After arriving in Melfi on Sunday night, Tracie P, Georgia P, and I took one of the most amazing road trips of our lives: starting Tuesday morning from Melfi, we drove to Venosa to visit Aglianico del Vulture vineyards; then through the vast endless wheat fields of the Basilicata plains; on to Gravina in Puglia (where we stopped to nurse) and then to Gioia del Colle (Puglia), where we took the autostrada and then superstrada through Taranto, over to Brindisi, arriving in Lecce around 5 p.m.

I have much to say about the experience and what we saw. But the most amazing thing was the color of the earth: as Tracie P put it, striations of black, gold, red, brown, green… The Aglianico grapes are at full ripeness and I imagine the growers will be picking soon.

Much more to write and many more photos to post… but now it’s time to take the ladies to the beach… :)

As we journey through Italy, our travels times depend on Georgia P’s napping and nursing schedule. And so we had to rely on the fates for a late lunch yesterday as we made our way from Montalcino to Melfi in Basilicata, where we slept in the shadow of Mt. Vulture last night.

Tracie P’s one desire was that we cross over into her beloved Campania from Latium before stopping for our repast.

We took the exit for Caianello not knowing that the gods would deliver us to the Ristorante Maracuja (Passionfruit), where manager Gennaro graciously offered to feed us despite the fact that his venue was host to parties celebrating a communion, a baptism, and a teenager’s birthday respectively.

As Tracie P likes to note, it’s difficult to eat badly in Campania. And while Ristorante Maracuja (at least in our experience) is a relatively humble banquet hall (complete with DJ that sings Fred Buscaglione and Dean Martin classics), its food was delicious.

The pièce de résistance was the cortecce with clams (above), thoroughly enjoyed by Georgia P as well.

The parsley in the stewed baby octopus was — hands down — the most flavorful I’d ever had and bordered on piquant. Italian gastronomy is unrivaled in its variety and its richness but no one — anywhere in the world — can compete with the materia prima of southern Italy.

The potatoes and mussels were — there’s no other way to say it — sublime. I would return just for this dish.

Little did we know that we had stumbled onto a corridor that hosts one of the most popular mozzarella mongers in Campania (even our friends in Basilicata knew of it).

This is the best photo of the Caseificio La Pagliara we took and this is the best listing that I can find.

Even at 4 p.m. on a Sunday, the line was literally 20 persons deep.

We didn’t want to wait that long since we had such a long trip and so we went to the Bottega dei Buoni Sapori down the road (I can’t find any listing). When Tracie P entered the shop, the owner said, “o, they must have already closed up the road.” That’s how good La Pagliara must be…

Today we plan to go up to Rio Nero (on Mt. Vulture) before heading to Lecce… Stay tuned! And thanks for reading! :)

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My editor at the Houston Press asked me if I’d like to share my thoughts on (and loathing for) truffle oil.

So Tracie P, Georgia P, and I stopped at that huge Autogrill just south of Bologna (you know, the one right before you head up into the Apennines). And I bought this bottle of the petroleum-laced stuff.

Hilarity and farts ensued.

*****

And in the meantime, Talia Baiocchi, my favorite wine writer in America right now, posted interviews with sommeliers from around the U.S. who shared their thoughts on corkage, present company included.

Inflammation ensued.

*****

My girls and I are headed to Melfi today… then it’s on to Lecce on Monday…

Buona domenica yall!

Osteria Le Logge (Siena)

fiori di zucca

vitello tonnato

fusilli broccoli basilico pomodoro

ravioli

happy baby-led weaning

visit to our favorite wine shop

Above: A sine qua non fiorentina at Trattoria Il Pozzo in Sant’Angelo in Colle. We try to make it here — where everybody knows your name — at least once a year.

I try to make it back to Montalcino every year during harvest. I come in part because there’s no better way to wrap your mind around a vintage than to see the fruit right before it’s going to be picked and to talk to growers as their year’s work comes to fruition (literally). But it’s also because of my deep connection to the holm oak mountain (the mons ilex, as Montalcino was known in antiquity): ever since I first began seriously following fine wine after my first visit in 1989, this place has held profound meaning in my enoic awareness and life.

Above: Chef Franca Binarelli never misses the mark.

Tracie P and I will be meeting with a number of winemakers and growers while we’re here and Sunday morning I’ll be taking my yearly daybreak drive through the vineyards with my friend and “professor” Fabrizio Bindocci, winemaker at Tenuta Il Poggione, as Tracie P and Georgia P slumber.

Above: Front-of-the-house Paola Binarelli took such good care of us and held Georgia P as we ate our first course last night.

This year’s visit is extra special, of course, because it’s Georgia P’s first.

She has been having a BLAST here, between vineyard strolls and new and delicious foods. In America, people frown on bringing children to restaurants. In Italy, they rejoice. It’s so cool. :)

As soon as I get a chance, I’ll post my notes from our visits with growers. Stay tuned and thanks for reading…

E buon weekend yall!

Tagliatelle ai funghi porcini, de rigueur at Lino’s.

Between my meetings and tastings, we managed to stop at the famous Locanda da Lino for lunch. The locanda may have seen better days but it’s still one of the most interesting and beautiful rooms in the land of Prosecco. It would be worth the admission to see all the images of Toti dal Monte that adorn the walls. She was one of the locanda’s most famous guests (along with Marcello Mastroianni and other glitterati of their day).

Corte Sant’Alda Garganega. SO good.

Vegetable frolla.

Fagioli (beans).

Bigoli with ragù from Sorana (breed) beef.

Meatballs and tocio (gravy) with polenta.

Rabbit.

Happy bunny. She loved the beans and the meatballs. :)