Ep. 1045 Gaetana Jacono | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

Welcome to the Italian wine podcast. This episode has been brought to you by the wine to wine business forum twenty twenty two. This year, we'll mark the ninth edition of the forum to be held on November seventh and eighth of twenty twenty two in Verona Italy. This year will be an exclusively in person edition. The main theme of the event will be all around wine communication. And tickets are on sale now. The first early bird discount will be available until August twenty second. For more information, please visit us at wine to wine dot net. Welcome to wine food and travel. With me, Mark Billen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best. The families who grow grapes and make fabulous wines. Through their stories, we'll learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life. The local and regional foods and specialities that pair naturally with their wines. And the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us, and I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine food and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, I'm delighted to shine a spotlight on the Valley de la carte winery located in the province of ragusa. In southeastern Sicily. This is literally an area where Viticulture has been carried out for some three thousand years. So it is one of the most ancient winelands in all of Italy, and it's also one of the most exciting. My guest today is Gaitanya Yacono who will tell us all about it and about her family estate. Thank you so much for being with me today, Gaitanya. How are you? Very well. Thank you, Mark, and thanks to invited me to speak with you. Today. I know you were telling me that it's very hot where you are now. I'm imagining, southeastern, Sicily in full summer. Can you just to give our listeners a vivid picture of where you are. Describe your area. Maybe the countryside a bit. Tell us a little bit about where you are. Oh, yes. It's easy because the southeast of Sisi, the province of ragusa, is a beautiful land, and especially this few years became so famous, of course, because of Montalban or people serious, but it was an opportunity to discover how beautiful is it. The area is, this most important city is, they are under unesco protective. The land is, soft with, not too high, but soft hill. And, the agriculture is especially beautiful tourism, but also a cow. So you have this, countries with the beautiful colors, and a little white walls with the the stone white that has, characteristic for the area of ragusa. The land is beautiful, quite. It's a hot, but it's also windy. So it's, it's not so hot, like, the west of Sicily. We are located in South East, and the other area close to Africa. Maybe one day, we became a very, very close. Yes. Yes. That's a that's a really nice vivid picture. So we're below Sirakuza in that southwest corner of Sicily. Quite different as you say from the west, from Palermo, and Yeah. And Marsa, on the west of the of the biggest island in the Mediterranean, of course. So it's a very varied, countryside across Sicily. Now tell us about, your winery, the background history of your family estate. Yes. And a little about what you're doing today. Oh, yes. Valle de la Caple is located in, this historic contrada contrada bidini Suprana and Satana in the surrounded, the full beautiful hill in the deli La ballet. Preserves the knowledge of the six generations of my family. And and that's my father founded the cantina in the late nineteenth century, through my family, I've been active in the wine growing and my wine making ever since Victoria, became a sicily's epicenter for exporting wine France during the eighteenth centuries. So my family has been very important in that area. And, with this family of vocation, we we want to safeguard it and end it down over generation the name, the the difficulty of this area. So, we continuously is traditional in the cultivation of mass prices and productive, our documents wise, and especially the two jewels, of the Cecilia wines, that's who we spoke later, but they are China's Victoria, DOC, the only DOC, very old wines. And for part of. And my winery, I can say, Mark, that's a two thousand two thousand eighteen, I arrived in, contemporary, in arrival point, and point of decisive change in the work of Valle de la carte. The most important things is that me and my father, we discover that we have the seven different soils surrounded around the winery and the vineyards that are organic, completely organic certified was character derived from seven different soils. And we continue to think about this. How was important the value of the terroir. And so as a long tradition, but when I enter in the wine, I thought immediately, a long, a lot of project of knowing that we had to start from this value, precious, the salmon soles that we founded in the, vineyards. And we understood that that's each wine, we can cultivate the Invest characteristic salt before my parents about throughout the experience, me and my father we help it, we should have the support of the technical analysis and we understood that we have a seven terroir. And, that's what's a great value of the value of the That is amazing. And then we'll talk about the seven wines from seven soils in just a little bit, but, I'm interested in that history of your estate. And going back into the eighteen hundreds, when when your area was exporting large quantities of wines to France. I'm imagining this is the time of Filocera when Sicily was able to send wines up by ship, by boat, from the ports of Sicily up to France because the France was in crisis with Filocera and also the wines of Sicily had had color and alcohol and strength. Is that, the correct history of your family estate? It was a I think it's a romantic story. We have the today, we still have this two whole buildings, in the, in the, in the court of our houses. That's what we call this spent, and Palmento. Palmento was the where we do the wine. And the and, this depends, it's like, it's a building where we present the wine after the fermentation. Then we put the wine in the little barrel. We sent the wine to Scoliquei. That's was the arbor. And, the barrel rolls on the beach, goes to the sheep and goes to Marcilia. This is was the best, the first works that my family did, and we wants to give you a surprise because the wine inside there was Mitchell swallow, but it was only from break inside. And this was the starting on the story of my family. After that's a generation of generation, we preserve the culture of the the wine. You know, that's in in the generations. You have a positive and negative and positive and negative. I am positive. My my father is a positive, but a little bit too shy. My grandfather was positive. So when I entered the winery, I understood that I have a a very big background, but I want to, my wish towards the people fall in love. There's three important things, in the world. One is that I was born in a beautiful place, the province of Rawusa. The second that I was born in a family that's multibex wine for such generations. And the third, let's say, was born in a place of Charasso and Victoria, a very old wine. There's three things that makes me, makes me happy. And now I but There was a bat because one time, Sicily, Southeast, is not visited like today. It's very far for it to us very far from the normal roots of the tourists So I need I and that's makes me more stronger in this, wish that the I want that to people fell in love for this little place. And I started to work in that way going around the world to promote but to tell the story of this beautiful place and story of the family and the the the and I think that So the travel, the barrels, and the travels of me. There is a connection. I think the travel is, the travel that the wine makes. It's something, that as a connection. And I think this was in my DNA. Yes. I can well understand the way you've told that story. This connection between wine and taking a little part of your world, around the world, as it did when it rolled on to the ships. It's coliti. And wine that has its origins, we're from deep roots with the Palmetto, these ancient, press houses, I guess, where the wine would have been made in a very different way than it is today, but still part of the history of your family. Yes. Yes. And yes, of course, you're around. Well, let's talk about those two jewels that you mentioned. First of all, Cera swallow D. VOCG, the only DOCG in Sicily, a very special wine, but a very special wine linked to a special territory because This wine can only be produced where you are. Yes. The China swallow the Victoria as a big problem, the long, long name, difficult to pronounce, and maybe sometimes it's confused with the so that's his rosette. Otherwise, the Charasolo de Victoria is a blend between, one grape, Fraca. That's his particularly characteristic of the area of Victoria. You cannot find Pato around the city. Today, yes, because it it's very famous. That's it before Prapato was born in Victoria. And Mir stabilized. That's, you know, is around the old Sicily. There's two grapes. So different together creates a great wedding because Prasato gives the aromas, is a fragrant, is a is a really, wine is a really, really grapes that gives, crisp pea and flowers of blackberry and strawberry. And the was made, was put inside the de Chercola for the body and the longer aging. At the beginning, when we send the wines in France, what we call Sarasoria in reality was made only for Prapato. Maybe in nineteen seventy three, when they came the DOC the first time, they put inside and didn't know that one or four. Body and knowledge agent. We came at UFCG in two thousand and five, and that was a great thing because a week finally has a blend, fifty fifty, very strictly for, and, the became to have a great identity before it was difficult in the market that you can find different type of Chula swallow. In two thousand and five, the be becoming a docG, we are the a area, a very location, area signage, a very healed character indicated. And so what's more easy to give an identity of this fine what's that I can say, the characteristic much more important for theacher as well or is there a very footprint because the Prabato gives the smell and the narrow down inside is not too strong. So the two grips inside give them gives a wine that you can pair with a lot of food because it's not too strong but as a body. Is a very gentle and belvedic and elegant wine. Beautiful. And we'll love each other as well. We need a little bit to became a more famous in the world because sometimes confusion, between the rosette or the brusso and ride of Sicily. The consumer doesn't test the wine. That's the catch up the bottles. But if you open the doctor, you became very you became very, trusted to this mind because it's a very, I think, modern for the, food, the healthy food dog today. It's the right one. It's funny because it's a old one, but more than in the dust than the smile. Great for the food. I think that's really important. And you are absolutely right, Kaitanya. It can be confusing. Charaswala, Charaswala does imply that nighter or a or a deep rosato or a, you know, a rossello on but it's just a completely different whiner. So I want our listeners to look out for that name, Charasweta divi Toria. Italian wine podcast brought to you by mama jumbo shrimp. Nero Davala, in your area in Victoria, you also mentioned it it Nero Davala grown across Sicily can make very big, dense, dark wines, but it's quite different when grown in the terroir of your area. It gives that more elegant expression. Yes. It takes to the I think thanks to the black soil that we have any wine in the vineyards. It's a clay, very compact. And the the, of course, is not more deep in the color. So the color is a little bit light red than the other, but in the mean, time, it's so belted and so elegant and so drinkable. And this is a characteristic, for for the soil, like, black soil that we have in the Valle County. But in general, I can say that's the narrow double of the area of ragusa too much more gentle, another style, beautiful, but another style for the Nelada. Okay. That's, of course, the, I can say the outside, the outsider is the frappado because the Frapato, that's the one with the toothache of Vicharasolo was born in Victoria. In fact, you will call, it's a Frapato, DOC Victoria. And, the speedy of the cells, they are unbelievable. Because the propato is a red light, but, you can serve and shield. And in this part of Sicily, and that's why I'm thinking you will, you will enjoy to know in this part of Sicily, we have the habitat to eat, to to have the fish, pairing with the red and the special car park. We hadn't, the habits, white wine were fish in the area of Ramusa. So it's all the traditional to have the trapato with the fish in this area. So what we today is very modern. Flhas is something that says common and I think that's it was the most important secret for different parts that is the wine fragrant crispy smell of the blackberry strawberry violet if you put chilled, it's great with the tuna or or every food, with the tomatoes. So it's, I I love to call the big, liquid wine because it and this is really modern because it's, you can use with the pizza if you want, to drink wine with pizza. But in the meantime, if you sell with chilled, it's great wines for fish. So this is a, an outside that I think is a fravato. My adore fravato, and you've really, described it so beautifully. And I like that thought of in your heat of your sicilian summer enjoying that slightly chilled with perhaps some beautiful tuna, which is one of the great dishes of Sicily, the tuna caught and landed in Sicily. Now we don't have a lot of time to go into the seven soils and seven wines, but I do want to mention this. New area is very complex, geologically with soil ranging from red to white, to, as you've already mentioned, black. And the that complexity of geology is so important to really express the different grape varieties. Tell us briefly a little bit about this concept of seven wines from seven soils. Yes. Okay. We discovered the seven soils, different individuals. And the, there have seven distinct soils in the company. And, with the and I did the project seven soyser four seven wine because, in the in which that there were is located, the each individual wine, is born for each typical soil. For example, in, of course, it is a that gives a great identity for the wine and careful selection of the four characteristic of of the individual grape wine. And, for example, Frapato comes from, black soil with white stones, the comes from light yellow soil with the, little sense from the beach. And the China's world inventory comes from red soil in Hi plateau, Rachel Iron. This seventy two and so is the four valet alacate gives identity and unicity and, gives the poor expression for each wines that we have. But If you allows me to speak about the house or pairing, that's, is great. Oh, I love this because, for, for many years, I thought that we know everything about wine. We are able to make, the receipt for a dish. But a few people are able to match the right wine to a foot. It's the so the house of pairing is a place that I have inside. Where people can have the testing, I'd quality food, and pleasingly conversing that the character and quality of the wine throw into full relief. So I I I thought a lot of proposal all focused on the pairing among wine and dishes. I want also I want also to celebrate the extraordinary raw materials that we have in Sicily. And sometimes I cook personally because I have the I have also a lot of experience after my travel allowed, around the world speaking about the wine, because I I understood that many dishes for around the world was very good pairing with the wine of Valle de la carte, and I was to, bring it back this experience, using the, also materials from Sicily. So the house of Verring is something that I love because I I love two at this pairing, and that's the wine and food work together. Gaitanya, give us some examples, some delicious examples of traditional or local foods that pair particularly well with some of your wines. Oh, yeah. Sure. For example, we can stop for the Charaswalo. That is great with the I I I I say in Sicily de Malonzales. So it's like a eggplant a normal eggplants with the, you can do pasta, with the eggplants, tomato, and ricotta cheese, but you you can do a tibalo, a sort of cake, and churro swallow is perfect for it. For this. Or, for example, Alan Chile is great with the frappato. You know, that's there is a very fighting from Palermo and, for the west and the east of Sicily, between a arancina or arancina. No. But both is great for the capital. Oh. What's the difference then between a palermo arancine, chino in palermo or Arancina? Nothing the food. Only name. Yeah. So it's a woman of or or men, men of female. So so they're both the same shape as a little orange? Yes. Completely. And that is great for for example. And, the green of Zagra is great with, tata, tuna tata, all Okay. Wonderful. Ozwood fish, for example. Oh, another place from Cecilia is the cheese that is great together, also, if it's more seasonal, that is great for Charasola, Victoria. And, for example, what fish with the, exactly, Grillo? And, we have a lot of fish. You know, that's, the distillery is much more influenced from Greek cool too. So the the cuisine is much more with the egg with the eggplant, zucchini, cheese, and fish. The opposite in West Sicily. They have much more Arabian influence. So the plate, it's much more agro sweet, much more strong. So, the the depths makes a big difference in the cuisine, West and and East the city? Yes. It does. That's that's extremely interesting. And I'm just, wondering then if our listeners are visiting Southeast Sicily and would like to visit Valle de la and experience a house of pairings. Can they arrange this in advance? Can they make a booking to do a a wine tasting with food pairings? Yes. Of course. And they can do dinner. They can do lunch. They can do, you know, a simple testing with the, the pairings and, in the website, you can see everything about the booking and, of course, because if they do attesting. I have thought also a tracking in the middle of the vineyards, and and also a path to full running. If after lunch, they want to be a tracking. In a it's great. You know, that's it. It's a big food. So Yeah. So you might need a little exercise afterwards. Yes. Well, it it sounds to me that this is just my sort of wine hospitality. I think the best way I always say to people to experience lines is to visit the producer, but also to sample them with the foods of the area, and you're offering a beautiful experience. So I hope our listeners will will, will note where you are and come and visit. And I myself am looking forward to coming to Valley delacate and and and enjoying what you are doing and tasting some of your fabulous wines. I waited for you, Mark, and I promise that I cook for you Oh, one of my favorites. I would love to taste your team, Paulo. It's been a real pleasure speaking with you today. Thank you so much for being my guest, and I hope we can meet soon. Very, very well. Very well. We'll do many thanks to you. Many thanks for this lovely conversation at NOITU, and all the people that's who wants to have a great experience in Colorado, starting to food finished it to tracking. Wonderful. We hope you enjoy today's episode brought to you by the wine to wine business forum twenty twenty two. This year, we'll mark the ninth edition of the forum to be held November seventh and eighth twenty twenty two in Verona Italy. Remember, the first early bird discount on tickets will be available until August twenty second. For more information, please visit us at white to one dot net. Hi, guys. I'm Joy Livingston, and I am the producer of the Italian wine podcast. Thank you for listening. We are the only wine podcast that has been doing a daily show since the pandemic began. This is a labor of love and we are committed to bring you free content every day. Of course, this takes time and effort not to mention the cost of equipment, production, and editing. 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