Cividale (Friuli-Venezia-Giulia): Devils, Heaven and Ramandalo

Christianity came here in the 7th century, we came on a rainy day.   We scurried over the Devil's bridge and listened to an interesting tale from our guide extraordinaire Francesca, who got us out of the rain and into the Cividale Museum.  Their relics are amazing and include a reliquary of St Anthony of Padua,, the Patron Saint of girls looking for a husband (@Luscious_Lushes Thea and I took note) The showpiece of the museum is a baptistery of elegantly carved white marble, so perfectly preserved it looks like a celestial Jacuzzi.

Cividale kept trying to baptize us with pouring rain, but we persevered. Our reward was a lively walk and a visit to the Cathedral.  Gothic doors, Renaissance elements and modern furnishings combined to highlight for us

the passing of time in architecture.  The most important item here is an altar piece with figure dating back to 1202

Side by side, earlier Christian art is almost Egyptian in its simplicity compared with elaborate renaissance imagery. Cividale has many small but important churches some back to the 8th century when they told vivid stories with frescoes.

The Tourist Board here keeps it fresh.  They can also provide comprehensive info for visitors helpful to planning and maximizing your visit.  You can find a lot at www. Cividale. Net or for individual help contact informacitta@cividale.net.  Maps, ideas and cheerful help await you in this lovely historic town.

Next up was the Consortia Colli Orientali del Friuli.  Here at the Consortia's space, members have examples of their wines and a lot of educational material to help you really get educated on the area.  We saw a short video to introduce us to the land and history of this region of sandstone and marlstone where wine has been made for 2000 years.  Through a video survey of the region we got a sense of how ancient fortresses and castles have been woven into today’s delicious wine region.  Hora Bibendi was a sundial that let you know when Happy hour starts.Our happy hour started when they served us examples.

Sauvignon blanc – lush aromatic white

Picolit dessert -pineappley sweetness tempered by pretty acidity

Pignolo – interesting indigenous red

The best way to explore the region: in a glass!

All in a lovely way to get a broad survey of the region and the wines that are made here.  If you are visiting Colli Orientale del Friuli, they can help with your questions via email if you would like to find out more about what they do and their producers contact: info@colliorientale.com

Next, we were greeted by Paolo and his wife at I Comelli in Udine, very near the Austrian-Slovenian border.  I Comelli is famous for Ramandolo a unique wine that takes its name from the place and has a long history— its first official appearance is when it was offered to Pope Gregory the first, so that would be 590 - 604. Verduzzo friulano giallo is the grape from which Ramandolo is made.  It has a white berry packed with tannins.  The tannins have a cleansing effect which makes Ramandolo  a sweet wine  with a lovely but not cloying finish.  The color is dark gold. Its peachy aromas have caramelly hints. Silky mouth feel and yummy noble rot, with a lingering finish of dried pears and that tasty, tasty botrytised sweetness.Only 60 hectares and the only sweet wine to be marked DOCG.   The DNA of grape shows it came from the Balkans not from any Mediterranean source.  In nearby, Aquileia excavators found fermented Ramandolo in 5000 yr necropolis …Nine Euros at the winery? What?  More Somms out there should put this on your list for dessert wines!

Slovenia. Yugoslavia. Austria. Venice. The region has flown many flags in the last 200 years.  Many people immigrated away but the Comellis stayed and focused on cultivating the soil as they have for many years working and preserving the area for its natural beauty and touristic potential.

Picolit is also made here in small quantities As well as Friulano.

Reds? Refosco!

Cab Franc, Merlot, and some other international varieties are produced

The cellar is modern and has been rebuilt when they outgrew the older one. So they combine modern and traditional to take the best of each to make great wine.

And what goes with good wine? Good food.  We adjourned to their restaurant which is attached to an Agri-turismo hotel.  A charming spot with a wood – fire.  We were served fresh delicious Friuliani dishes.  Starting with lovely prosciutto and ending with Torta Della Nonna, each matched with the delicious  I Comelli wines.  Pictures. Schmictures.  If you can, find a way to visit yourself. Two words: Randolo mousse. Yes. This is heaven.

But for a few intrepid bloggers, an additional level of heaven awaited as we ascended to L’ Uva e le Stelle.  A property owned by a different family  also named Comelli.    We wanted to stay forever.

Alas, for us heaven had to wait. But as we left, our host Paolino told us how easy it would be to return, since there is a train from Venice to Udine and from Udine to Cividale...The Wine Routes of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia (it sounds better in Italian Vini e Sapori)  have a great adventure planning site to make it easy to explore.  Click here  for more info.  Sign up for the newsletter so you can dream of heaven too

A16 - Review of the new Rockridge Location

Another Birthday and another dinner with my fab BrixChicks at A16  on College which last year was Hudson's and the year before that it was Garibladi's.  but  A16 is a name I know and love from lunches and dinners in SF

The Rockridge A16, in contrast to the San Francisco location is bigger, lighter and brighter and most important: A LOT easier to park.  It's meant to focus on the eastern side of the highway closer to the sea so a lot more seafood options.  They had my favorite, grilled calamari.  Zesty southern Italian flair, it was spiced with lovage root, whose almost gingery notes made for an interesting starter. . Followed by tender roast lamb, pink and perfect.  I shared some of Liza's roasted Pork Shoulder---that girl has a knack for finding the "dish of the night".  Succulent, juicy and sauce to spare.  Our server thoughtfully provided a dish of crusty bread for dipping.

The wine list is packed with unfamiliar Italian wines.  But they promote a Sommelier on duty at all times.  We went with Somm Jim's recommendation for wine and were happy with a minerally Pinot Noir like Red wine. 2007 I Custodi, 'Ætneus,' Etna Rosso, Castiglione di Sicilia, Catania .  A blend of  Nerello Mascalese/Nerello Cappuccio/Alicante.  It was good with all our dishes. Thanks, Jim, it worked.  I prefer white wine and would have liked to have tried the Malvasia since they had one on the menu and Liza has been raving about that variety.  Next time.

I almost forgot to mention:  Pizza!  The new woodburning oven burns properly at 900 degrees and produces delicious pizza.  The interesting shears you see next to my perfect martini were dedicated pizza divvying tools.  We had fun sharing such good food and good times.

Well, third time the charm.  I predict the new A16 on College will be there next year when I dust off my birthday tiara ... lucky me ...martinis are perfectly chilled and dry. Expectations for next year...

The Yogurt Fell from Heaven - Visit to Azienda Agricola Zoff,

Culture. Culture. Culture.  In my recent exploration of the wine regions of Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, that one word in three contexts proved delightful.  Viticulture.  Yum.  Arts and culture. Awesome.  But another of the contexts is yogurt and by extension, all things dairy.  In college I did an internship in Switzerland, and every since then have been hooked like a meth head junkie on all things European dairy.  If you haven't experienced the creamy, wholesome deliciousness of dairy products that transcend this world.  Well, okay our normal US world, then just another reason to add FVG (Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) onto your bucket list.

Agritourism is a growing field as we travellers look to connect with the land and seek out adventure beyond the "If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium/Let's run through the Cairo museum in 45 min/Art/Culture/Souvenir" pit stops that can sucker you into trying to see everything. Newsflash. By trying not to miss anything, you miss a lot.  Agritourism is a way to reverse that and stop time for a second to savor an experience.

Visiting Azienda Agricola Zoff was definitely a moment to savor in all its contexts.  The stars of the show are the Pezzata Rosso cows that deliver the rich milk that Beppino Zoff and his team convert to wonderful cheeses, butter and best of all yogurt.  The Zoffs have been making cheeses for 15 years as a way of using the raw milk from their adorably delicious cows. They have been raising cows for three generations. Originally, a dairy, they found they could be more successful making the milk into products. We tried several cheeses ranging from fresh to aged for 4 months.  

Caciotta: A fresh cheese that they served both plain, flavored with rose petals and flavored with thyme.  Some other flavors available are elderflower, peppermint, mallow, marigold, sage, rosemary and basil. After 10 days, the fat on the outside of the cheese creates a matrix that is perfect to accept these floral/herbal flavor enhancements. 

Latteria: They served us two selections with different aging.  We noticed a huge difference between 4 days and 60 days.  The aged cheese had nuttier flavors and a deeper richness to its textures. Both were delicious 

But what completely blew us away was the yogurt.  Fresh, creamy, sweetened with caramel.  If any had fallen on the floor I would have licked it up it was that good.  And because each gram contains 1,5 billion probiotic organisms, it's actually an amazing treat that is good for you.  Beppino charmed us with his energy and how he put his passion on the plate.  As he told us, cheese lets you experience not just the terroir, but the culture as well.  Artisanal methods Zoff uses connect you both to that land and to the old ways.  

Azienda Agricola Zoff also has a 5 room guesthouse you can book. More information here

You get the yogurt for breakfast.   They call it "paradise in a jar"  and they are not exaggerating.  I came back with a monkey on my back for the Special "Y".  Glad to say after several bouts of yogurt making, I duplicated the texture more or less and found that Trader Joe Caramel sauce came pretty close to matching the caramel goodness.  Tasty probiotic goodness.  When they invent the Star Trek replicators, it's the first thing I am ordering

To visit:

Farm Zoff Joseph - Farm Borg OCJS 
34071 Via Parini, 18 - Borgnano Cormons (GO) 
CF. ZFF GPP 55P06 D014L PI 00457350312 
Tel. / Fax. +39.0481.67204 - +39.340.3619874 
Email: info@borgdaocjs.it

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