Inspiratie la fix este in vacanta! Am continuat sirul experientelor reusite din acest sejur cu o locatie descoperita cu totul intamplator in Verona sau mai exact in Dossi, un satuc aflat la 15 km (cca. 25-30 minute cu masina). Spun ocazional pentru ca am ajuns aici incercand sa ocolim galagia si agitatia celebrului oras dar si preturile cazarilor si locurilor de parcare aferente. Am gasit asadar aceasta minunata pensiune pe care o voi descrie in articolul urmator: Agriturismo Ai Dossi – de la productie agricola la agroturism.

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Povestea lor a inceput in urma cu mai bine de 10 ani cand tatal Margheritei a decis sa cumpere bucata de teren pe care se afla acum proprietatea pentru productie agricola si viticola.

Deoarece lucrurile au capatat o alta dimensiune, in urma cu circa 5 ani s-au decis sa inceapa constructia pensiunii si sa se dedice 100% acestui proiect.

Dar sa incep cu inceputul: din strada pana la vila drumul urca dealurile din Marcellise in cel mai autentic stil toscan lasand cand pe-o parte, cand pe cealalta, peisaje care iti taie rasuflarea si iti fac mai placuta calatoria pana la destinatie.

Din momentul in care intri pe poarta, totul este Italiano vero & autentico. Receptia, modul de intampinare, prezentarea locatiei si nu in ultimul rand cazarea (camerele). Ne-a intampinat Lorenzo, pe care l-am descoperit apoi ca fiind un mare chef, cu o bogata experienta in restaurantele din Verona.

Am primit niste recomandari pentru restaurante pentru cina, desi si aici aveam ceva pregatit – insa am ales sa urmam una dintre recomandari care la inceput a sunat un pic ciudat, intrucat locatia respectiva servea pastele preponderent pentru take away. Insa despre La bottega della Gina XXL voi vorbi mai pe larg in urmatorul articol deoarece s-a dovedit a fi o experinta culinara deosebita si surprinzatoare in modul cel mai pozitiv posibil.

Imaginea nocturna a pensiunii este una desprinsa din filmele celebre realizate in Toscana. Pozitia inalta, piscina infinita si ferestrele cortina lasate deschise te transforma aproape instant intr-un veritabil actor al Cinecitta.

Pentru micul dejun autentic, pe baza de produse locale am ales doua meniuri “solti” si unul “dolce” – pentru ca experienta culinara sa fie completa.

Din pacate in ziua urmatoare am “beneficiat” de singura zi ploiasa din acest sejur si nu am reusit sa ne bucuram de apa din piscina, multumindu-ne doar cu cateva poze.

Ceea ce a facut insa dintr-un simplu sejur intr-o experinta a fost cina propusa de gazde. Si ce putea fi mai autentic in Italia decat pizza si vin?!? Ei bine, au fost sase tipuri de pizza gourmet propuse si pregatite de Masterchef Lorenzo cu ingrediente din productia proprie sau de la fermele din zona, iar pentru fiecare dintre ele, Margherita a servit (si bineinteles a descris asa cum ii sta bine unui tanar somelier) sase tipuri de vinuri – unele de la cramele din zona, iar altele productie proprie.

Deschiderea a fost facuta cu o Pizza “dulce” (smochine, miere, panceta, floare de capere) care a fost acompaniata de un Prosecco Rose Brut Millesimato (produs dupa metoda Charmat din struguri Glera – care au facut atat de faimos Prosecco si Pinot Noir – strugurii folositi pe scara larga pentru obtinerea celor mai bune vinuri spumante din lume) – care lasau se se distinga note de zmeura si coacaze rosii, insotite de note de citrice.

A urmat apoi o Pizza cu baza de piure de cartofi, galbenus de ou si trufe (gasite de cainele lor, Django) sortiment culinar care a facut pereche cu un Soave Classico. Utilizarea denumirii de “Classico” pe langa denumirea de “Soave” este rezervata numai vinurilor obtinute din strugurii cultivati pe dealurile din Soave si Monteforte d’Alpone, sate medievale situate la aproximativ 10 km departare de pensiune. Solul acestor dealuri este calcar si tuf de origine vulcanica. Floral si fructat cu puternice urme traditionale date de stugurii Garganega – folositi mai ales pentru faimosul vin dulce “Reciotto di Soave” – care a facut faimoasa intreaga zona. 

Si cum nu ma decisesem care dintre primele doua au fost mai pe placul meu, festinul a continuat cu o Pizza Marinara (sos de rosii, usturoi, busuioc si coaja de lamaie obtinuta de la citricele culese din gradina) – o nebunie care trebuie incercata macar o data in viata. A mers la fix cu un pahar de Valpolicella Clasico – un rosu sec, un clasic al provinciei Veneto produs in exclusivitate de Valpolicella din provincia Verona din soiuri precum Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella si, in procente mai mici, Molinara, Oseleta, Rosignol, Teroldego. Fructat, cu note delicate picante si fructe rosii proaspete.

Numarul patru a fost o Pizza cu Speck copt, piure de zucchini, roșii uscate, masline care a venit insotita de un pahar de Valpolicella Ripasso. Tehnica Ripasso consta turnarea vinului in butoaie inainte de invechire a vinului Valpolicella in rezervorul in care a fost presat Amarone in prealabil, lasandu-l sa se odihneasca in contact cu cojile proaspat presate cca. 15-20 de zile. In acest fel vinul imprumuta de la cojile uscate aroma care este tipica pentru Amarone. Aroma delicata, cu note de fructe proaspete si uscate.

Ne apropiam de final iar gradul de indecizie in ceea ce priveste realizarea topului preparatelor servite pana atunci era la cote maxime. Pe fondul acestei confuzii culinare a aparut si a cincea propunere: Pizza cu vinete coapte, coppa, mozarella (jumatate capra, jumatate vaca) la pachet cu un pahar de Amarone 2017 – un vin nascut in anul 1936 intr-unul dintre beciurile celebrei crame Valpolicella Classica prin priceperea unui oeneolog care a gasit si folosit un butoi de Recioto (vinul dulce traditional, celebru la acea vreme in Verona). El a decis sa guste continutul, iar curajul i-a fost rasplatit realizand ca are in maini un vin rubiniu de aur ceea ce l-a facut sa exclame “Questo non e un Amaro, e un Amarone!”. Este un vin corpolent, ascutit si tanic. Sec si balsamic, respecta traditia vinurilor veroneze. 

Si daca tot am inceput aceasta calatorie culinara in lumea neobisnuita a pizzei gourmet cu un sortiment dulce, desertul a fost unul sarat: pizza prajita servita cu gem de caise si crema de ciocolata! Nimic mai simplu, nimic mai bun! O adevarata lovitura de maestru pizzar. Genial! Perechea lichida a fost Passito, un vin nascut intr-o perioada de tranzitie intre anii pandemiei, reintoarcerea din Australia a tinerei oeneolog Margherita si pregatirile pentru deschiderea oficiala a pensiunii. Impreuna cu mama sa, Margherita a adunat manual boabele de stuguri de pe ciorchine, iar dupa o perioada lunga si spontana de fermentare au presat strugurii tot manual, pentru a obtine maximul de delicatete pentru acest vin. Strugurii folositi au fost Moscato, un soi cu fructe albe, perfecte pentru vinurile dulci, tipice acestei zone mediteraneene. Cu o culoare aurie bogata, are arome fascinante de fructe uscate, caise, miere de salcam si flori de portocal, date de procesul de uscare naturala.

O experienta desavarsita pe care as relua-o negresit, fara niciun resentiment in ceea ce priveste caloriile. Si de ce nu, intr-un proiect comun de gatire cu ocazia unei vizite urmatoare.

Felicitari, Agriturismo Ai Dossi! Grazie mille, Margherita si Lorenzo!

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English version

Agriturismo Ai Dossi – from agricultural to agrotourism

Inspiratie la fix is on vacantion! We continued our string of successful experiences on this trip with a location we discovered entirely by chance in Verona, or more precisely in Dossi, a small village located about 15 km away (approximately 25-30 minutes by car). I say by chance because we ended up here while trying to avoid the noise and hustle of the famous city, as well as the high accommodation and parking prices. That’s how we found this wonderful guesthouse, which I’ll describe in the following article: Agriturismo Ai Dossi – from agricultural production to agritourism.

Their story began more than 10 years ago when Margherita’s father decided to buy the piece of land where the property now stands for agricultural and vineyard production.

As things evolved, about 5 years ago they decided to start building the guesthouse and dedicate themselves fully to the project.

But let me start at the beginning: from the street to the villa, the road climbs the hills of Marcellise in the most authentic Tuscan style, offering breathtaking landscapes on both sides that make the journey to the destination even more enjoyable.

From the moment you step through the gate, everything is authentically Italian. The reception, the warm welcome, the tour of the location, and, of course, the accommodation (the rooms). We were greeted by Lorenzo, who we later discovered to be a renowned chef with extensive experience in Verona’s restaurants. We also selected our breakfast menu at that time: since there were three of us, we chose two „solti” menus and one „dolce” – to make the culinary experience complete.

We received some recommendations for dinner restaurants, although I also had my homework prepared at home – but we decided to follow one of their recommendations, which initially sounded a bit odd because the place mainly served pasta for takeaway. But I’ll tell you more about La Bottega della Gina XXL in the next article, as it turned out to be a surprisingly delightful culinary experience.

The nighttime view of the guesthouse is straight out of the famous films shot in Tuscany. The elevated position, infinity pool, and open curtain windows almost instantly make you feel like a true actor of Cinecitta.

Unfortunately, the next day we had the „pleasure” of the only rainy day of this trip and couldn’t enjoy the pool, settling instead for a few photos.

What turned a simple stay into an experience, however, was the dinner offered by the hosts. And what could be more authentic in Italy than pizza and wine?! Well, there were six types of gourmet pizza proposed and prepared by Masterchef Lorenzo, using ingredients from their own production or local farms, and for each one, Margherita served (and of course described, as a young sommelier should) six types of wines – some from local wineries, others produced on their own property.

We started with a “sweet” pizza (figs, honey, pancetta, caper flower), paired with a Prosecco Rosé Brut Millesimato (produced using the Charmat method from Glera grapes – famous for Prosecco, and Pinot Noir – widely used for the world’s best sparkling wines), revealing notes of raspberry and red currants, accompanied by citrus hints.

Next came a pizza with a base of mashed potatoes, egg yolk, and truffles (found by their dog, Django), paired with a Soave Classico. The use of „Classico” next to „Soave” is reserved only for wines made from grapes grown on the hills of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone, medieval villages about 10 km from the guesthouse. The soil in these hills is limestone and volcanic tuff. Floral and fruity, with strong traditional notes from the Garganega grapes – especially known for the famous sweet wine „Recioto di Soave,” which made the entire area famous.

As I couldn’t decide which of the first two I preferred, the feast continued with a Pizza Marinara (tomato sauce, garlic, basil, and lemon zest, picked from lemon trees from their garden) – a wonder you must try at least once in your life. It paired perfectly with a glass of Valpolicella Classico – a dry red, a classic of the Veneto province, exclusively produced in the Verona province from varieties like Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and smaller amounts of Molinara, Oseleta, Rosignol, Teroldego. Fruity, with delicate spicy notes and fresh red fruits.

The fourth dish was a Pizza with baked Speck, zucchini puree, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives, accompanied by a glass of Valpolicella Ripasso. The Ripasso technique involves pouring the wine into barrels where Amarone has been pressed, allowing it to rest in contact with the freshly pressed skins for about 15-20 days. This way, the wine absorbs the characteristic flavor of Amarone. Delicate aroma, with notes of fresh and dried fruits.

We were nearing the end, and the level of indecision about ranking the dishes was at its peak. Amid this culinary confusion, the fifth offering appeared: Pizza with roasted eggplant, coppa, and mozzarella (half goat, half cow), paired with a glass of Amarone 2017 – a wine born in 1936 in one of the famous Valpolicella Classica cellars, thanks to the skill of an oenologist who tasted the contents of a Recioto barrel and discovered a ruby-red wine, exclaiming, „This isn’t Amaro, it’s Amarone!” It’s a full-bodied, sharp, and tannic wine. Dry and balsamic, it honors the tradition of Verona wines.

Since we started this gourmet pizza journey with a sweet variety, dessert was savory: fried pizza with apricot jam and chocolate cream! Nothing simpler, nothing better! A true masterpiece by the pizza chef. Genius! The liquid pairing was Passito, a wine born during the pandemic transition period, when young oenologist Margherita returned from Australia and began preparing for the official opening of the guesthouse. Along with her mother, Margherita hand-picked the grape berries from the clusters, and after a long, spontaneous fermentation period, they pressed the grapes manually to extract the maximum delicacy for this wine. The grapes used were Moscato, a white fruit variety perfect for sweet wines, typical of this Mediterranean area. Rich golden color, with fascinating aromas of dried fruits, apricots, acacia honey, and orange blossom, thanks to the natural drying process.

A flawless experience that I would eagerly repeat, with no regrets regarding the calories. And why not, perhaps in a joint cooking project on a future visit.

Congratulations, Agriturismo Ai Dossi! Grazie mille, Margherita and Lorenzo!

If you liked the article Agriturismo Ai Dossi – from agricultural to agrotourism, I invite you to try: Tapassio – Mediterranean and Hungarian Tapas with Passion, Jelna – Transylvania Imprint or Where to eat (the best cakes) in… Bran.

ENJOY OUR RIDE!

• Pappardelle al ragu
• La bottega della Gina XXL sau paste la superlativ
• Galuste cu prune la tava
• Agriturismo Ai Dossi – de la productie agricola la agroturism
• Tapassio – Pasiune pentru tapasuri mediteraneene si unguresti