Our travels this past year through the Italian wine regions have introduced us to many wonderful Italian families who have taken us into their homes, shared their wines, and shared their families. While we are not able to share this holiday season with them, families from three regions -- Veneto, Piemonte, and Abruzzo -- give us a window into their family traditions through their messages below. Enjoy a glass of their wine while you are reading. It’s the next best thing to being there!
Our gratitude and holiday cheers go to all of our customers who have followed our journey, and to our new friends and families in Italy. We have created memories together that will last a lifetime! May you all have a safe and peaceful holiday season!
-The Chigazola Family
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The Corsi Family at Le Marognole
By Eleonora Corsi
“Christmas at Le Marognole Winery, with the Corsi’s family, starts with preparation from the 24th December: this is the day that we dedicate to prepare everything for the Holy Day. The whole family is reunited and everybody has his own task for the success of the lunch.
Everything is hand-made: somebody prepares the starters, some other the pie with ragout. Someone cares for the broth (made with capon and with beef meat).
Then the broth is served with tortellini, and the capon is stuffed with a mix of breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, capon livers, eggs, Parmesan, pepper and salt. The capon then is parched.
The beef-meat is served warm, accompanied by a “pearà sauce” (special sauce of Verona made of bread crumbs, broth, many pepper and cooked for long time) and with horseradish sauce, along with seasonal fresh and cooked vegetables. The typical desserts from Verona served by Christmas lunch are “nadalin” and “Pandoro”.
The whole lunch will be accompanied by Le Marognole wines, of course, starting with Classico for starters and first courses, and passing to Ripasso, “el Nane”, and Amarone for the second courses. Nadalin and Pandoro are enjoyed by drinking Recioto. And at the evening it starts again for dinner with Risotto all’Amarone and the meat that has been leftover at lunch!
Buon Natale e Buon Appetito”...Eleonora & Fabio Corsi
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The Pola and Bruno Families at Fontanabianca
By Luisella Pola (translated from Italian)
“On Christmas Eve we are with our families to unwrap the presents and exchange greetings. The following day, December 25th, we find ourselves again with the family to have lunch together. The Christmas typical Piedmontese menu is Agnolotti [a type of ravioli from the Piemonte], Brasato al Barbaresco [pot roast cooked in Barbaresco wine], bunet [typical sweet, chocolate pudding with hazelnuts] and seasonal fruit. [Each course] is matched [Fontanabianca] red wines Barbera D’Alba, Nebbiolo and Barbaresco “Bordini”, of course. It's a day of rest and family togetherness. After lunch it is our habit to play bingo or cards.
Salutì,
Luisella” (Left to right, Luisella & Aldo Pola, Stefania Ferro, Bruno Ferro)
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The Corvi Family at De Angelis Corvi
By Corrado De Angelis Corvi (translated from Italian)
“We gladly [share] our Christmas traditions that are about to come; and on this occasion, I express to you and your family best wishes also from mine. The anniversary is being felt on the eve of Christmas, the evening of the 24th, we meet at home with our closest relatives, we make “una cena di magro strettissima” [a"light" dinner], (i.e. without meat), spaghetti with tuna and olives, salt cod all'ascolana (with raisins and pine nuts), boiled or fried fish, with some small sweets, [paired with] wine, strictly Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Then after a short prayer before the “presepio” [Nativity scene], with the kids each holding a candle, we all go to Midnight Mass at the Cathedral of Ascoli.
The next day, December 25th, as soon as we awake, we exchange large and small gifts around the tree. Then we go to our own country house, for lunch, always with the family. [Food] abounds a bit too much, such as Cappelletti in brood [meat filled pasta in broth], “timballo di all'ascolana’ [pasta], “olive fritte allascolana” [fried olives of Ascoli], other types of fried, “arrosto di tacchino” [roasted turkey], desserts of all kinds, and [paired with] the wines Cerasuolo and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, all in great serenity. The afternoon pastime for all is bingo that we play at home with the same folders and numbers that was used by our ancestors in [the year] 800. To you and your family the most sincere wishes for the upcoming holidays.
Cari Salutì,
Corrado”
Don Chigazola
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