When a person is enjoying a whirlwind career they often seek solace in a quieter, calmer private life. But Ramacieri prefers to have all aspects of his life firing

and many more working away at the tiny details.

But the house is so much more than just a place to live. Its character and design are reflections of the originality of Ramacieri’s mind. Within the main house is another smaller house, smack dab in the middle of the living space. At first glance, one immediately assumes that this is the

each product’s charm without being weighed down by the rest.

Ramacieri was also responsible for

at full tilt. In 1960, Ramacieri bought a beautiful piece of land in Piedmont, it was a picturesque retreat 45 minutes

original house and Ramacieri built his new quarters around the former space.

But it proves to be the exact opposite.

building the 400 metres tracks for Montreal’s 1976 Olympics. In order to complete the job properly, he decided

outside of Montreal. What wasn’t so picturesque was the house that came with the grounds. Abandoned and in

The smaller house contains an original method to create humidity. Turn the water on and its roof becomes a burbling

to call upon the high-quality products of his homeland. He approached two companies in Italy to complete the tracks.

absolute disrepair, the locals had actually started regarding it as the cursed, haunted house of the village.

fountain, with water pattering down its slope into copper gutters. The smaller building is at once pleasing to the eye and extremely functional.

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My favourite part of the house is Ramacieri’s cellar – Cantina di Giovanni.

A large trap door in the middle of the kitchen opens to reveal a set of steep stairs. Begin your descent into the shadows and you will notice that the entire underside of the door is covered with labels from bottles of wine. Along with a healthy collection of bottles, the

brimming with good cheer. A space that is absolutely begging for more laughter and get-togethers that last long into the night.

To complete the tour, we amble down a short path and arrive at La Baracca sul fiume – a colour cabin lost amid the trees. Composed of a single colourful room perched high atop the

cellar also houses Ramacieri’s balsamic

river, the cabin pays tribute to another

vinegar – a homemade, aged version that is a study in patience and love. He

one of Ramacieri’s great loves – Cuba.

Under normal circumstances the colour

proudly has me taste a sample that is the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness. In order to get the formula just right, Ramacieri uses specially constructed barrels, grapes imported from Italy and flat rocks dug from the beds of the Modena river.

I have a feeling that it would take days to discover all the secrets to Ramacieri’s house, but my mouth

palette that Ramacieri used to decorate the space that he constructed from scratch would be considered garish. But the cabin’s light blue beamed roof paired with its violet and sea-green walls conjure up images of tropical heat and high-spirited fun. What more could you possibly hope for in a shady, summer retreat?

If we paid attention to stereotypes,

literally falls open when he takes me across the road to show me his farm.

This is the site where he raises geese,

they would be telling us that Ramacieri has reached a point where he should be slowing down – spending his days in

sheep and goats. This is also where he prefers to receive his guests for a meal or a drink. Along with housing a

quiet reflection and taking special care of his health. But listen to Ramacieri and he gives a far more compelling version

kitchen and a convivial dining space, the fattoria is packed with memorabilia that pays tribute to his Italian heritage.

of what life if like at his age. His most recent project is Spa Bagni. Purchased in 2000, Ramacieri has created a beautiful day spa that overlooks the Simon River.

Warm and welcoming, it is a space

Guests flock to this idyllic spot in all seasons, to relax in its Finish saunas, restful whirlpools and Turkish steam baths. One of the most popular activities, balneotherapy takes place in the dead of winter. Guests alternate between the heat of its saunas and brief dips into the glacial waters of the river. The effect is both invigorating and relaxing. Most recently Ramacieri added a new outdoor whirlpool complete with sea salt, waterfall and a cave.

There is much to admire about Giovanni Ramacieri. There is his free spirit, his boundless imagination and of course, his amazing entrepreneurial abilities. But what marked me the most during our meeting was his boundless energy and sense of fun. At a time when our society tends to put such emphasis on youth, it is so refreshing to see a man so unconcerned about his age.

Life at any stage is meant to be lived, and that is exactly what Giovanni Ramacieri is doing. n

By Shauna Hardy ometimes it creeps along infernally, sometimes it passes too fast to even be noticed, but no matter how it chooses to behave, time always passes, one minute after another, one day after the next. And while logging its every movement isn’t a

S

necessity, the offerings from Lancaster Italy prove that beautiful watches are certainly timely accessories.

Lancaster watches have a rich and interesting history.

In the mid 1600's, Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch astronomer and inventor, moved to Switzerland seeking religious asylum. He set up a precision timepiece factory and upon his deathbed, Huygens revealed the secrets of the firm to his best apprentice, Edward Higgins, in order that he may carry on the watch-making tradition. Under Higgins watchful eye, the company grew into an industrial outfit. The Lancaster timepieces, named after Higgins’ beloved hometown in England, were renowned for their technical and stylistic flair. No longer just worn by the rich nobility, the watches were items coveted by merchants, bankers and professionals.

The Lancaster collection was re-launched in 1992 by Alvea, a leading Italian company that specializes in luxury goods. Today, Lancaster watches are sold in over

2,000 exclusive boutiques throughout the Italian market. The watches are also available through a few exclusive distributors throughout the world.

When Carlo Scalzo came to Canada, he recognized that there was an opportunity to introduce this country’s consumers to something truly exciting.

“The Lancaster brands really stand out compared to other brands,” explains Scalzo, the president of Diamond 2 Scalzo Bros. “When I arrived from Italy, I found that the market here was very conservative. By deciding to import the Lancaster brand, I was hoping to add some excitement to the market place.”

Always dedicated to innovation, Lancaster watches bring together tradition, imagination, luxury, glamour and fashion. The brand is one of the most prestigious in the accessories market. Along with state-of-the-art craftsmanship, the watches are defined by their colourful bands (often featured u

in stingray or crocodile), their imaginatively shaped watch faces, and their use of high-end materials, which include glittering diamonds. With its ceramic band in shades that range from pale pink to midnight black and the option of a mother of pearl face decorated with up to 112 diamonds, the Ceramik model is a sophisticated, sensual homage to the modern woman.

Featuring a price range that runs $400 to $7,000, there is a watch for those who want to invest in something affordable as well as for those who crave the luxurious. “Watches were traditionally viewed as a functional piece, but it has gradually

itself again, becoming the first company to set diamonds by hand on the frame and lenses of the glasses. The strong, bold lines of the glasses not only sculpt the

taken on more of a fashionable personality,” explains Scalzo.

sonality as well.

features

of

woman’s

face,

but

a

emphasize

her strong per-

“The younger generation is willing to buy something that will

During the same

complete what they are wearing. While they might be looking for quality, they aren’t necessarily interested in limiting themselves to just once model. People change their wardrobes, why not their watches? The Lancaster brand has become a bit of a status symbol. Our clientele don’t mind spending their money, but they love to get positive feedback about their purchase. Lancaster is about glamour, people will notice the watch, it becomes a conversation piece and attracts plenty of attention.”

While Lancaster watches certainly has a glamorous personality, there is also a fun and funky aspect to some of their designs. The company has recently launched its Globetrotters collection featuring bold bands that reflect the cosmopolitan influence of several cities including Rome, and

year, Lancaster

Tokyo. The oversized, square cut faces are offered in both digital and chronometric versions.

Always on top of the trends, Lancaster expanded its accessories focus in 2003, when it launched its first line of eyewear. Combining dramatic, aesthetic lines with high-tech functionality, the Butterfly Collection of

leather goods were also launched.

The complete line ranges from credit card holders, key-rings and unisex wallets to business bags and ladies purses. The items are all made from fine calf and python leather in a rainbow of colours that ranges from white, pea-green and red to canary yellow, navy blue navy and black.

Constantly increasing its range of chic and elegant products, Lancaster has been transformed from a practical, timepiece specialist into a trendsetting company that has made its mark in the world of fashion. n

sunglasses is certainly an attention getter. With this project, Lancaster proved

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 89

denim sandblast techniques.

Parasuco has acquired an unrivalled denim skill-set ranging from experimental styles

Parasuco Jeans, under the creative influence of style guru, Salvatore Parasuco, has earned an international reputation of provocative and modern image making. Since 1975, Parasuco has sought to titillate, inspire and provoque with both its form flattering silhouettes and bold, unapologetically sensuous advertising campaigns. The company known for its stretch jeans, has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of socially acceptable imagery, and has since forged a unique visual identity celebrating the Vita Eros. Its latest visual feast of neo-erotic tableaux, in collaboration with Geraldo Pace, marks the beginning of a long simmering artistic flirtation.

Selling denims, first using his high-school locker as a make-shift boutique, and then, opening his first retail outlet, ‘’Pour les deux’’ at age 19, Salvatore Parasuco, has gone on to make denim history.

Using his boutique as a launch pad for technical innovations and new denim developments Salvatore Parasuco finally forged his own denim DNA, founding Santana Jeans in 1975.In 1988, due to restrictive trade mark concerns and a growing US demand, Santana was relaunched under the Parasuco label.

Under one name or the other, the company went on to introduce key trends to market like acid-wash, stretch denim, black over dye and

92 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

and finishes, to one-of-a-kind decorative details.

Sensing a shift in the traditional fashion landscape, Parasuco Jeans added the role of vertical retailer to that of wholesaler with the opening of its first flagship store in Montreal in 1988.

In the next few years, the company aims to operate 30 destination locations in the worlds fashion capitals. In the United States, Parasuco has opened 3 locations, in New-York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles. In Canada, the eight existing retail locations in Montreal, Quebec city and Toronto, saw the complete overhaul of the Montreal flagship boutique and the addition of a Vancouver store.

Parasuco also operates 6 stores in south-east Asia, through a Korean partnership.

Parasuco’s flagship locations are essentially housed in heritage bank buildings of Greco-roman architecture. Limestone facades are supported by Roman columns and heavy swing doors give way to breathtaking cascading chandeliers, fresco and mosaic floors, gilded two-storey ceilings and marble counter-tops. The boutiques, are merchandised in a modern way, as fixtures of brushed chrome and sleek glass showcase the collections. u

Geraldo Pace

Vita Eros Favouring wide open spaces, the stores feature state of the art audio and video, large mirrored changing rooms and plush and inviting resting areas.

norm and exploring male nudity. Since

Emphasizing the naked body,

then, the company has never relented from pushing boundaries and in its Spring 2001 advertising campaign,

rather than the clothing, the talented lensman produced appealing and sensuous images reminiscent of classic

Since its inception in 1975, constant creative renewal has been at the heart of the label’s enduring success. To this

chose to advertise a cast of denim extroverts exposing multiple body parts. That campaign, often referred to

Renaissance sculpture. The bodies, posed suggesting movement and action, refer to its celebration of the

day the brand’s fashion pioneering status remains unchallenged anchored both in award-winning design and

in industry circles as ‘’ the butt-crack campaign’’ featured a billboard sized back-shot of a scantily clad model

body as a symbol both of strength and of beauty. Using a combination of lighting and airbrushing techniques,

groundbreaking image making.

exposing very deep ‘’ bottom cleavage’’.

the jeans take center stage as we

Parasuco’s success has been credited to frequent celebrity endorsement, and although music mavericks such as

The reaction was immediate and prompted a heated debate on advertising content nation-wide. Whether a fan or

browse through the images that artfully redefine Parasuco’s erotic lifestyle.

Voyeuristic, provocative and undoubtedly

Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne screen stars like Jessica Alba, Brittany Murphy, Nicolette Sheridan

not, Parasuco has always held our attention, lif ting the veil on our prudishness , often prompting debate

sexy, the images succeed in merging art to fashion in this ode to the human body.

Certain elements like the use of

and starlets from Ashley Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Hillary Duff, to Mischa Barton and Nicole Ritchie undoubtedly helped to promote the brand, Parasuco’s own efforts have long since

and even outrage.

Fuelled by the company’s growing ambitions the brand image warranted a retooling to reflect its current aspirations.

Hence, recent history has seen the

lighting techniques in order to highlight dramatic effects, or that of the naked body as a focus rather than the clothing itself, refer, on the other hand, to early twentieth century glamour photography

proved effective.

With a heritage of controversial and sensual advertising the ‘’Vita Eros’’ or erotic lifestyle Parasuco proposes has both engrossed, piqued and provoqued, often straddling the fine line between

brand tap into new creative insight and move beyond the constraints of traditional fashion photography.

or even the playful ‘’ French Postcard ‘’ nudes. That style, since then glamorized by pin-ups like Betty Grable and Marylin

Working under Parasuco’s artistic direction, Geraldo Pace’s photographs depict artful nudes dressed only in

sensuality and explicit sexuality.

Working in close collaboration with the world’s premier photographers,

jeans against a warm grey background.

A man and a woman’s naked form artfully offset the rawness of the jeans

Monroe, had, until then, remained mostly on the fringe of the socially acceptable.

This heritage of eclectic and varied influences ranging from the Italian Masters to the ‘’Boudoir Literature’’ of

Parasuco’s imagery has often solicited strong reactions and even, in extreme cases, censorship. The company first

and showcase the beauty of the human body. Tastefully posed, the images contain references from sources as

men’s magazines has brought to life Parasuco’s latest visual incarnation.

Set over two days, in the controlled

sought controversy choosing to promote safe-sex messages before they were the

varied as Renaissance art and glamour photography.

environment of a countryside studio, the two protagonists chemistry is palpable. u

Geraldo Pace

The illusion of a strong attraction between them is heightened as they bask in a warm, sensuous, light. Traditional sexual roles of submissive femininity and aggressive masculinity shatter as both actors interpret a series of poses in this visual dialogue. Their entangled bodies sway to the rhythm of unheard music and cut to the raw essence of beauty in movement and graceful nudity. The bodies catch the soft warm natural and artificial light intent on enforcing the illusion of a sensuous encounter, their skin tickled by the warm glow.

This celluloid work of art is a showcase of collaborative efforts between Parasuco’s and Geraldo Pace’s teams, who together painted this unique fashion rendering. The intimacy of the setting, paired with the teams chemistry were captured and interpreted on film for this visual orgasm.

Parasuco has graduated from the schoolyard to become an international fashion broker.

Since 1975 the brand has benefited from worldwide success and has sought to stimulate the fashion landscape with its unique visual blueprint. Looking to orchestrate visual sizzle since its early days, Parasuco has always favoured controversy as a vehicle for its message. Past advertising campaigns have sought to push back the limits of our strained visual environment.

The Vita Eros, Parasuco advocates, celebrates life, beauty and love. Having to update its image, the sexy brand’s heritage created the ideal gateway into the latest advertising endeavour, celebrating the beauty of the body. Under Parasuco’s expert direction, the tight knit artistic unit used classical and alternative artistic techniques to create a meeting place of fashion and art providing the frames with an appropriate setting.

As the male and female bodies, kissed by a warm light, dance under Geraldo Pace’s lens, they interpret a sensuous and sophisticated fashion pas-de-deux.

Parasuco owns and operates an international sales infrastructure of established showrooms, distributors, partners, licensees and retail locations. More than 20 showrooms worldwide, notably in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Milan and Osaka, and 11 stand-alone destination retail locations, confirm Parasuco’s international scope and relevance and industry leadership position. n

96 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

PANORAM

I TA L I A

Costasera Masi, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Doc 2003 Capitel San Rocc Ripasso, Igt Veronese 2004Tedeschi, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Doc 2004Pin & Toi, Igt Veneto 2005 Palazzo della Torre, Igt Veronese 2003 Allegrin Valpolicella Classico Doc 2005 Bortolomiol, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Doc 200 Nino Franco, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Doc Capitel Foscarino, Igt Veneto 200 San Vincenzo, Igt Veneto 2006 La Rocca, Soave Classico Superiore Doc 200 Calvarino, Soave Classico Superiore Doc 2004 Inama, Soave Classico Superiore Do 2005 Arnaldo Caprai, Montefalco Doc 2000Vitiano, Igt Umbria 2005 Torre di Gian Bianco di Torgiano Doc 2005 Rubesco, Rosso di Torgiano Doc 2003 Campogrand Orvieto Classico Doc 2005Cabernet Alois Lageder, Alto Adige Riserva Doc 200 Chardonnay Buchholz, Alto Adige Doc 2005 Foradori, Teroldego Rotaliano Do 2003 Mezzacorona, Teroldego Rotaliano Riserva Doc 2003 Terrazze della Lun Pinot Grigio, Trentino Doc 2005 Villa di Capezzana, Carmignano Docg 200 Avignonesi, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2003 La Caduta, Rosso Montalcino Doc 2003 Argiano, Rosso di Montalcino Doc 2004La Massa, Igt Toscan 2004 Villa Cafaggio, Chianti Classico Docg 2004 Berardenga, Chianti Classico Doc 2004 Isole e Olena, Chianti Classico Docg 2004 Pèppoli, Chianti Classico Doc 2004Villa Antinori, Igt Toscana 2000 Poggio alla Badiola, Igt Toscana 200 Fonterutoli Mazzei, Chianti Classico Docg 2005Tre, Igt Toscana 2004Le Volte, I Toscana 2004 Elisabetta Geppetti, Morellino di Scansano Doc 2005Moris Farm Morellino di Scansano Doc 2005Dogajolo, Igt Toscana 2005 Chardonnay Farnit Igt Toscana 2005Campo Al Mare Vermentino, Igt Toscana 2004Occhio Al Ven 100 ITALIAN WINES Vermentino, Igt Maremma Toscana 2004 Don Pietro, Igt Sicilia 2004Planet WORTH : CLOSE UP ON 2005 Santagostino Bagl Cerasuolo di Vittora Docg 2004 BUYING La Segreta, Igt Sicilia Soria, Igt Sicilia 2003 Nero d'avola Don Antonio, Igt Sicilia 2003 Nero d'avo Vendemmia Morgante, Igt Sicilia 2004 Sedàra, Igt Sicilia 2004Nero d'avo Rapitalà, Igt Sicilia 2005Nero d'avola Regaleali, Igt Sicilia 2005 Regaleali Bianc Igt Sicilia 2006 Nozze d'Oro, Contea di Sclafani Doc 2004 Accademia del So Viognier, Igt Sicilia 2006Sella & Mosca, Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva Doc 200 Perdera, Monica di Sardegna Doc 2005 Il Falcone, Castel del Monte Riserva Do 2002 Conti Leone de Castris, Salice Salentino Riserva Doc 2003Trevini Primo, I Tarantino 2005 LapaccioFROM Primitivo, Igt:Salento 2005 ITALY CLOSE UP ONTerrale Primitivo, Igt Pugl 2003Notarpanaro, Igt Salento 2001Taurino, Salice Salentino Riserva Doc 200 10 SELECTED CHAMPIONS Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ghemme 2000Prunotto, Barolo Docg 2001 Occhett Nebbiolo d'Alba Doc 2003Dardi Le Rose, Barolo Bussia Docg 2000 Fontanafredd Barolo Docg 2001Eremo, Langhe Doc 2004By Nebbiolo, Gattinara Docg 2000 La Lun Gabriel Riel-Salvatore e I Falo, Barbera d'Asti Doc 2004 Pio Cesare, Nebbiolo d'Alba Doc 2003 Lucian Sandrone, Barbera d'Alba Doc 2004 Luciano Sandrone, Dolcetto d'Alba Doc 200 La Tota, Barbera d'Asti Doc 2005 Tortoniano, Barolo Docg 2001Rovereto, Ga Docg 2005 Ibisco, Monferrato Doc 2005 Ramitello, Biferno Riserva Doc 2003 Moli Biferno Doc 2006Umani Ronchi, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Doc 2005 Podium Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Doc 2003 Grosso Agontano, Rosso Conero Riserva Do 2003Bellavista Cuvée Brut, Franciacorta DocgFranciacorta brut, Frianciacor Docg Merlot Esperto, Igt Delle Venezie 2003Pinot Grigio, Igt Venezia Giulia 200 Vieris Sauvignon, Isonzo del Friuli Doc 2004 Marzieno, Igt, Fiano di Avellino Do 2004Pietracalda, Fiano di Avellino Doc 2004 Mastroberardino, Lacryma Christi d Vesuvio Doc 2005 Mastroberardino, Greco di Tufo Doc 2005Duca San Felice, Ci Riserva Doc 2003 Tenuta del Portale, Aglianico del Vulture Doc 2003 San Clement Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2003 La Cuvée dell'Abate, Montepulciano d'Abruzz Doc 2004Citra, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2006Majolica, Montepulcian d'Abruzzo Doc 2006Riparosso, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2005

10 CHAMPIONS

70 BLUE CHIPS

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 101

I TA L I A

PANORAM 100 ITALIAN WINES WORTH BUYING : CLOSE UP ON

10 CHAMPIONS

LEGEND D.O.C.G. : Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita D.O.C. : Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata I.G.T. : Vino a Indicazione Geografica Tipica Red wine

White wine

Sparkling wine

Ready to drink Ready to drink or Keep until indicated year Keep until indicated year Aged in Stainless steel Aged in french barrique of 225 litres Aged in wood cask of various size, medium to large Grape or grape types used ha : hectares of vines used for production; from single or multiple vinyards. : Average number of bottles produced yearly

ABRUZZO

PIEMONTE

CAMPANIA

PIEMONTE

VENETO

(Controguerra D.O.C.G.) Riparosso 2005, Illuminati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (ha 40 ; 550.000) 10-15$, 750 ml

(Nebbiolo d’Alba D.O.C.) Nebbiolo d’Alba Occhetti 2002, Prunotto Nebbiolo ( 30.000) 30-35$, 750 ml

(Greco di Tufo D.O.C.G.) Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo 2005, Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo ( 800.000) 20-25$, 750 ml

(Barbera d’Asti D.O.C.) Barbera d’Asti La Tota 2004, Marchesi Alfieri Barbera (9 ha ; 36.000) 20-25$, 750 ml

(Soave Classico Superiore D.O.C.) Soave Calvarino 2004, Pieropan Garganega (ha 7 ; 50.000) 25-30$, 750 ml

Rich and jammy medium body wine. It reveals nice predominantly ripe red berry aromas, reminiscent of morello cherries and strawberries with a hint a fresh tomatoes typical of wines from central Italy, ending on an earthy undertone.

Good value nebbiolo offering lovely black berry, leather, fresh almound and slightly truffled underbush aromas.

Rustic without being heavy, it is well balanced by a wonderful kirshy palate full of ripe, sinewy fruit and well tamed oak flavours.

Charmingly fruity, this wine is exlusively made out of greco grapes. It presents nice apricot and pear aromas paired with slightly mineral and beeswax flavours evolving towards a pleasant touch of bitter almond well-balanced by crisp acidity.

Reveals the potential of a well made barbera, moving away from the timid image associated to this varietal. An harmonius smell of lovely, fresh rose, rasberry and cherry fragances is judiciously endorsed by discrete wood aromas. Soft tannins offer this wine an elegant structure balanced by a refreshing acidity.

Fresh, floral medium-bodied white. Intense bouquet with hints of wild elder flowers (sambuco), quince and pear ending on nutty aromas reminiscent of hazelnut and almonds. Well balanced, fresh mineral finish.

ABRUZZO

TOSCANA

VENETO

2010

SICILIA

SICILIA

(Montepulciano d’Abruzzo D.O.C.) San Clemente 2003, Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ( 8000) 40-45$, 750 ml

(Sicilia I.G.T.) Nero d’avola 2005, Regaleali (Tasca d’Almerita) Nero d’avola & Perricone ( 600.000) 15-20$, 750 ml

(Sicilia I.G.T.) Don Pietro 2004, Spadafora Nero d’avola cabernet Sauvignon, merlot (ha 6 ; 30.000) 20-25$, 750 ml

(Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C.) Argiano Rosso di Montalcino 2004, Argiano Sangiovese 25-30$, 750 ml

(Amarone della Valpolicella Classico D.O.C.) Costasera 2003, Masi Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara 35-40$, 750 ml

Rich and full-bodied wine of great aromatic complexity.

Ripe, cooked fruit flavors (plums, black cherries, dark figs) elegantly combined with smoky leather and spicy aromas balanced by chalky, yet soft, tannins and a pleasant and refreshing acidity, lingering on a peppery finish.

Typical Nero d’avola aromas with nice and evident black berry fragrances combined to a sligthly spicy character, reminiscent of cinnamon and nutmeg evolving onto notes of black earth and dry leafs (humus). Ropier than the average Nero d’avola of its category. Excellent.

International assemblage wine where terroir and modernity intelligently combine. Rich and gourmand with blackberry aromas and spicy undertones lingering on a warm, smooth finish. A must have that will most certainly please.

Ropy, fruity and elegant wine. Nice morello cherry smell mixed with leather and underbrush fragances. Good roundness and nice freshness with already soft tannins. All we can ask from a Rosso di Montalcino. A trully beautiful, fragrant wine.

Rich and voluptuous with smooth yet asserted tannins.

Onctuous maraschino cherry flavours combined with notes of dry plum, cocoa and chocolate.

Very good amarone for its price range.

2010

2010

2010

2013

I TA L I A

PANORAM

70 BLUE CHIPS FROM ITALY : CLOSE UP ON 10 SELECTED CHAMPIONS TOSCANA

2013

TOSCANA

2010

TOSCANA

2011

TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE

2012

TOSCANA

2015

(Cortona I.G.T.) Desiderio 2000, Avignonesi Merlot & cabernet ( 50.000) 80-85$, 750 ml

(Bolgheri Rosso D.O.C.) Piastraia 2003, Michele Satta Cabernet 25% - merlot 25% syrah 25% - sangiovese 25% (ha 7 ; 38.000) 35-40$, 750 ml

(Toscana Rosso I.G.T.) Avvoltore 2001, Moris Farms Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon & syrah (ha 14 ; 45.000) 60-65$, 750 ml

An intense and robust merlotcabernet based wine revealing clean, pleasing, refined and elegant aromas of ripe, almost cooked wild berries, plum and violet with a hint of cigar box, roasted coffee, licorice and vanilla. Full-bodied, harmonious and round, it carries good tannins balanced by intense flavours and a good alcohol content lingering on a long lasting finish. Perfect on roasted and grilled meat, game and mature cheeses.

Affirmation of the highest quality from the Bordelaise Varietals planted in Bolgheri, combined with the elegance and round softness which can be derived from Sangiovese and Syrah, planted in a hot mediterranean climate. Intensely fruity with fragrances of blackberry and blueberry, presenting also slightly herbally and animal aromas with a hint of summer hay combined with a nice touch of leather. Well balanced, it offers smooth tannins and good concentration. Deep, dense and explosive flavours make it fresh and enjoyable.

Full-bodied and soft, suggesting a velvety sensation on the palate, it offers a warm mix of dense plum and blackberry flavours, with supporting notes of cedar, dark chocolate, coffee and leather complemented by a delicate licorice spiciness. Albeit a very muscular wine, it nontheless presents a very smooth, almost sweet structure, suggestive of the Maremma’s potential to produce rich yet balanced wines combining power and pleasure

Result of a careful selection of the best Teroldego grapes from the Foradori winery brought to their full expression by Elisabetta Foradori’s quest for excellence.

Deep, complex, concentrated wine offering spicy aromas and subtle, yet palatable earthy (truffles) and tar (smoke) undertones, unmistakable expression of the Teroldego Rotaliano’s character, balanced by a rich and elegant scent of black cherries and pomegranate. Silky and smooth, with firm tannins and well integrated oak. Simply marvelous.

Vibrant, full-bodied wine that shows good extract and acidity.

Pleasantly complex with pomegranate and blackberry flavours, perfectly integrated oak with spicy sweet and elegant notes of balsamic, eucaliptus and roasted coffee. Tannins are soft, velvety and display great personality that makes it good for ageing, but already perfectly enjoyable.

Perfect with game, roast, braised and stewed red meats, and medium aged cheese.

PIEMONTE

TOSCANA

TOSCANA

TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE

UMBRIA

2015

(Barbaresco D.O.C.G.) Asti Barbaresco 2000, Ceretto Nebbiolo (ha 4 ; 20.000) 50-55$, 750 ml

A complex, ethereal bouquet with hints of dog-rose, violet, cherry, leather, licorice and black earth. With a caressing dry taste in the mouth, this wine highlights the excellence of well made Barbarescos. Though it is capable of exciting the taste-buds after just a year in the bottle, the sensations are sure to increase with ageing.

2013

(Chianti Classico D.O.C.G.) Castello di Ama Chianti Classico 2003, Castello di Ama Sangiovese 80%, canaiolo 8%, malvasia nera and merlot 12% ( 150.000) 40-45$, 750 ml Full-bodied red of good structure.

Intense, clean, pleasing and refined bouquet suggesting blackberries, dried cherries and violets ending on spicy pink pepper and menthol aromas. Still quite firm. Let it age a few more years to appreciate it fully. Great potential.

2011

(Toscana Rosso I.G.T.) Siepi 2001, Castello di Fonterutoli Sangiovese & merlot (ha 8 ; 25.000) 80-90$, 750 ml Touchstone in its category in Tuscany. Ropy and gourmand, it displays very ripe and sweet blackberry and blueberry fragrances combined to lovely spicy cloves, cedar, cinnamon and chocolately aromas of a voluptuous texture with tannins pleasantly fondling the mouth. It is fullbodied yet vibrant and palatable.

(Vigneti delle Dolomiti I.G.T.) Granato 2003, Foradori Teroldego Rotaliano (ha 8 ; 45.000) 60-65$, 750 ml

2012

(Vigneti delle Dolomiti I.G.T.) San Leonardo 2000, Tenuta San Leonardo Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot (ha 12 ; 87.000) 75-80$, 750 ml Already splendid aromatic complexity with perfectly ripe fruit highlights. A wine of remarkable intensity on the nose, which layers bell peppers and wild berries over a background note of vanilla.

The palate is full, warm and impressively rounded, with intense aromatics that linger on the palate. Trully one of Italy’s best.

(Bolgheri Rosso Superiore D.O.C.) Grattamacco 2001, Collemassari Cabernet sauvignon 65%, merlot 20%, sangiovese 15% (ha 4 ; 18.000 ) 200-220$, 1,5 l

2015

(Sagrantino di Montefalco D.O.C.G.) Collepiano 2000, Arnaldo Caprai Sagrantino (ha 20 ; 75.000) 60-65$, 750 ml

Quite complex, powerfull, fat, ropy and full-bodied red of great ageing potential produced solely with Sagrantino, a unique variety grown only in Montefalco. Strong nose of blackberries, black fruits, combined with meaty and balsamic notes, violets, nutmeg, with oak that blows off after a bit of air.

Very smooth on the palate with good acid balance; some dry tannin makes it excellent with meat.

100 ITALIAN WINES WORTH BUYING PIEMONTE (cont.)

CAMPANIA Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita

D.O.C.G. :

D.O.C. :

Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata

I.G.T. :

Vino a Indicazione Geografica Tipica

Red wine White wine

TRAVAGLINI Nebbiolo, Gattinara Docg 2000 Nebbiolo 25$-30$ Ready

MASTROBERARDINO Mastroberardino, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Doc 2005 Piedirosso 20$-25$ Ready 2009

FONTANAFREDDA Eremo, Langhe Doc 2004 Barbera, Nebbiolo 15$-20$ Ready

PLANETA La Segreta, Igt Sicilia 2005 Nero d'Avola 50% - Merlot 25% - Syrah 20% Cabernet Franc 5% 15$-20$ Ready

FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO Pietracalda, Fiano di Avellino Doc 2004 Fiano 25$-30$ Ready

FONTANAFREDDA Fontanafredda, Barolo Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 30$-35$ Ready

2011

PLANETA Planeta, Cerasuolo di Vittora Docg 2004 Nero d'avola 60% - Frappato 40% 20$-25$ Ready

2010

FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO Campanaro, Fiano di Avellino Doc 2004 Fiano 35$-40$ Ready

PODERI COLLA CASCINE DRAGO Dardi Le Rose, Barolo Bussia Docg 2000 Nebbiolo 50$-55$ Ready

2015

SPADAFORA Don Pietro, Igt Sicilia 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Nero d'avola 20$-25$ Ready

2010

EMILIA-ROMAGNA FATTORIA ZERBINA Marzieno, Igt Ravenna 2000 Sangiovese 35$-40$ Ready

Sparkling wine Ready to drink

2009

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA

Ready to drink or Keep until indicated year

VIE DI ROMANS Vieris Sauvignon, Isonzo del Friuli Doc 2004 Sauvignon blanc 35$-40$ Ready

Keep until indicated year

LIS NERIS Pinot Grigio, Igt Venezia Giulia 2004 Pinot Grigio 25$-30$ Ready

HOW TO READ THE CHART : Name in the color band is for the region

Green band is for the 100 italian wines

ABRUZZO ILLUMINATI DINO Riparosso, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2005 Montepulciano d'abruzzo 10$-15$ Ready

Price range

Wine

Blue band is for the 70 Blue Chips Icon for type of wine

MASTROBERARDINO Radici, Taurasi Docg 2000 Aglianico 100% 35$-40$ wait

Ready or keep wine until year after the bottle icon

ESPERTO Merlot Esperto, Igt Delle Venezie 2003 Merlot 15$-20$ Ready

LOMBARDIA CA' DEL BOSCO Franciacorta brut, Frianciacorta Docg Chardonnay, Pinot noir,Pinot blanc 30$-35$ Ready BELLAVISTA Bellavista Cuvée Brut, Franciacorta Docg Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Pinot blanc 35$-40$ Ready

MARCHE GAROFOLI GIOACCHINO Grosso Agontano, Rosso Conero Riserva Doc 2003 Sangiovese 25$-30$ Ready 2010 GAROFOLI GIOACCHINO Podium, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Doc 2003 Verdicchio 15$-20$ Ready

MOLISE 2010

Year indicated for storage of the bottle

ABRUZZO ILLUMINATI DINO Riparosso, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2005 Montepulciano d'abruzzo 10$-15$ Ready PODERE CASTORANI Majolica, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2006 Montepulciano d'abruzzo 10$-15$ Ready CITRA VINI Citra, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2006 Montepulciano d'abruzzo 5$-10$ Ready

2009

PIEMONTE

CHIARLO MICHELE Rovereto, Gavi Docg 2005 Cortese 20$-25$ Ready

2010

FOLONARI AMBROGIO E GIOVANNI Campo Al Mare Vermentino, Igt Toscana 2004 Vermentino 15$-20$ Ready

ANTICHI VIGNETI DI CANTALUPO Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ghemme 2000 Nebbiolo 25$-30$ Ready 2009

MICHELE CHIARLO Tortoniano, Barolo Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 40$-45$ wait

2010

PIO CESARE Pio Cesare, Nebbiolo d'Alba Doc 2003 Nebbiolo 25$-30$ Ready TERRE DA VINO La Luna e I Falo, Barbera d'Asti Doc 2004 Barbera 15$-20$ Ready

2010

2010

CARPINETO Dogajolo, Igt Toscana 2005 Sangiovese - Cabernet Sauvignon 15$-20$ Ready

TAURINO COSIMO Notarpanaro, Igt Salento 2001 Negroamaro 90% - Malvasia nera 10% 15$-20$ Ready

MORIS FARMS Moris Farms, Morellino di Scansano Doc 2005 Sangiovese 20$-25$ Ready 2009

2010

CALATRASI Terrale Primitivo, Igt Puglia 2003 Primitivo 10$-15$ Ready

FATTORIA LE PUPILLE Elisabetta Geppetti, Morellino di Scansano Doc 2005 Sangiovese 15$-20$ Ready 2010

AGRICOLA SURANI Lapaccio Primitivo, Igt Salento 2005 Primitivo 10$-15$ Ready

TENUTA DELL'ORNELLAIA Le Volte, Igt Toscana 2004 Sangiovese 50% - Merlot 30% - Cabernet 25$-30$ Ready

M.G.M. MONDO DEL VINO Trevini Primo, Igt Tarantino 2005 Merlot - Primitivo 10$-15$ Ready

BRANCAIA Tre, Igt Toscana 2004 Sangiovese - Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 20$-25$ Ready

LEONE DE CASTRIS Conti Leone de Castris, Salice Salentino Riserva Doc 2003 Negroamaro 90% - Malvasia nera 10% 15$-20$ Ready 2009

CASTELLO DI FONTERUTOLI (MAZZEI) Fonterutoli Mazzei, Chianti Classico Docg 2005 Sangiovese 25$-30$ Ready 2011

RIVERA Il Falcone, Castel del Monte Riserva Doc 2002 Nero di troia 70% - Montepulciano 30% 20$-25$ Ready 2008

CASTELLO DI FONTERUTOLI (MAZZEI) Poggio alla Badiola, Igt Toscana 2005 Sangiovese - Cabernet Sauvignon 15$-20$ Ready

SELLA & MOSCA Sella & Mosca, Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva Doc 2003 Cannonau 15$-20$ Ready

TASCA D'ALMERITA Regaleali Bianco, Igt Sicilia 2006 Cattarato 15$-20$ Ready TASCA D'ALMERITA Nero d'avola Regaleali, Igt Sicilia 2005 Nero d'avola - Perricone 15$-20$ Ready

SANDRONE LUCIANO Luciano Sandrone, Barbera d'Alba Doc 2004 Barbera 30$-35$ Ready 2009

CARPINETO Chardonnay Farnito, Igt Toscana 2005 Chardonnay 25$-30$ Ready

TAURINO COSIMO Taurino, Salice Salentino Riserva Doc 2001 Negroamaro 80% - Malvasia nera 20% 15$-20$ Ready 2009

TASCA D'ALMERITA Nozze d'Oro, Contea di Sclafani Doc 2004 Inzolia 25$-30$ Ready

SANDRONE LUCIANO Luciano Sandrone, Dolcetto d'Alba Doc 2005 Dolcetto 20$-25$ Ready

CALABRIA

PRUNOTTO Prunotto, Barolo Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 45$-50$ wait

ROCCA DELLE MACIE Occhio Al Vento Vermentino, Igt Maremma Toscana 2004 Vermentino 15$-20$ Ready

CALATRASI Accademia del Sole Viognier, Igt Sicilia 2006 Viognier 15$-20$ Ready

ZACCAGNINI CICCIO San Clemente, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2003 Montepulciano d'abruzzo 40$-45$ Ready 2010

LIBRANDI ANTONIO Duca San Felice, Cirò Riserva Doc 2003 Gaglioppo 15$-20$ Ready

2010

SICILIA

TERRE DA VINO Ibisco, Monferrato Doc 2005 Cortese -Chardonnay 10$-15$ Ready

MARCHESI ALFIERI La Tota, Barbera d'Asti Doc 2005 Barbera 20$-25$ Ready

BASILICATA

TOSCANA

ARGIOLAS Perdera, Monica di Sardegna Doc 2005 Monica 90% - Carignano, Bovale 10% 15$-20$ Ready

DI MAJO NORANTE Ramitello, Biferno Riserva Doc 2003 Prugnolo 80% - Aglianico 20% 15$-20$ Ready

FIRRIATO Santagostino Baglio Soria, Igt Sicilia 2003 Nero d'avola - Syrah 20$-25$ Ready 2009

PRUNOTTO Occhetti, Nebbiolo d'Alba Doc 2003 Nebbiolo 30$-35$ Ready

SARDEGNA

DI MAJO NORANTE Moli', Biferno Doc 2006 Montepulciano 80% - Aglianico 20% 10$-15$ Ready

ZACCAGNINI CICCIO La Cuvée dell'Abate, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Doc 2004 Montepulciano d'abruzzo 15$-20$ Ready

CA.VI.DA Tenuta del Portale, Aglianico del Vulture Doc 2003 Aglianico 15$-20$ Ready 2010

2010

PUGLIA

UMANI RONCHI Umani Ronchi, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Doc 2005 Verdicchio 10$-15$ Ready

CAMPANIA

SICILIA (cont.)

MASTROBERARDINO Mastroberardino, Greco di Tufo Doc 2005 Greco 20$-25$ Ready

RAPITALÀ Nero d'avola Rapitalà, Igt Sicilia 2005 Nero d'avola 10$-15$ Ready DONNAFUGATA Sedàra, Igt Sicilia 2004 Nero d'avola 15$-20$

Ready

MORGANTE Nero d'avola Vendemmia Morgante, Igt Sicilia 2004 Nero d'avola 15$-20$ Ready MORGANTE Nero d'avola Don Antonio, Igt Sicilia 2003 Nero d'avola 25$-30$ Ready 2010

PANOR AM

I TA L I A

LEGEND

ANTINORI Villa Antinori, Igt Toscana 2000 Sangiovese - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon 20$-25$ Ready

Sauvignon 20% 2010

2010

Syrah

ANTINORI Pèppoli, Chianti Classico Docg 2004 Sangiovese 20$-25$ Ready ISOLE E OLENA Isole e Olena, Chianti Classico Docg 2004 Sangiovese 25$-30$ Ready FATTORIA DI FELSINA Berardenga, Chianti Classico Docg 2004 Sangiovese 20$-25$ Ready

2011

2010

2012

2011

CASA GIRELLI Villa Cafaggio, Chianti Classico Docg 2004 Sangiovese 20$-25$ Ready 2011 LA MASSA La Massa, Igt Toscana 2004 Sangiovese - Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot 25$-30$ Ready

2010

ARGIANO Argiano, Rosso di Montalcino Doc 2004 Sangiovese 25$-30$ Ready

2010

CAPARZO La Caduta, Rosso di Montalcino Doc 2003 Sangiovese 30$-35$ Ready

2012

AVIGNONESI Avignonesi, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Docg 2003 Sangiovese 25$-30$ Ready 2010 TENUTA DI CAPEZZANA Villa di Capezzana, Carmignano Docg 2004 Sangiovese 80% - Cabernet Sauvignon 20% 25$-30$ Ready 2009

70 BLUE CHIPS FROM ITALY TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE

PIEMONTE (cont.)

CAMPANIA

CV. SCARL Terrazze della Luna Pinot Grigio, Trentino Doc 2005 Pinot Grigio 10$-15$ Ready

MASTROBERARDINO Radici, Taurasi Docg 2000 Aglianico 100% 35$-40$ wait

MEZZACORONA Mezzacorona, Teroldego Rotaliano Riserva Doc 2003 Teroldego 15$-20$ Ready

FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO San Gregorio, Taurasi Docg 2001 Aglianico 100% 30$-35$ wait

FORADORI Foradori, Teroldego Rotaliano Doc 2003 Teroldego 20$-25$ Ready

MONTEVETRANO Montevetrano, Igt Colli di Salerno 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot - Aglianico 90$-100$ Ready

2010

LAGEDER ALOIS Chardonnay Buchholz, Alto Adige Doc 2005 Chardonnay 20$-25$ Ready 2009 LAGEDER ALOIS Cabernet Alois Lageder, Alto Adige Riserva Doc 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon 20$-25$ Ready 2010

UMBRIA

2010

2011

PRUNOTTO Barolo Bussia Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 65$-75$ wait

2011

2010

JERMANN Vintage Tunina, Igt Venezia-Giulia 2002 Sauvignon - Chardonnay - Ribolla - Malvasia Picolit 70$-80$ Ready

LOMBARDIA

LUNGAROTTI Rubesco, Rosso di Torgiano Doc 2003 Sangiovese -Canaiolo 10$-15$ Ready

CA' DEL BOSCO Maurizio Zanella, Igt Sebino Rosso 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot 90$-100$ Ready

LUNGAROTTI Torre di Giano, Bianco di Torgiano Doc 2005 Grechetto - Trebbiano 10$-15$ Ready

CA' DEL BOSCO Chardonnay, Franciacorta Doc 2002 Chardonnay 75$-85$ Ready

FALESCO MONTEFIASCONE Vitiano, Igt Umbria 2005 Sangiovese 34% - Merlot 33% Cabernet Sauvignon 33% 15$-20$ Ready

BELLAVISTA Gran Cuvée Pas Operé, Franciacorta Docg 2000 Chardonnay 65% - Pinot Nero 35% 55$-60$ Ready 2010

2012

VENETO INAMA Inama, Soave Classico Superiore Doc 2005 Garganega 15$-20$ Ready

PODERI ALDO CONTERNO Bussia Soprana, Barolo Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 65$-75$ wait

PIEROPAN Calvarino, Soave Classico Superiore Doc 2004 Garganega 70% - Trebbiano di Soave 30 % 25$-30$ Ready

PODERI ALDO CONTERNO Granbussia, Barolo Riserva Docg 2000 Nebbiolo 180$-200$ wait

PIEROPAN La Rocca, Soave Classico Superiore Doc 2004 Garganega 35$-40$ Ready

CONTERNO GIACOMO Barolo Riserva Docg 1995 Nebbiolo 275$-350$ Ready

ANSELMI San Vincenzo, Igt Veneto 2006 Garganega 15$-20$ Ready

2009

GAJA Costa Russi, Langhe Nebbiolo Doc 2001 Nebbiolo 350$-400$ Ready

ARGIOLAS ANTONIO Turriga, Igt Isola dei Nuraghi Rosso 2001 Carignano - Bovale - Malvasia nera 65$-70$ Ready

2013

2011

2011

ROCCA DELLE MACIE Roccato, Igt Toscana 2001 Sangiovese 50% - Cabernet Sauvignon 50% 40$-45$ Ready

2010

CASTELLO DI AMA Castello di Ama, Chianti Classico Docg 2003 Sangiovese 80% - Canaiolo 8% - Malvasia nera & Merlot 12% 40$-45$ Ready 2013

DUCA DI SALAPARUTA Duca Enrico, Igt Sicilia 1999 Nero d'avola 45$-50$ Ready

TOSCANA LE MACCHIOLE Paleo, Bolgheri Rosso Doc 2002 100% Cabernet Franc 70$-80$ Ready

2010

LE MACCHIOLE Le Macchiole, Igt Toscana Rosso 2000 Sangiovese 30% - Merlot 40% - Cabernet Franc 30% 45$-50$ Ready 2010

2015

GAJA - PIEVE SANTA RESTITUTA Rennina, Brunello di Montalcino Docg 1998 Sangiovese 85$-95$ Ready 2010

2010

FRESCOBALDI - LUCE DELLA VITE Luce, Igt Toscana Rosso 2003 Cabernet 25% - Merlot 25% - Syrah 25% 90$-100$ Ready

Sangiovese 25% 2013

SATTA MICHELE Cavaliere, Igt Toscana 2001 Sangiovese 40$-45$ Ready

2010

2010

NINO FRANCO Nino Franco, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Doc Prosecco 15$-20$ Ready

GAJA Barbaresco Docg 2003 Nebbiolo 150$-175$

SATTA MICHELE Piastraia, Bolgheri Rosso Doc 2003 Cabernet 25% - Merlot 25% - Syrah 25% Sangiovese 25% 35$-40$ Ready 2010

2013

GAJA - CA' MARCANDA Magari, Igt Toscana 2004 Merlot 60$-65$ Ready

MACULAN Pino & Toi, Igt Veneto 2005 Pinot Bianco 25% - Pinot Grigio 15% 25$-30$ Ready

Tocai 60% 2010

TEDESCHI Tedeschi, Valpolicella Classico Superiore Doc 2004 Corvina - Corvinone - Rondinella 10$-15$ Ready TEDESCHI Capitel San Rocco Ripasso, Igt Veronese 2004 Corvina - Corvinone - Rondinella 20$-25$ Ready 2009 MASI AGRICOLA Costasera Masi, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Doc 2003 Corvina 70% - Rondinella 25% - Molinara 5% 35$-40$ Ready 2013

GAJA Sori Tildin, Langhe Nebbiolo Doc 2001 Nebbiolo 350$-400$ Ready ALTARE ELIO - CASINA NUOVA Vigneto Arborina, Barolo Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 100$-120$ wait ALTARE ELIO - CASINA NUOVA Barolo Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 80$-90$ wait

2011

2011

2011

ALTARE ELIO - CASINA NUOVA Barolo Brunate Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 100$-120$ wait

2016

CERETTO Asij, Barbaresco Docg 2000 Nebbiolo 50$-55$ ready

2015

CERETTO Barolo Prapò, Barolo Docg 1999 Nebbiolo 100$-110$ wait PELISSERO GIORGIO Vanotu, Barbaresco Docg 2003 Nebbiolo 70$-75$ wait

2010

ANTINORI Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri Rosso Doc 2003 Syrah 15% Cabernet Sauvignon 70% - Merlot 15% 80$-85$ Ready 2013 ANTINORI Tignanello, Igt Toscana 2003 Sangiovese 85% - Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Cabernet Franc 5% 80$-90$ Ready 2013 ANTINORI Solaia, Igt Toscana 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon 75% - Cabernet Franc 5% 125$-150$ Ready

Sangiovese 20% 2003

TENUTA SAN GUIDO Guidalberto, Igt Toscana 2004 Merlot 45% - Cabernet Sauvingnon 45% - Sangiovese 10% 50$-55$/ wait 2010 TENUTA SAN GUIDO Sassicaia, Bolgheri Sassicaia Doc 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc 150$-180$ Ready

2011

2014

TENUTA DELL'ORNELLAIA Ornellaia, Bolgheri Rosso Superiore Doc 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon - 60% - Merlot 15% Cabernet Franc 20% - Petit Verdot 5% 130$-140$ Ready 2013

2013

TENUTA DELL'ORNELLAIA Masseto, Igt Toscana Rosso 2003 Merlot 275$-300$ wait

PANOR AM

I TA L I A

ALLEGRINI Palazzo della Torre, Igt Veronese 2003 Sangiovese Corvina Veronese - Rondinella 25$-30$ Ready

GAJA Sori San Lorenzo, Langhe Nebbiolo Doc 2001 Nebbiolo 350$-400$ Ready 2011

2011

FATTORIA LE PUPILLE Saffredi, Igt Maremma Toscana 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon 50% - Merlot 35% Alicante 15% 90$-100$ Ready 2010

GAJA Gaia & Rey, Langhe Doc 2004 Chardonnay 100$-125$ Ready

BORTOLOMIOL Bortolomiol, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Doc 2004 Prosecco 20$-25$ Ready ALLEGRINI Allegrini, Valpolicella Classico Doc 2005 Corvina Veronese - Rondinella Molinara 15$-20$ Ready

2011

CASTELLO DI FONTERUTOLI (MAZZEI) Siepi, Igt Toscana 2001 Merlot 50% - Sangiovese 50% 85$-90$ Ready

2010

Ready

ANSELMI Capitel Foscarino, Igt Veneto 2006 Garganega 20$-25$ Ready

Ready

BANFI Excelsus, Sant'Antimo Doc 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon 60% - Merlot 40% 80$-90$ Ready

CASANOVA DI NERI Cerretalto, Brunello di Montalcino Docg 1999 Sangiovese 150$-160$ Ready 2013

2008

2011

Syrah 5% 2011

PLANETA Syrah, Igt Sicilia 2004 Syrah 35$-40$

SPADAFORA Schietto, Igt Sicilia 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon 40$-45$ Ready

2011

MORIS FARM Avvoltore, Igt Toscana Rosso 2001 Sangiovese 75% - Cabernet Sauvignon 20% 60$-65$ Ready

GRATTAMACCO - COLLEMASSARI Grattamacco, Bolgheri Superiore Rosso 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon 65% - Merlot 20% Sangiovese 15% 200$-225$ Ready 2015

2010

2011

2013

TASCA D'ALMERITA Rosso del Conte, Contea di Sclafani Doc 2003 Nero d'avola 40$-45$ Ready 2013

PLANETA Chardonnay, Igt Sicilia 2005 Chardonnay 35$-40$ Ready

PIEMONTE SANDRONE LUCIANO Valmaggiore, Nebbiolo d'alba Doc 2003 Nebbiolo 40$-45$ Ready

LEONE DE CASTRIS Donna Lisa, Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva Doc 2001 Negro Amaro - Malvasia nera 35$-40$ Ready 2010

SICILIA

CA' DEL BOSCO Cuvée Annamaria Clementi, Frianciacorta Docg 1999 Chardonnay - Pinot nero - Pinot blanc 100$-110$ Ready 2014

2009

2011

CARPINETO Farnito, Igt Toscana 1995 Cabernet Sauvignon 45$-50$ Ready

SARDEGNA

ANTINORI Campogrande, Orvieto Classico Doc 2005 Procanico 40% - Grechetto 40% - Verdello 15% Malvasia 5% 10$-15$ Ready

ARNALDO CAPRAI - VAL DI MAGGIO Arnaldo Caprai, Montefalco Doc 2000 Sagrantino 25$-30$ Ready

2011

AVIGNONESI Desiderio, Igt Cortona 2000 Merlot 80$-85$ Ready

PUGLIA

FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA JERMANN Were Dreams... , Igt Venezia-Giulia 2004 Chardonnay 50$-60$ Ready

TOSCANA (cont.)

PIO CESARE Ornato, Barolo Docg 2001 Nebbiolo 75$-85$ wait

2009

2011

TERRA BIANCA Campaccio, Igt Toscana 2001 Sangiovese - Cabernet Sauvignon 35$-40$ Ready

2009

TERRA BIANCA Campaccio Riserva, Igt Toscana 2001 Sangiovese - Cabernet Sauvignon 55$-60$ Ready

2011

BANFI Poggio all'Oro, Brunello di Montalcino Docg 1999 Sangiovese 125$-150$ Ready 2013 ALTESINO Montosoli, Brunello di Montalcino Docg 2001 Sangiovese 60$-100$ wait 2013 FRESCOBALDI Montesodi, Chianti Rufina Docg 2003 Sangiovese 55$-60$ Ready

2013

BRANCAIA Il Blu, Igt Toscana 2001 Sangiovese 50% - Merlot 45% - Cabernet Sauvignon 5% 80$-85$ wait 2011

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Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

GRANTURISMO In 1946, Maserati took the engine from its victorious racing cars and placed it into the famous Maserati A6 1500 GT Pininfarina. The GranTurismo was born. Since then, Maserati has been a leader in the production of stylish, innovative and exciting GTs. Now, just like decades ago, the Maserati GranTurismo is built for high performance and for luxury, ready for cross-continental journeys with comfort and ease.

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One driver’s seat, four driving experiences.

The GranTurismo is back.

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 111

AU T O M O D E N A

L E S E U L CO N C E S S I O N N A I R E F E R R A R I E T M A S E R AT I AU T O R I S É AU Q U É B E C • Q U E B E C ’ S O N LY FAC T O R Y AU T H O R I Z E D F E R R A R I A N D M A S E R AT I D E A L E R

AUTO MODENA 5 1 5 5 , d e S o r e l , M o n t r é a l ( 5 1 4 ) 3 3 7. 7 2 7 4

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Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

116 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Federico Castelluccio

Un uomo, un artista dai tanti interessi

By Shauna Hardy in collaboration with Barbara Bacci Translation: Filippo Salvatore How do you define success? Is it characterized by notoriety?

Is it the ability to fixate upon a goal and display the singlemindedness to achieve it regardless of any obstacle that is thrown in the way? I prefer to tie it to passion, to whether a person is capable of truly revealing themselves regardless of the risk and rejection that might ensue. It is about the willingness to take the necessary chances and to live a life according to individual standards rather than blindly following a crowd.

According to all of these definitions Federico Castelluccio is certainly a successful man. Adored by millions for his role as Furio Giunta in The Sopranos, Castelluccio is also a painter, director and producer. But beneath all of his accomplishments lies Castelluccio’s true success: a contemplative, sensitive nature that displays a deep reverence for his gifts as well as a zeal for sharing them with the world.

Born in Napoli, Castelluccio moved to Paterson, New Jersey as a very young child. While the family was busy adjusting to a new life, they were still able to maintain their roots in their new home. “Italian was the only language we spoke at home,” says Castelluccio. “It was the same in the neighbourhood; you didn’t need to learn another language living there.”

But the transition for young Castelluccio wasn’t without its bumps. “My mother had wanted me to go to St-Anthony’s,” reminisces Castelluccio.

“I had never been to school before. Suddenly I’m in a different country, I didn’t even speak the language, and it was very strict. u

Come definire la parola successo? Come un semplice sinonimo di notorietà? Oppure è la capacità di mettere a fuoco verso un traguardo preciso il proprio volere e perseguirlo malgrado i tanti ostacoli che bisogna sormontare lungo il cammino?

Preferisco abbinare la parola successo a passione, alla capacità che si ha di rivelarsi a se stessi anche a costo dei rischi e dei rifiuti che possono scaturirne. E’ la volontà di mettersi in gioco e vivere secondo i propri principi personali, è il rifiuto di essere gregari. Partendo da tutte queste definizioni, Federico Castelluccio è senza l’ombra di un dubbio un uomo di successo.

Ammirato da milioni di telespettatori per il suo ruolo di Furio Giunta nel seriale The Sopranos, Castelluccio è anche pittore, direttore e produttore. Ma aldilà di ogni apparenza si nasconde un uomo a cui piace la contemplazione, un uomo di profonda sensibilità che mostra grande rispetto per le qualità di cui è dotato e che ama condividere con la gente.

Nato a Napoli Castelluccio si è trasferito giovanissimo a Paterson nel New Jersey con la famiglia ed ha saputo restare fedele alle proprie radici pur adattandosi alla nuova vita. “ L’italiano era l’unica lingua parlata a casa nostra, come pure del quartiere dove siamo andati ad abitare. Non c’era bisogno di parlare un’altra lingua là.”

Tuttavia la transizione per il giovane Castelluccio non è avvenuta senza difficoltà. “ Mia madre voleva che io

“The first time that I went back, I got off of the plane and I kissed the ground.

It was the most amazing feeling – my mother said ‘Get up, what are you doing?’ But I was at home.” “ La prima volta che sono tornato nello scendere dall’aereo ho baciato la terra ed ho provato un’emozione indicibile.

Mia madre m’ha detto – Alzati, che stai facendo?- Mi sentivo veramente a casa”.

frequentassi la scuola Saint Anthony’s. Non era mai andato a scuola prima.

All’improvviso mi sono ritrovato in un altro paese di cui non conoscevo la u

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 117

Strict to the point that you just wanted

lingua ed in un ambiente scolastico dove

to leave! From what I had seen in the

vigeva una disciplina ferrea da cui avevo

movies, it was exactly like prison. So

voglia di scappare. Sembrava una prigione e rassomigliava all’immagine che me n’ero fatta guardando i film. Come mi sono comportato? Sono veramente scappato via dal cortile della scuola e mi sono nascosto dietro una macchina finché gli alunni più grandi sono venuti a prendermi.”

Castelluccio ha finito con l’imparare l’inglese, anzi l’ha imparato tanto bene che quando lo parla al giorno d’oggi

what did I do? I ran away, I ran out of

“When I read for Furio, it was great, concise, beautifully written, but it was missing one thing and that was the Italianismo. You could tell that the writer knew something about Italians, but he didn’t know the real Italian part, the way that I grew up - that is what I had to offer to the role.”

“L’autore del copione era riuscito a captare qualcosa sugli italiani, ma non conosceva intimamente il modo di essere, come lo sono io, come sono cresciuto io da vero italiano. Ed è questa sfumatura che sono riuscito a dare al personaggio ed a renderlo ancora più autentico.”

the schoolyard. I ran across the street.

I hid behind a car and the eighth graders had to come and get me!”

Castelluccio did eventually learn the language; he learned it so well, in fact, that when he speaks today, most people assume that English is his first language even though it was never uttered at home.

Ask anyone who spends their time straddling two cultures where their heart lies and the answer is never an easy one. Admitting your allegiance can be compared to choosing between two lovers – it is often an emotional and difficult confession. The pride that Castelluccio feels for his Italian heritage is fierce and extremely poetic. “I feel blessed to be born in a beautiful country like Italy. Look at all the great things that come from that little country: the food, the directors, the actors, the art, the Renaissance. The first time that I went back, I got off of the plane and I kissed the ground. It was the most amazing feeling – my mother said ‘Get up, what are you doing?’ But I was at home.” u

sembra sia la sua lingua madre.

Se si chiede a qualcuno in bilico tra due culture di dire a quale delle due si sente di appartenere, la risposta non è semplice. E’ come dover scegliere di appartenere a due persone che si amano ugualmente. Il sentimento di appartenenza alla propria eredità italiana è profondo ed estremamente poetico per Castelluccio. “ Mi reputo fortunato di essere nato in un bel paese come l’Italia con una illustre tradizione in campo artistico, cinematografico e con una gastronomia unica.

La prima volta che sono tornato nello scendere dall’aereo ho baciato la terra ed ho provato un’emozione indicibile.

Mia madre m’ha detto – Alzati, che stai facendo?- Mi sentivo veramente a casa”. u

"Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Federico Castelluccio at the after party for the premiere of "El Cantante" at the 31st Annual Toronto International Film Festival."

Castelluccio’s respect for what America has brought to

Il rispetto che Castelluccio prova per quello che l’America

him runs equally as deep. “In my heart, I’ve always been

gli ha dato è altrettanto sentito. “ Dentro di me, nell’intimo,

Italian, in my soul as well. But I am also an American. I never felt more American than when 9/11 happened. It just hit me so hard,” he says seriously. “I would have dropped anything to serve this country. This is where I have built my roots; this is where I grew up. This country has given me opportunities that I think would have been very difficult for me in Italy. I really am torn. It’s like you’ve lived your life with someone for so many years and even when you go somewhere else, you can’t forget all the times and all the things that you did with that person. It is the same feeling.”

While Castelluccio is extremely grateful for his numerous

sono stato sempre italiano. Ma sento di essere anche americano.

Questo sentimento è emerso prepotentemente con l’attacco alle Torri Gemelle a New York il 9/11. Avrei lasciato perdere tutto pur di servire gli Stati Uniti, il paese dove ho fatto crescere le mie radici e dove sono cresciuto. Questo paese mi ha offerto delle opportunità che difficilmente avrei avute in Italia. Mi sento veramente in bilico fra due mondi. E’ come aver vissuto con qualcuno per tanti anni e anche se si va altrove non si può dimenticare tutto quello che si è vissuto insieme con quella persona. Provo un sentimento analogo rispetto all’Italia ed agli Stati Uniti d’America.”

accomplishments throughout the various facets of his career, he recognizes that they are tinged with extra colour when he is able to share them with his family. “I remember when I won a

Castelluccio prova tanta gratitudine per i tanti traguardi raggiunti nella sua carriera; riconosce tuttavia che essi acquistano una sfumatura particolare quando li condivide con

scholarship to the School of Visual Arts in New York City,” he says. “I found out on my birthday – it was probably one of the best gifts that I ever got. And I just couldn’t wait to come home

la sua famiglia. “ Ricordo quando ho vinto una borsa di studio alla School of Visual Arts di New York. Era il giorno del mio compleanno. E’ stato forse uno dei regali più belli che abbia

and tell my parents. I kept thinking – I’m happy for myself, but I’m happier for my parents and my family. It was such a moment of connection – I was so excited – it felt like I’d taken all the

mai ricevuti.Non vedevo l’ora di correre a casa e di dirlo ai miei genitori. Dicevo tra me – Sono tanto contento per me stesso, ma lo sono ancora di più per i miei genitori, per la mia

stairs in one jump, just to get in and see them. It was also a feeling of accomplishment – I did something great in my life.

There are a lot of people that have come through my life - I

famiglia.- Provavo un legame fortissimo, un sentimento di soddisfazione per essere riuscito a ottenere qualcosa d’importante. Ho salito in fretta e furia le scale di casa per

admire their work as a painter, as an actor. But what you feel for your family, as an Italian, transcends all of this. It’s unlike anything you’ll experience anywhere else. The things that my

dirglielo. Nel corso degli anni ho conosciuto tanta gente,che ammiro come pittore o come attore. Ma il sentimento che come italiano provo per la mia famiglia va aldilà di ogni ammirazione.

mother did for us! You can’t help but look at this person and admire them. You want to give the best of yourself to them.” u

E’ unico. Quante cose mia madre ha fatto per noi! Non si può non ammirarla e ricambiarla con tanto dovuto affetto!” u

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 119

That feeling surfaced again when he found out that he had won the role of hitman Furio Giunta on The Sopranos.

Castelluccio had thrown himself wholeheartedly into acting, building a solid career in the theatrical world when the opportunity to audition for the role presented itself. And while he was conscious of everything that he had to offer, there was a flickering of nerves, but only for a minute. “In this

Un sentimento analogo di riuscita Federico Castelluccio l’ha provato di nuovo quando ha saputo che aveva ottenuto la parte di Furio Giunta nel seriale televisivo The Sopranos. Egli si era impegnato a fondo nel mestiere di attore e si era già fatto un nome come interprete teatrale. Poi s’è presentata l’occasione per il provino. Era consapevole ovviamente del proprio potenziale, ma non riusciva a contenere un certo nervosismo, anche se

business there is a tremendous amount of rejection. I had already experienced that, I was ready for it,” he explains.

“But what they weren’t ready for, was me. I was going to give them everything in my power. Everything that I had learned in the past 12 years, it was a learning ground for where I was about to go. I was going to bring it into that room and give it to them, and that is what I did.”

What is so striking is Castelluccio’s approach to the role.

His character’s movements, the way that he spoke, every little detail needed to ring with authenticity. “I wanted everything, his vernacular, his carriage, I wanted everything to be about Naples, about Old World Italy, because that is what was coming into play,” he explains. “When I read for Furio, it was great,

passeggero. “ Nel mondo degli attori televisivi tantissimi sono quelli che non riescono a sfondare. Io stesso non ce l’avevo fatta precedentemente ed ero pronto ad essere rifiutato. Ma erano loro che non erano pronti per me. Ce l’ho messa veramente tutta.Ogni cosa e trucco che avevo imparati in dodici anni sono stati la base per quello che mi accingevo a fare. Nell’entrare in quella stanza sono riuscito a fare emergere l’esperienza passata ed i miei sogni d’avvenire. E ci sono riuscito.”

Colpisce l’atteggiamento che Castelluccio ha sviluppato per il suo ruolo. Il suo portamento, il tono della sua voce, ogni minimo dettaglio contribuiscono nel loro insieme alla sua autenticità. “ Ho cercato di afferrare il personaggio nel suo complesso.La lingua usata, il suo modo di camminare. Ogni dettaglio doveva rinviare

concise, beautifully written, but it was missing one thing and that was the Italianismo. You could tell that the writer knew

a Napoli, alla madre patria , perché proprio di questo si trattava di far emergere. Quando ho letto il copione e le battute che

something about Italians, but he didn’t know the real Italian

Furio doveva pronunciare mi è parso che andavano bene, ma

part, the way that I grew up - that is what I had to offer to the role.”

That vein of authenticity runs deep and wide in the personal realm as well. While the cult of celebrity might have altered the shape of Castelluccio’s life, it has certainly not altered its

c’era una cosa che mancava, l’italianismo del personaggio.

L’autore del copione era riuscito a captare qualcosa sugli italiani, ma non conosceva intimamente il modo di essere, come lo sono io, come sono cresciuto io da vero italiano. Ed è questa sfumatura che sono

essence. He is often stopped by fans on the street that u riuscito a dare al personaggio ed a renderlo ancora più autentico.” u

“Coming into this life, I came in as an artist”

enthusiastically deconstruct his character, excitedly expressing their desire to see Furio return before the show’s final episode. And while the same questions are posed to him endlessly, Castelluccio never tires of answering them. He has walked in his fans’ shoes and only wants to treat them with respect.

“The first actor that I ever met was George Hamilton; he was in one of my favourite movies about Evil Knievel. I was

Questa autenticità la si riscontra anche nella vita reale di Federico Castelluccio. Certo la fama ha cambiato la forma della sua vita, ma non la sua essenza. Gli ammiratori lo fermano spesso per la strada e parlano del suo personaggio sperando ardentemente che Furio ricompaia prima dell’ultimo episodio del seriale. Le stesse domande gli vengono rivolte volta dopo volta ed egli risponde pazientemente per semplice correttezza e rispetto.

eight-years-old and I ran over to him and told him how much I loved this movie. He patted me on the head and on the back and said thank you. To this day, I have never forgotten that moment. He will never in a million years remember that moment, but I will always have it. And that is what I would like to give to people; I want to give them that moment.”

While fans are still fixated upon The Sopranos, Castelluccio has thrown himself into a variety of projects, completing nine movies in the past two years. He worked alongside Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony in El Cantante as well as Robert Downey Jr. and Chazz Palminteri in A Guide to Recognizing your Saints. Tracks of Colour, a film that he wrote and directed will be showcased at the New York International

“ George Hamilton è il primo attore che ho conosciuto, in uno dei miei film preferiti, Evil Knievel. Avevo allora otto anni.

Mi sono avvicinato a lui e gli ho detto quanto mi era piaciuto il film. Mi ha dato un colpetto sulla testa e sulla spalla e mi ha ringraziato. E’ un momento indimenticabile per me, anche se forse non lo è stato per lui. Ed è proprio quello che si prova in momenti del genere che voglio comunicare alla gente.

La pittura è l’argomento sul quale Castelluccio finisce sempre col tornare e parlare. S’interrompe a metà frase durante la nostra intervista per far notare la maniera particolare in cui un raggio di sole penetra dalla finestra. Per un individuo come lui che possiede la percezione dell’artista la bellezza va trovata nei dettagli. “ Sono entrato in questo mondo, sono nato con una sensibilità

Latino Film Festival. This fall, he will also be directing a short film that he wrote entitled Silence.

di artista, chiarisce con fiducia. Tutto in me mi dice che questo, l’esser artista, è lo scopo della mia vita. Ricordo quanto mi

No matter what particular subject Castelluccio happens

aveva eccitato una volta, guardare mia sorella disegnare un cavallo.

to be addressing, it will eventually always circle back to painting.

He stops mid-sentence a few times while being interviewed in order to exclaim about the way a ray of light is entering through a window. For this man with the artistic eye, beauty

Stava creando qualcosa dal nulla, ecco quello che mi piaceva nel vederla. E non avevo allora che due anni.”

E’ cominciato così la passione che dura da una vita per la pittura. Ha vinto diverse borse di studio. Oggi, le sue opere si

is found in the details. u

trovano in alcuni musei ed hanno un seguito e sono apprezzate u

“ Sono entrato in questo mondo, sono nato con una sensibilità di artista”

soprattutto da un ristretto cerchio di ammiratori. Sentirlo parlare di arte significa scoprire subito che l’arte è molto di più di un semplice interesse, un hobby, un modo per guadagnarsi da vivere, una semplice forma di espressione. La pittura è per Federico Castelluccio un’estensione del proprio essere, una potente forma di comunicazione che illustra magnificamente “Coming into this life, I came in as an artist,” he states confidently. “Every pore in my body says that I needed to do this with my life. I remember getting so excited watching my sister drawing a horse. The fact that she was creating something out of nothing; it was such a thrill, I barely knew what to do with myself.

I was only two years old at the time.”

Thus began a lifelong passion for painting. Castelluccio’s work hangs in museums, has won him scholarships as well as earning him a loyal following. But to hear him speak about painting, you quickly realize that it is deeper than an obsessive hobby, broader than a way to make a living, more important than a simple form of expression.

Painting for Castelluccio is an extension of his personality – it is a strong form of communication, beautifully illustrating appreciation for his world and all those that are in it. Castelluccio dreams of the day when he can intertwine his two loves, playing the role of Caravaggio, his adored Renaissance painter in a film. And while there are certainly never enough hours in a day to juggle the many hats that he wears, Castelluccio displays a very strong awareness of his priorities.

“Time to me is one of the most valuable things,” he explains. “Acting is a time-consuming thing, but I knew that I just had to do it. It’s put a strain on my relationships in the past, but if I’m not true to myself, something will suffer. When I’m not painting, I’m suffering inside and that will come out in other places.”

The entertainment industry is a place where core values sometimes end up at the bottom of the pile. It is often portrayed as a shoddily constructed dreamland where easy living, artificiality and superficiality reign supreme. But all it takes is to hear someone like Castelluccio speak and those cynical thoughts quickly evaporate.

His refined sincerity, honesty, depth and intelligence are so palpable they are almost disarming. Despite the airy, fairy kingdom of celebrity that Castelluccio inhabits, he has both feet planted firmly (and gratefully) on the ground. Federico Castelluccio is a reminder of what true artistry actually represents. n

122 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

l’apprezzamento per il reale e per tutto quello e per tutti coloro che ne fanno parte.

Mentre è difficile afferrare a pieno i vari ruoli che interpreta, colpisce in lui la lucida coscienza delle priorità. “ Il tempo è per me una delle cose più preziose. La vita di attore è un fuoco perenne che mi brucia dentro di cui non riesco a fare a meno. Nel passato mi ha causato dei problemi, ma se non riesco ad essere veramente me stesso c’è qualcosa che non va. Se non dipingo c’è qualcosa dentro di me che soffre e prima o poi emerge in altre circostanze.”

Nel mondo dello spettacolo i valori fondamentali finiscono spesso con l’essere calpestati. Si tratta di un mondo fatto di apparenze dove il vivere è facile e dove l’illusione e la superficialità dettano legge. Basta comunque sentir parlare un tipo come Castelluccio per far piazza pulita di pensieri cinici del genere. La sua raffinata semplicità, la sua onestà, la sua profondità e la sua intelligenza sono tanto palpabili che quasi quasi ci disarmano. Malgrado il fatto che abiti nel mondo etereo e fantastico della celebrità, ha i piedi piantati solidamente per terra. Federico Castelluccio ci ricorda così in cosa debba consistere la vera arte. n

Geraldo Pace

The

Village Photos & Story

By Geraldo Pace

As I sat waiting in my family doctor’s office, I wondered why he had called me in. My Father had not been feeling well, and he had some extensive tests done and was this reason he wanted to see me?

He put his glasses down on the desk and started a casual conversation. He asked me what I did for a living and I told him I was a photographer.

As I Thissat waiting in my family docseemed to intrigue him, and he continued tor’swithoffice, I wondered why he had many questions. After about 10 minutes of called me I politely in. asked MyhimFather his inquiries, to get to the had not “Your Fatherwell, has 6 months to a year tohad some beenpoint. feeling and he live. Get his things in orderdone because there is no was this extensive tests and known cure.” reason he wanted to see me? He put his glasses down on the desk and started a casual conversation. He asked me what I did for a living and I told him I was a photographer. u

124 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Geraldo Pace P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 125

I walked out and drove home stunned. What does one do when you are told your father is going to die. He was so young, fifty-eight, had worked hard all of his life, provided us with a home, food, clothes and there never was much left over for anything else, let alone travel. He was a Canadian Italian and had never been to Italy. He used to talk to me about Italy as if he had lived there all of his life. The customs, the food, the village, etc. How his father had come over by boat and had held down two jobs, barber by day, musician by night. He worked 14 hours a day and saved enough to bring both of his brothers over. He died at 52 years old, and to this day I look at the only photo of my grandfather I have, which was his obituary announcement and it proclaims he died at 52. He looked 82.

I decided to take my father to Italy, to his village. The year was 1979; I was 26 years old and just starting to do well. I myself had only been to Europe once. One month later, on Christmas Eve, I handed my Mother and Father an envelope. They opened it together, and pulled out 2 airline tickets. I really didn’t know how I was going to pay for this trip, but it didn’t matter. I was young and had a future. His was given a deadline. The trip was set for July and we prayed that the doctor’s prediction was wrong. In the meantime, my girlfriend, and wife to be, began to take my father to many other doctors and hospitals. After many consultations, she found one doctor that started him on a medicinal cocktail. July came around and we all arrived safely in Zurich, where we commenced our trip across the Swiss Alps and the Italian Dolomites.

The village was “Guglionesi.” As we walked, I saw women dressed in black, sitting just outside their door.

126 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Throughout my childhood, my parents had a friendly feud as to whose village was nicer. My mother come from well-known Pescara and often boasted how beautiful it was. She had never been of course, for she too was Canadian born. So it was decided we would first visit Pescara, once out of the Alps. I will never forget the look on my Mother’s face when we arrived. Pescara was chaos.

Traffic, noise, pollution. I lost my driver’s side mirror in traffic. There’s no mercy in an Italian traffic jam. All cars seem to have dents, broken lights, bumps, missing mirrors, and so on. We didn’t stay long and left by the coast of Francavilla, which happened to be beautiful. We headed south towards “The Village”. u

Somewhere near Vasto we headed up towards the mountains. I remember seeing olive trees on the hills, stopping to photograph them and getting into a discussion with a local…I found out he had lived most of his life in Montreal and had come back to the village and tend to the olive groves. As we continued, just on the outskirts of the village we came upon the cemetery. Of course we visited to see how many Pace’s were in the cemetery. As I found out later, our family name is the second most popular name of the community.

We parked outside the village and started walking the narrow streets. The streets were tiled in black volcanic stone, worn down through centuries by men and mules. The village was “Guglionesi.” As we walked, I saw women dressed in black, sitting just outside their door. They were knitting socks. It was so ironic, because my father had been told by his father that women often sat outside their homes and knitted socks. I remember, as we were walking, shutters from above us opened and people staring down at us, as if we were the only tourists that had arrived in the last decade. One woman, who noticed us, placed her right hand over her right eye. Malocchio, the evil eye. As we continued, I noticed fresh bloody Goat horns over a door, again, to ward off evil spirits.

As we continued, I noticed fresh bloody Goat horns over a door, again, to ward off evil spirits.

It didn’t take long for my Father to make friends. He introduced himself to just about anybody that noticed him. Within 15 minutes, we had an entourage. He befriended a local and persuaded him to go on a mission of finding my grandfather’s birthplace. A procession formed and we were taken to the town square where the church and its records were. After a little research, we found the address and proceeded towards the house. My Father’s new friend knocked on the door and a friendly face opened it. My Father introduced himself and eventually indicated that he would like to visit the premises. The friendly face said it would be fine, but not today. Could we come back tomorrow? Europeans, especially villagers, are very proud people.

We had shown up unannounced and she probably wanted to tidy up. Unfortunately, we could not accept her offer for the schedule was tight. We had Florence, Rome etc. to see. We continued to visit the village. To watch my Father walk the streets in amazement was the highlight of the whole trip. We continued our trip through Italy and experienced some very special moments. My daughter was conceived on that trip. My Father survived another 4 years and spent everyday visiting with his Granddaughter. Marissa is now 28 years old and she still remembers vividly her time with her Grandfather. Whether that trip had a medicinal impact on him, gave him the will to live, we’ll never know, but I must say, to be able to return to one’s roots, see where one came from, not only the village but the country, is an awesome experience. It surely had an effect on me.

It has been 25 years since my father’s passing. It feels like yesterday.

I have not been back to the village since, but plan a return. Interestingly, I have made many friends that are from the same village, including the publisher of this magazine… n To Papa, I miss you.

Antonio Pace 1918-1982 Outside Ancestral home

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 127

Geraldo Pace

ITALIAN ARCHITEC

Zaha Hadid Architects

130 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

CTURE

By Catherine Szacka

hen one thinks about Italian architecture, places like the Roman Pantheon, the Venetian basilica of San Marco, the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence and the Milan Cathedral obviously

W

who studied at the prestigious Architecture Association (AA) in London was then best known for her avant-garde projects that had hitherto

come to mind. But if Italy produced stunning architecture during Antiquity and the Renaissance, it seems that there is still a place for creativity and new constructions throughout the country. Indeed, since the beginning of the twenty-first century a great number of

mainly remained on paper.

The Contemporary Art Centre in Rome is to be built on a large urban site in the Flaminia district on the northern edge of the historic

important buildings by famous architects have shot up in Rome, Milan and Florence, as well as

city. It will comprise of spaces for permanent, temporary

in some smaller Italian towns. This “re-nascita”

and commercial galleries, an

of Italian architecture reflects a contemporary

architecture centre, a conference

trend towards the globalization of the building

centre as well as a library.

industry. The architecture scene is now dominated

Like most of Hadid’s designs,

by a few big-name architects, generally called

the Centre for Contemporary

“starchitects”, who are building worldwide.

Art will favour futuristic, fluid

Following what is usually called the “Bilbao effect”,

and dynamic shapes. The concept

(after the consequences of the construction of Frank O. Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in this

for this project, which is still under construction, is based

industrial and previously sleepy town of Spain)

on the idea of 'irrigating' the

several large and smaller cities have been tempted to commission one or more major buildings by “starchitects” in order to increase

large urban field with linear display surfaces, weaving a dense texture of interior and

the popularity of their town and attract tourists all year round.

exterior spaces.

Another important new cultural temple for the city of

Rome: when a Mediterranean capital is getting green and modern

Rome, the Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace) Museum, was completed in the spring of 2006. This new building has the specific status of being the f irst

Rome, the capital of Italy, was once the capital of the world. The city is full of historic monuments and old stones. Nevertheless, the Roman authorities seem to be in favour of a regeneration of the city and has recruited some of the best known architects of the present

major work of contemporary architecture in Rome’s Historic Centre. It was constructed to

day: the Anglo-Iranian, Zaha Hadid; the American, Richard Meier; the Dutch, Rem Koolhaas; and the Italian, Renzo Piano, to

replace a former construction built in the 1930s by the fascist Italian architect,

name just a few.

In 1999, a design competition was held to determine who would be the creator of the

Vittorio Morpurgo.

When the time comes to commission an architect for an

future Contemporary Art Centre in Rome, the first national museum for contemporary art in Italy. The competition was won by Zaha Hadid,

important public construction it is most likely that the authorities will hold an

one of the few female stars in the still maledominated world of architecture. Zaha Hadid,

architectural competition, hence making the process a

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little bit more democratic. In the case of the Ara Pacis Museum, no competition was organised and the mayor of Rome directly opted for the Americain architect Richard Meier. Meier, best known for his all-white and sleek constructions, had previously realised two important contemporary art museums: the Museu d’Art

The Italians seem to like the work of Richard Meier as the Vatican also commissioned him for the design of the Dives in Misericordia church in Rome, built to commemorate the 2,000th

Contemporani de Barcelona and the Getty Centre in Los Angeles.

Made of warm, rough travertine and cast white concrete, the Ara Pacis museum provides modern housing for the historic relics of the Altar of Peace built between 13 and 9 BC by the Emperor Augustus, following victory in Gaul and Spain.

anniversary of Christianity. This Jubilee Church, an imposing white concrete structure dominated by three soaring "sails", was opened in 2003. For this building, the architect used a special concrete, containing titanium dioxide, a compound used as a white pigment which has the property of being able to absorb the surrounding smog. With this realisation Italy was not simply modernizing its national identity through architecture, it was also going green.

Star

among

the

stars,

the

Dutchman, Rem Koolhaas, like Hadid and many other now famous architects, trained at the prestigious AA in London.

After a previous career in journalism and scriptwriting this man decided he wanted to be an architect. Koolhaas is known not only for his bizarre and, in a way, intellectual designs but also for his writings about architecture and urbanism.

In 2004, he was commissioned for the project “Città dei Giovanni”, an ambitious scheme for the urban regeneration of the ex Mercati Generli, an archaeological industrial complex situated in via Ostiense in Rome.

In the old market will be built a multimedia library, a theatre with an urban piazza, some thermal facilities with spaces for aquatic sports, fitness and body building, a space dedicated to Italian and multiethnic food, a cinema, pubs and jazz clubs, shops and a large central urban space to be used for showing special events. In keeping with the American way of life, this complex will also include a parking lot for about 3,000 cars.

Renzo Piano is probably the bestFoster + Partners

132 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

Florence

known living Italian architect. In 1994, Piano won the architectural competition u

site is to be the most ambitious urban project in Europe. A consortium named Citylife won the architectural competition for the regeneration of the former trade fair site in Milan. The Citylife team is comprised of Zaha Hadid; the Japanese architect, Arata Isozaki; the American, Daniel Libeskind; and the Italian, Pier Paolo Maggiora. The development, to be completed by 2014, will include a large park, three signature office towers, four different sites for residential development, educational and social facilities, and a museum. The scope of that operation is to be able to compete with places like the “quartier de la defense” in Paris or the City distric in London.

Florence, Padua, Venice: Small cities, big projects Other contemporary projects are being built in smaller cities all over Italy. In Florence, the English architect archivio fuksas

Sir Norman Foster is building a new for the construction of a new multi-function complex dedicated to music: il Parco della Musica. The complex is made of three independent “music boxes”, three halls with different capacities (3,800; 1,200 and 700 seats) as well as an open-air amphitheatre for 3,000 spectators. All of these music boxes have a strange shape, often compared to a beetle shell, covered by lead panels.

Milan: Towards a new urban zone Milan has always been the economic centre of Italy and the heart of the European design industry. Unlike Rome it is also a place where innovative architecture was previously experimented with. For example, the Valasca tower (B.B.P.R. 1958) to the Pirelli high-rise building (Ponti and Nervi 1960), after the Second World War, Milan was the centre of an architectural movement called Italian rationalism. In 2000, the northern Italy capital entered a phase of change: urban requalification of entire areas of the city as well as ambitious architectural projects aiming to show the economic vitality of the city.

The project "fiera di Milano" is an important part of this urban regeneration.

This project was completed in 2005 by a very famous Roman architect named Massimiliano Fuksas. The gigantic complex will host large exhibitions like the annual “salon del mobile” and is made of eight large pavilions connected by a central walkway.

In total, the complex includes 80 conference rooms, 20 restaurants and 25 coffee bars. The walkway, which is 1.3 km long, is covered by a “vela” (sail) made of steel and glass that has the shape of a huge ocean wave. This architectural sail is made of no less than a 100 thousand unique pieces and is 1,300m (4,265 ft) in length, 32m (105 ft) in width, and 23m (75 ft) tall at its highest point. The rest of the Fiera Milano

u

archivio fuksas

P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M 133

train station as part of the creation of a new high-speed rail network. The design for the TAV Station provides a facility that will connect with the city’s existing Santa Maria Novella station via a new tramline. Foster, who has not yet built anything in Italy, is the creator of many masterpieces among which are the tower of the Hong Kong and Shangai Bank, Stansted Airport and the new dome of the Reichstag in Berlin. Foster’s design for Florence’s train station includes an immense glass roof witch is a contemporary adaptation of the traditional gallery of nineteenth century train stations. The budget for this construction of 45,000 square metres is about 240 million Euro

The new bridge will be a long, sweeping curve of glass and steel that should fit in with both the historic buildings on the Piazzale Roma side of the

dedicated to the victims of the 9/11 attacks, built in the northern city of Padua by Daniel Libeskind. The memorial features a twisted steel beam salvaged from the wreckage

canal and the 1950s modernity of Venice's main railway station. Construction of this bridge finally began in January 2007.

Italy is probably one of

of the World Trade Centre and donated to the Region de

the most visited places in the world. Bilbao effect or not,

Veneto. In the shape of an

masses of tourists are visiting

open book, the monument symbolises the memory of the

this gorgeous country every year. So what is it that pushes

victims of the New York

the Italian authorities to

tragedy. Inaugurated in 2005, this 17 metre high structure is

commission some of the most

a new landmark for the small

to design major infrastructures?

city of Padua. Of all Italian cities, Venice is undoubtedly the

More likely, it is not so much to attract people as to show

most conservative. It is almost

the world that Italy is changing,

impossible to obtain permission for a new construction in the Serenissima. Some of the most

moving from classical forms to new geometries and avant-garde engineering. n

popular architects in the world

important figures of modern architecture (LeCorbusier, Louis Kahn and Frank Lloyd Wright) designed Venetian projects that have remained unbuilt. A few years ago the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, known for his animal and skeletal shaped constructions, produced a design for a new bridge over the Canal Grande, a new link between Piazzale Roma and Santa Lucia train station.

Studio Daniel Libeskind, Architect LLC

“Memoria e Luce” Padua Studio Daniel Libeskind, Architect LLC

and the construction should be finished by 2010.

Smaller in size, but of major significance is the “Memoria e Luce”, a memorial

Geraldo Pace

Geraldo Pace

ART

DISCOVERED

By Antonio Zara

The Montreal Museum of Fine Art has received a historic treat. Until December 2nd, 2007, patrons of the museum will be able to view the gilded bronzes from Cartoceto of Pergola. The statues are an important part of Le Marche’s cultural identity. The president of the region, Gian Mario Spacca worked with local businessman Francesco Bellini to bring the exhibit to Canada.

It marks the first time that the statues have made an appearance outside of Europe and gives visitors an important glimpse into the beauty, culture and historic treasure that the Le Marche region of Italy has to offer.

138 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

In 1946, an amazing discovery was made in the region of Le Marche. Four ancient gilded bronze statues were found in a shallow hole just a few metres away from a farmhouse in Cartoceto of Pergola. The statues date back to ancient Roman times and are the only gilded statues from that era still in existence. While the astounding archaeological find has been a cause for celebration it has also created several riddles that many academics are still struggling to solve today.

The group of gilded bronze statues – which was comprised of two men on horseback as well as two women - had

been purposely destroyed using an instrument before being placed in a shallow pit. The recovered fragments were meticulously restored between 1948 and 1959 by Bruno Bearize, a famous Florentine sculptor and restorer.

But unfortunately, not all fragments were recovered. The upper body of one of the women is missing, while only the segments of the rider’s lower legs appear on one of the horsemen.

While many claim that the statues themselves do not carry huge artistic merit in terms of innovation, elegance or beauty, much of the intrigue lies in their historical significance. u

Since their discovery, scholars have debated tirelessly regarding their origin, who they might represent as well as when they were created.

One of the keys to these mysteries lies in the bronze itself. Appreciated for its strength and steadfast quality, the Romans linked the metal to the idea of eternity. Bronze statues carried an element of reverence; their subjects were often those in high political and social standing. That these gilded bronze statues were able to survive for so many centuries is no mean feat.

While the ravages of time might have been great, the ravages of society were even greater. The need for the metal was immense, and it was often common

140 P A N O R A M I T A L I A . C O M

that statues would be destroyed in order that the metal may be repurposed for more important practical purposes.

A great number of statues were also destroyed during the wars and pillaging that ensued over the years.

The identity of the figures is clearly linked to the casting material as well as to several key details on the statues themselves. The remains of the riders delineate men in military dress of a high ranking. Their horses are large majestic creatures bearing detailed harnesses that contain numerous mythological references associated with the sea. The horses are in a position where it seems as if they might take a step forward. This triumphant stance

was a favourite during Roman times.

The statue of one of the middle-aged women is by far the most complete. Her strong personality is reflected in her long narrow dress and the ring on the index finger which is a symbol of the equestrian order. Again, this is another clue that points to the high social rank of the sculptural group.

In 1987, during an exhibit of the statues in Florence, a scholar named Sandro Stucchi, put forth the theory that the rider could be identified as Nero Caesar, along with his mother Agrippina and his brother Drusus. The fourth statue of the group was identified as Livia – the wife of Augustus. These identifications would suggest that the u

Drawing of a reconstruction of the group from Cartoceto.

statues date from roughly 28 AD. But another group of scholars went further back in time, arguing that the grouping is more likely from a period between 50 and 30 BC. Their identification from these years has ranged from the possibility of Julius Caesar (although the facial features are not a match) to high-standing families from the community. The debate is no nearer to its conclusion and will probably last for years to come.

Another puzzling point is the statues’ destruction. Why would anyone wilfully (and violently) destroy art and then proceed to hide it? Again, theories are divergent. Some believe that the family had been shamed to such a degree that people took it upon themselves to remove the statues from where they had been displayed. One has to wonder what actions must have caused this behaviour and this only adds to the mysterious cloud that hangs about these works. Another more plausible theory is that they were cut-down for profit and hidden in a shallow pit not far from major trade routes. This strategy would have allowed the thieves to easily return to the scene and claim their

The reconstructed group on the roof terrace of the National Archaeological Museum of the Marche, in Ancona.

prize. While their neglecting to return will always remain a mystery, it has allowed the people of Pergola to access an important historical and archaeological find.

While the statues are occasionally exhibited as part of a visiting collection in cities all over the world, their permanent home can be found not too far from the farmhouse at the Museum of the Gilded Bronzes and Town Museum in Pergola.

But while the statues might be incomplete, their emotional impact is undeniable. They serve as a bridge between the past and the present, a concrete example of ancient Italian artistic sensibilities and a tribute to the history of the land. n

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PANORAM COVERS 21 signed & numbered giclée prints of each visual On ARCHIVAL HAHNEMÜHLE paper / 24” x 30” For info : gpace@geraldo-pace.com

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