Where are we? Heading from Campagna to Abruzzo.
Foiano di Val Fortore: The regional tourist site tells me that Foiano di Val Fortore rises up on the first folds of the Adriatic side, at the bottom of a valley and the left of the river Fortore surrounded by mountains. The village has been part of the Province of Benevento since 1861, after belonging first to the Province of Foggia (until 1811) and then to that of Molise. Foiano is distant 43 kilometres from Benevento and is situated at 520 metres above sea level. It is easy to understand that the entire area that surrounds Foiano di Val Fortore takes its name from the river with the same name (Fortore river) which is also a natural border between the Campania, Molise and Puglia regions.
Giro specialties: The landscape conformation on which the village lies favors a highly appreciated wine production as well as that of the famous caciocavallo silano DOP cheese .
Caciocavallo Silano DOP is a semi-hard, stretched curd (pulled-curd) cheese made from the milk of cows of different breeds, including the podolica, a typical breed indigenous to the inland areas of Campania. The most widely accepted theory on the origin of the name “caciocavallo” is that it derives from the custom of hanging the cheeses, in pairs, on wooden poles, placed near fireplaces.
Francavilla al Mare: As the name suggests, let's go to the sea. The Abruzzo tourist site tells me that Don't be fooled by the modern and young appearance of this delightful seaside resort in the province of Chieti, an ideal destination for families looking for quiet beaches and equipped beaches, for young people who love sports activities and nightlife, and for those who want a relaxing holiday with all services at hand.
We will reveal a secret to you (which perhaps very few people know): the coastal center has very ancient origins, as demonstrated by archaeological finds from prehistoric, Italic and Roman times. The first stable residential nucleus dates back to the Lombard period, when a community freed from feudal constraints - hence the name Francavilla - settled there and traced the typical medieval "herringbone" urban layout.
Giro specialties: Local Cusine lovers will have the opportunity to savour the delicious local dishes, which are renowned for some of the typical products they are cooked with, such as Abruzzo pear tomatoes and strawberries. Furthermore, visitors will have the opportunity to taste the region’s fine wines, steeped in a wine tradition rooted in Abruzzo’s fertile soil.
The stage: A sprint stage with some bumps in the beginning.
Cue doomed breakaway that never get a very large gap. Mainly though, it was a quiet day.
Indeed, a bunch sprint and another win for Milan.
The wine: From 2016
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo 'Grecomusc' 2013
From the importer: Contrade di Taurasi is owned by Sandro Lonardo, a schoolteacher, and his wife Enza. They make Aglianico IGT, Taurasi, and small amounts of a white wine made from Greco Musc’, an indigenous white variety (grown ungrafted, interestingly). Their vineyards are all exposed directly south, which is ideal, and are at about 1300 feet above sea level, which may explain how a wine picked in the beginning of November in a warm climate can come in at relatively modest alcohol (between 13 and 13.5% in most vintages). All the vineyards are in the official Taurasi zone, but more than half of the fruit is declassified to IGT Aglianico, which improves the Taurasi and gives us an excellent, more forward example of Aglianico to drink while we're waiting for the Taurasi. Click here for a link to the Contrade di Taurasi website.
From the importer: Contrade di Taurasi is owned by Sandro Lonardo, a schoolteacher, and his wife Enza. They make Aglianico IGT, Taurasi, and small amounts of a white wine made from Greco Musc’, an indigenous white variety (grown ungrafted, interestingly). Their vineyards are all exposed directly south, which is ideal, and are at about 1300 feet above sea level, which may explain how a wine picked in the beginning of November in a warm climate can come in at relatively modest alcohol (between 13 and 13.5% in most vintages). All the vineyards are in the official Taurasi zone, but more than half of the fruit is declassified to IGT Aglianico, which improves the Taurasi and gives us an excellent, more forward example of Aglianico to drink while we're waiting for the Taurasi. Click here for a link to the Contrade di Taurasi website.
The food: Caciocavallo cheese: From cheese.com: The history of Caciocavallo goes back to 500 BC when Hippocrates first mentioned the cleverness of the Greeks in making it. Cheeses similar to Caciocavallo are common all over the Balkans and Southern Italy. In fact, Ragusano DOP from Sicily had to drop the name Caciocavallo Ragusano to achieve the DOP label.
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