Welcome to Sicily everybody! We’ve been back in the mother country for some very necessary on-location research. We’re looking for new wines, cheeses, cured meats, and on the way enjoying all the sensational colour and flavour of this island.
First bottle of the trip was a beautiful Donnafugata Damarino. It’s a perfect aperitivo wine, light and fruity, serve it cold on hot evenings. And we love their artwork too!
We’re staying in the tiny ancient hamlet of Gallodoro, apparently derived from words “Valle d’oro”, meaning Golden Valley (though the name as it stands now literally means Golden Cockerel, so go figure that one out!). It’s perched high in the hills which surge dramatically up from the beaches near the famous town of Taormina (bit posh for us but very pretty – check out their Greek theatre).
From here we’re going to be venturing out to explore Etna, Sicily’s famous volcano. Etna’s constant gentle simmer creates the perfect conditions for some of the best wines in Italy, with incredibly fertile soil rich in minerals, cold winters (you wouldn’t believe it but you can ski up there in winter!) and long warm summers.
We’re hoping to find some beauties to add to our collection!