Dario Cecchini – The Butcher of Chianti Classico

March 13, 2021 by Joe Becerra

As we all gradually become vaccination against the COVID disease, we can begin planning travel trips to far away wine country. I am reposting this article in anticipation of tourists thinking about a trip to Chianti. This article is about our unforgettable meeting with one of the great Italian chef and butcher, Mario Cecchini.

If you ever travel to Tuscany, don’t pass up the chance to dine at Dario Cecchini’s Solocicca restaurant and to visit to his butcher shop, Antica Macceleria. We can guarantee this will be one experience extraordinaire you will not soon forget.

Before I left the U.S. to embark on my wine adventures in Italy, I watched YouTube videos of the famous butcher of Panzano in Chianti with utter fascination. We were to dine at his restaurant along with fellow wine bloggers and experience the “Whole Steer” dinner. I wasn’t really sure what that meant, so I watched the videos to mentally prepare myself. Dario Cecchini is an 8th generation butcher but he has taken his skill to another level from his predecessors. Not only does he have innovative ideas about his profession, but his amazing outgoing personality, and his love for his trade and the people that come to his butcher shop and restaurant, are what sets him apart. He is truly a living legend in the land of Chianti Classico.

First we walked into Dario’s butcher shop directly across from the restaurant. The first thing that catches your attention is a mannequin with a human body but with the head of a steer. The steer head is eyeballing you as if to say “Hello” and welcome you to the butcher shop. A variety of meat appetizers are there to sample. Jug Chianti wine made by Dario is offered. Suddenly, the living legend appears behind the counter and with a loud and booming voice Dario shouts out: “To Beef or not to Beef, that is the question!” That’s Dario in a nutshell. The music is turned up and people begin to dance, it is an impromptu party like no other.

In the Cave of Solo Ciccia

The Whole Steer dinner is a menu of many beef items, all delectable, including a spicy meat ragu on toast, boiled beef with vegetable salad, and braised beef very tender and tasty. The “Whole Steer” menu consists of ten different items for 30 Euros per person. This is quite a reasonable price to pay for such an extraordinary meal. In San Francisco, I suspect something similar would be well above $50 per person. For an extra 3 Euros, you can get a liter of Dario’s jug wine, or you can bring in your own, and there is no corkage fee. Dario’s vision is to use the steer responsibly and to search for ways to use as much of the steer as is possible for food. In his shop and on his website, he has done something I have not seen before. He has created a diagram outline of the steer which maps the various parts of the steer he uses for each entrée on his restaurant menu or item he sells in this butcher shop.

Dario makes several appearances at our table to toast us and to expound on his philosophy as a butcher. To say the least, he is quite an interesting person. We left very full of food, fun, and happiness and a night never to be forgotten.

Check out this video of the impromptu party at Dario’s shop, Antica Macelleria in Panzano in Chianti. I don’t think you will find this same experience any time soon at your local butcher shop. In fact, I am showing this video to my local butcher and ask him if he could start serving wine and meat goodies while I shop.

Pappa al Pomodoro – Our try at making this traditional Tuscan soup

July 29, 2020 by Joe Becerra

Janelle and I published this article on making Pappa al Pomodoro several years ago. The timing is just perfect for reposting the item. The COVID virus has Wine folks cooking at home, making sourdough bread, and gardening. With fresh tomatoes and Basil in the Victory Garden, it all fits for making this delicious Tuscan Soup.

At the European Media Conference in Italy, we watched Andrea Gagnesi in his kitchen at Badia al Cotibuono in Chianti, prepare a wonderful traditional Tuscan soup, Pappa al Pomodoro. I’d never heard of Pappa al Pomodoro until then, but it is one commonly prepared in the homes of Tuscan villagers. We each got a small taste of the soup when it was done, and I knew then that I had to try making this soup at home. Well, we have made it twice now and although we love my rendition of the soup, it is not quite as good as the one Andrea Gagnesi made for us that evening. We will continue to tweak the recipe until we have mastered this dish.

Andrea Gagnesi prepares his version of Pappa al Pomodoro

The problem with the cooking demo was that Andrea moved quickly and never mentioned exact measurements for the ingredients used. Some of it had to do with his command of English and some it had to do with his master chef skills, tasting the dish as it cooked and making adjustments on the fly. We took loads of photographs at the demo and also watched a Vimeo video that one of the follow bloggers made, but we had to do some guesswork on the exact amounts of all ingredients. Here is our take on how to prepare and cook Pappa al Pomodoro, perfecto for any season of the year. This recipe serves 6.

Pappa al Pomodoro

Two baskets of grape tomatoes. – This is what Andrea used, whereas most recipes call for Roma or San Marzano tomatoes.
Half a loaf of day-old sourdough bread, crust removed – crumbled in the food processor
¾ cup red onion chopped fine
¾ cup carrot chopped fine
¾ cup celery chopped fine
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Two cloves garlic chopped
2-4 cups of vegetable broth
Fresh Basil leaves – 8 to 10
Salt and Pepper to taste

Process the grape tomatoes in a food processor to liquefy. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the sauce, and then simmer the sauce in a pot until tomato sauce thickens – 60 minutes.

Add three tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté and caramelize the veggie mix of onions, carrots and celery (Sofrito). Use high heat to cook as quickly as possible. When the Sofrito is ready, add one or two cups of the tomato mixture and the chopped garlic. Cook until liquid is absorbed and the mixture is very thick – about two minutes.

Add a handful of crumbled bread and mix together until bread absorbs all. Then add the veggie broth and the remaining tomato sauce. Add more bread to thicken and then cook until the soup mixture is thick. Maybe 30 to 45 minutes at a simmer. If you want a thinner soup add more of the broth.

Five minutes before you serve the soup, add the fresh basil leaves. Andrea tore the leaves into small pieces. At the very end, add salt and pepper to taste.

Since the soup is thick with the bread, you don’t need a huge serving unless this is your main course. Serve about a cup to each person. You can also garnish with a few basil leaves. You must serve this dish with a beautiful Chianti wine.

Buon Appetito!

Soave Wine Country – Italy’s Hidden Gem

August 9, 2016 by Joe Becerra

Last evening a friend invited us over for a glass of wine that she said would be a surprise wine for us. The white wine she served was a Soave wine. When we told our host that we had visited Soave a few years ago she became very excited and wanted to learn more. With that in mind I have reposted this article on our visit to the land of Soave wine.

Soave Wine Country and about Soave wine

The Soave wine area is probably not on many wine traveler’s destinations when they visit Italy. Why go to Soave when there are the beautiful Tuscan hills, the land of Chianti and Brunello wines or the amazing Piemonte region, where Barolo and Barbaresco wines reign. We are very happy that we decided to travel to Soave; it is as spectacular and interesting as any wine country we have visited. The best part is that there are hardly any tourists around. We practically had all of Soave to ourselves.

Castello Scaligero

We were contacted by the Soave Wine Consortium and asked if we could visit following our European Wine Bloggers post conference to Chianti Classico. We left our Brescia hotel and drove for 75 minutes to the east. Soave is just east of Verona in the region of Veneto. The Soave Castle and surrounding hillside vineyards are the central identifying characteristic or landmark in this wonderful wine country. The Soave Consortium put us up in the Hotel Roxie Plaza, a four-star hotel, recently renovated and conveniently located. It is according to all accounts where most tourists stay when visiting Soave. It is located within walking distance of the medieval walls built in the 13th century that form the city center. Inside these walls are many wine bars, gourmet restaurants and the Soave Castle, Castello Scaligero.

Cantina Balestri Valda

If you are a long-time wine drinker, you probably remember the days when Soave wine meant something very cheap in a 1.5 liter bottle, and it was very bad wine. Well, that has all changed in recent times. The Soave wines are excellent both in quality and in price. The main grape in Soave is Garganega. We visited a couple of wineries as well as stopping in to sample wines at several of the wine bars along the city center. These wines are crisp, refreshing, delightful and full of fruity flavors. The best Soave wines come from the steep hillside vineyards. They cost between $10 to $15 and are terrific values .

We took off from the hotel and drove directly to the hills above Soave. The roads are narrow and switchback among the vineyards. It is truly one of the most beautiful areas we have visited in all wine country. On a clear and beautiful day, the views are jaw dropping.

Soave – the land of white wine – hillside vineyards of the Garganega grape

On the second morning of our stay, we took a 40-minute walk from the Hotel up to the beautiful Soave Castle. The Castle dates back to 1379. The views are once again incredible from the top sections of the castle. After our exhilarating walk it was time to stop at one of the many café’s and have our lunch and of course enjoy a glass of the delightful Soave wine.

Quenching our thirst after hiking to the Soave Castle

Umbria wine country – our adventures on the Umbria wine trail

September 14, 2014 by Joe Becerra

When we redesigned the WineCountryGetaways Website, this article I’d posted about our wine country trip to Umbria was misplaced and never made it to the blog. I am re-posting the article and if you are considering a wine adventure in Italy, think about Umbria. It is next door to Tuscany, but much less crowded with tourists and it is just as beautiful.

We stayed in this farmhouse, Calboccia, in Umbria

In Umbria wine country

Umbertide is a tiny town down the hill from Calbaccia

What a fabulous time we had in this beautiful country. During our three-week stay we enjoyed sightseeing, eating many superb meals, visiting wineries, and learning much about the many fine Italian wines. For the first two weeks, we lodged in a villa in Umbria. The last week of our trip was spent in Sorrento, which is located south of Rome in the Bay of Naples.   Several weeks before the trip, we visited our local wine shop, K&L Wines in Redwood City, California, and talked to the buyer for Italian wines. He was able to give us plenty of leads on wineries to visit and good restaurants in both Umbria and Tuscany. With this information, we were able to schedule appointments at two Umbrian wineries, Sportoletti and Castello Delle Regine.   In Umbria we stayed in a villa known as Calboccia, located at the top of an 1800 ft. mountain overlooking the Niconne Valley. Umbria is less traveled and lesser known for its wine than its neighbor Tuscany, but nonetheless produces some outstanding wines. Learning about Italian wine is a bit tricky, but a visit to a cantina (winery) and taking a tour helps to clear up some of the mystery of Italian wines.   If you go into any of the small supermarkets in Umbria, you can find wines of all types, ranging from 5-liter wine jugs to some of the finest Barolos, Brunellos, and Chiantis. We also discovered that you could purchase empty jugs and bring them to the local cantina and have them filled with their wine from the barrel. There are also several wine shops called enotecas that you can find in almost any of the small towns. At an enoteca you can taste and buy local wines. Within the first few days of our stay, we realized that winetasting opportunities are everywhere in Italy. Here is a description of our most enjoyable Umbria wine country experiences.

Castello Delle Regine

Livia Colantanio, owner Castello Delle Regine

Castello Delle Regine is a fantastic new winery (first vintage 2000) and certain to become one of Italy’s best-known wineries. The wines are fabulous. The one white wine produced is the Bianco delle Regine, a unique blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio. We have not tasted anything in the U.S. that is similar or as refreshing. Their flagship wine is a Merlot, made from 100 percent old vine Merlot. The cost is 30 Euros, and it is a fantastic wine drinkable now or to be cellared for a few more years. A recent Wine Spectator rated this wine 92 points. The winery also produces two Sangiovese wines and a red called Princeps. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Merlot. We are given a V.I.P tour that is beyond description. The owner, Livia Colantanio, gives us a complete tour of the estate which is followed by an elaborate tasting of their fine wines and olive oils, and a gourmet lunch of foods common to Umbria. This was one of the most memorable winery experiences we have ever had in our many years of visiting wineries.   Castello Delle Regine is located at the  southern end of Umbria in the  town of San Liberato-Narni. It was about a 45-minute ride from our Calboccia farmhouse. The backroads of Umbria wine country are quite beautiful. One thing I love is the respect that auto drivers show for cyclists, who are quite honored here in Umbria. This is very much the opposite of what you find where I live in the Bay Area.

La Fattoria I Girasoli di Sant’Andrea

This cantina was just down the road from our villa, near the town of Niconne. We visited this cantina often during our stay to purchase their very nice wines for our dinners back at the villa. The cantina building is new with a beautiful tasting room and picnic area and a new winemaker from New Zealand. The winery is owned by the famous Gritti family who also own the Gritti Palace in Venice. This cantina is open during normal Italian business hours and closed on Sundays. One can taste wines without a fee and enjoy the surroundings. During the summer months, they have a weekly English-speaking tour on Monday evenings followed by a tasting and dinner. The cost is 20 Euros each. The tour includes a walk through the vineyards and the tasting of olive oil and four fine wines matched with food. Check the La Fattoria I Girasoli Website for up-to-date information.

Joe in the vineyards of La Fattoria I Girasoli di Sant’Andrea

Sportoletti Winery

We travel from our villa to central Umbria to the hillside town of Spello. We are greeted by Daniela, a charming host who speaks English and leads us on a tour of the

Daniela explains how the new balloon crusher gently squeezes the juices from the grapes

winery. The Sportoletti winery has been in existence for years but recently opened a new cantina with state-of-the art winemaking equipment. Sportoletti produces four wines, two whites and two reds, and a delicious olive oil. It is quite common for an Italian winery to produce olive oil in addition to wine. For our tasting we are served the four wines along with bruschetta (this version consists of toasted bread, salted, and dipped in their extra virgin olive oil), a plate of local cheese, followed by thinly sliced salami. Our favorite wine is the Assisi Rosso, a wine made of 50% merlot and 50% Sangiovese. It is a very mellow red wine with complex flavors and a great finish. At about $15 a bottle in the U.S., we consider this wine to be a fabulous value. It is a great food wine. The tour and tasting costs 10 Euros each and is well worth the price.

Orvieto and Orvieto Classico

Orvieto is famous for its awesome Gothic Cathedral and its many ceramic shops and, of course, its Orvieto Classico wine. We stroll this beautiful hillside town beginning in the parking lot at the entrance to the town. As we work our way up to the Piazza Duomo and the beautiful cathedral, we find many wine shops selling Orvieto Classico. Most of these wine shops offer a three-pack variety of Orvieto Classico for under 12 Euros. We discover that these touristy packs should be avoided. It is better to taste or try single bottles in the 7 to 12 Euro range. If you go there, be sure to stop at one of the enotecas and try some good Orvieto Classico. Or, at the Piazza Duomo, you can order a glass of Orvieto at Cantina Foresi, Piazza Duomo 2. What fun it is to sip a glass of this classic Italian wine, relax and do some people watching while enjoying a spectacular view of the Cathedral. Orvieto Classico is a light wine with an alcohol content of around 12 percent. The wine is very crisp and acidic, making it a great wine with light foods.

Sorrento

For our final week we drop off our car and travel by rail and bus to Sorrento. We are not able to visit any wineries in Sorrento, but there are plenty of Enotecas in the town where you can taste some of the local wines. Our favorite enoteca is the Vino In, located at Via S.Cesareo 89. Here, we discover a delightful white wine called Falanghina. It is deliciously refreshing and fruity with just enough acid to be enjoyed with clams, mussels, shrimp and other light foods characteristic of this region. In the U.S. you can usually find a Falanghina wine at most fine wine shops for $12 to $15. Falanghina is a nice change of pace from the California whites.

Sorrento harbor

Soave Wine Country – Italy’s Hidden Gem

December 11, 2011 by Joe Becerra

Castello Scaligero

Caparsa Estate in Chianti Classico

October 23, 2011 by Joe Becerra

The Caparsa Estate was the smallest of the wineries we visited on our Chianti Classico excursion and is owned by artisan winemaker Paolo Cianferoni. This was my favorite winery among the many we visited. The wineries were all wonderful and with great character, but the Caparsa winery is one I will not forget. Perhaps I see myself in the roll as Paolo making my own wine working the vineyards organically and selecting the finest grapes to go into my wine. If I owned a winery, I would tend to the land and make wine just like Paolo.

Paolo Cianferoni

Touring and tasting in Chianti Classico

October 21, 2011 by Joe Becerra

We spent three days in one of wine country’s most beautiful and exciting locations, Chianti Classico in central Italy. We visited several wineries and tasted perhaps as many as 70 different Chianti Classico wines from producers both big and small. Our tour and tasting was all part of the European Wine Bloggers Post Conference sponsored by the Chianti Classico Consortium. They wined and dined 30 wine bloggers as though we all were potential Robert Parkers. They rolled out the red carpet to impress, and that we were. We loved the wineries and producers we visited and had a most memorable time. We learned much about Chianti Classico, its wines, tradition, and its many characteristics. We begin a series of posts with some general information and background about Chianti Classico and its wines.

One of the many splendid views in Chianti Classico

Our Italian Wine Adventures – Brescia

October 13, 2011 by Joe Becerra

Our Italian Wine Adventures begin in the city of Brescia. We were not familiar with this city until we decided to attend the European Wine Bloggers Conference. It is one of those hidden gems that somehow remain relatively undiscovered by tourists. Brescia is mostly an industrial city but the city centre is magnificent with its beautiful Duomo, Piazza della Loggia, and the Santa Giulia City Museum, which is also the conference headquarters. Brescia sits in the Lombardy region at the northern end of Italy. Here lies Franciacorta wine territory, an area most famous for its sparkling wine, a wine that rivals that of Champagne and Cava. Like Champagne and Cava, by law no sparkling wine can be labeled Franciacorta unless it comes from this region and bears the DOCG designation on the label. We will be heading to Franciacorta wineries on Friday afternoon for a tour, tasting, and a fabulous Italian dinner.

Clock tower Brescia

Dario Cecchini – The Butcher of Chianti Classico

Pappa al Pomodoro – Our try at making this traditional Tuscan soup

Pappa al Pomodoro

Soave Wine Country – Italy’s Hidden Gem

Soave Wine Country and about Soave wine

Umbria wine country – our adventures on the Umbria wine trail

In Umbria wine country

Castello Delle Regine

La Fattoria I Girasoli di Sant’Andrea

Sportoletti Winery

Orvieto and Orvieto Classico

Sorrento

Soave Wine Country – Italy’s Hidden Gem

Caparsa Estate in Chianti Classico

Touring and tasting in Chianti Classico

Our Italian Wine Adventures – Brescia

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