Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Wine and Food of the Giro 2019 Stage 10



Where are we?
Ravenna: Ravenna is located in the north-east of the Italian peninsula, just a few kilometres from the Adriatic Sea. Its province covers the southern part of Romagna and extends from the sea to the gently rolling foothills of the Apennines. Ravenna, the city of mosaics, has been recognised as a world heritage by UNESCO: eight historic buildings are on the World Heritage List.
Beyond the suggestive cultural and natural heritage, Ravenna is also a city that boasts an old food tradition. The art of good food is deeply rooted in the farm knowledge of Romagna territory. The traditional menus include tasty handmade first courses such as tagliatelle, lasagna, strozzapretti, passatelli made with parmesan cheese and eggs, cappelletti with a cheese-filling, along with fish second courses or grilled mutton. Everything is accompanied by fine wines coming from the surrounding hills. Not to forget piadina – the “bread of Romagna”, filled with Squacquerone, a local buttery soft cheese or with savoury cold cuts.

Modena: Modena is a shrine of treasures to be discovered without haste, surprising travelers with a magical interweaving of art, gastronomy, music and motors. Located between the Secchia and Panaro rivers, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, the city boasts a Unesco World Heritage Site (Duomo, Piazza Grande and Torre Ghirlandina) and it’s recognized as an inspiring land, attracting talent and passion, giving birth to celebrities admired all over the world such as Enzo Ferrari and Luciano Pavarotti. Modena is a land of engines with big brands such as Ferrari, Maserati and Pagani and it has also long been known for its cuisine, a reputation earned for authenticity, respect for tradition, and attention to the conservation of genuine flavor and its the Italian province richer in products with PDO and PGI denomination of origin


GASTRONOMY: in Modena you’ll will find a rich selection of fine food experiences offered by a network of restaurants, farms and artisans of taste that, with the preservation and enhancement of products and flavors, have been awarded in every field, such as the Osteria Francescana praised as one of the best restaurants in the world. Throughout the region you can visit farms producing Formaggio Parmigiano – Reggiano PDO, Lambrusco di Modena PDO, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP, Prosciutto di Modena PDO and other local products. You can not leave Modena without having tasted Zampone and Cotechino Modena Igp, tortellini, gnocco fritto and the famous tigelle or crescentine. The Albinelli Covered Market, in Art Nouveau style, considered among the most beautiful in Italy, is certainly worth a visit.


Stage: Post rest day, should be a sprint stage for the win. Today, we have a likely doomed break of two riders.



 

More interesting than today's stage so far, weather reports for future stages:



 

 The truth is, there is often very little to say on a stage like this. 



 

Thirty kilometers to go and there was the catch: gruppo compatto. 
Indeed, a bunch sprint:









Wine: Castelluccio Ronco dei Ciliegi
From the importer: Owned by the renowned oenologist Vittorio Fiore, Castelluccio was originally founded in the 1970s. In the 1980s Vittorio Fiore became the consulting winemaker and in 1999 he purchased the majority of shares in the property. Castelluccio is nestled in the Modigliana Hills, between the two towns of Faenza and Forlì, at an altitude range of 750 - 1500 feet above sea level. The territory is known as Emilia Romagna and was part of Tuscany until the 1930s. Castelluccio extends approximately 150 acres, with 36 acres of vineyards and 6 acres with olive trees. The soil is compact layered marl and limestone, the location is composed of micro-areas called “ronchi”, referring to the rock formations that protrude from the mountain side, and render a very high quality of grapes. Sangiovese di Romagna, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc are the main grape varieties grown at Castelluccio. Sangiovese di Romagna is indigenous and expresses perfectly the character of the terroir and is a central grape to some of the world’s greatest wines. The heart of Castelluccio’s philosophy is to respect and interpret the characteristics of “Romagna.” An ideal location near both the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine Mountains, it is recognized as a micro-zone for Sangiovese di Romagna as well as being the only DOC named after the ubiquitous grape. The notable uniqueness in terroir contributes greatly to the expression of the varietal. The elite members of the Castelluccio Estate team make every effort to produce wines that reflect its uniqueness. The outcome is wine that compares flawlessly to the Sangiovese grapes being grown in areas of Tuscany just on the other side of the Apennines Mountain.

Food: Parmegiano-Reggiano cheese
Parmigiano-Reggiano is produced exclusively in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena and parts of the provinces of Mantua and Bologna, on the plains, hills and mountains enclosed between the rivers Po and Reno.
The consortium says: 



The History of Parmigiano-Reggiano DOP

It is not necessary to carry out laborious research to gather documents on the ancient origins of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Nine Centuries of Excellence: its Origins
When it is said that Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese has been "a great cheese for at least nine centuries", it is not only highlighting its ancient origin. Indeed, it means pointing out that this cheese today is still identical to how it was eight centuries ago, having the same appearance and the same extraordinary fragrance, made in the same way, in the same places, with the same expert ritual gestures.
Historical evidence shows that already in 1200-1300, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese had reached its perfect typicality that has remained unchanged until the present day.
Today like in the past, cheese masters continue in their effort and in their risk by sincerely and proudly persisting in making their cheese with solely milk, rennet, fire and art, and in abiding by the rigorous centuries-old methods and application of the technique that is the result of special vocations and matured experiences.

Today: Recent History
The recent history of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is essentially the history of how the approximately 350 small artisan dairies of the typical area (that encompasses about three thousand milk producers) has obtained, by way of Law, the recognition of their determination in preserving the processing method and the very high qualitative level of the product.
It is the story of how the guarantee of genuineness of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese is now an absolute guarantee, thanks to the precise rules, applied with strict conformity self-discipline and control.
Parmigiano-Reggiano is guaranteed from more than seventy years from the Consortium and, above all, it is loved since nine centuries for its generous taste.

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