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Originally published in miamigoelvino.com 24/11/2016.
When we visited Tommasi Viticoltori two months ago, we had such a pleasant experience with them we decided to share it as it was something that can’t go unnoticed. We have to say that we are writing this article because we want to do it, not because they asked us to. We are so grateful to them and the way they treated us that this is the least thing we can do to show it.
After our visit to the winery we enjoyed the second show of Tommasi Hospitality. It came through Borgo Antico, one of the restaurants located in the Hotel Villa Quaranta, in nearby village Pescantina. We had a great dinner there, enjoying also a glass of sparkling wine as aperitif that led us to the main wine of the dinner: Dionysos, Primitivo de Manduria Riserva, a splendid wine elaborated with Primitivo, the Italian cousin of the American Zinfandel. Really good round-body wine from Masseria Surani, in Puglia. With dinner we had Gnocci, Spaghetti and Meat. Also some great Panacota. Well cooked, well presented, and of course, well eaten.
Couple of days later, we visited Hotel Villa Quaranta. The hotel is located in a XVI Century villa in the heart of Valpolicella. It is really more than a hotel. Luca Carrara, the general manager, led us to a tour showing us first the Congress Center, well equipped for any need anyone can have and with a capacity of up to 450 people. Then we moved on to the Wellness Center and SPA Terme della Valpolicella. Amazing place, including a gym, five pools and any service one can require in a place like this, like Hairdresser (I asked what was it but I didn’t find out what was that for), therapeutic center, etc.
Near the spa we discovered a small Romanic church property of the family where the local community celebrates Mass every weekend.
Then we went on to check the incredible gastronomic offer. After seeing the outdoor pool restaurant, we went to visit the Bottega, a cozy restaurant with some six tables and a nice atmosphere. Here they offer cuisine lessons for learning to cook local recipes.
Oh Bacchus, I finally found you!!!! You go down a flight of stairs and your will find the jewel of the hotel:Cantina in Villa, an amazing underground ristorante where you can enjoy all Tommasi wines and then some more with your meal. The atmosphere is impressive with brickwalls and its decoration with wine bottles and wine accessories makes it a paradise for winelovers. Luca had to take use out from there against our own will. We were holding ourselves to everything we could use so as not to leave the place.
Thank you so much to Luca and his staff for the visit. This is a hotel worth going if only for a weekend of relax. But you can stay there as much as you may want. No need to go outside. Well, only for visiting Tommasi winery, that is.
In our last day in town, Annalisa advised us to visit another restaurant in Verona. And who are we to say no? Tommasi Viticoltori is part of a group of wine families called Amarone Families – Famiglie dell’Amarone D’Arte.They run a ristorante in Verona, Botegga Vini. Here you can come for breakfast, lunch, dinner and never leave. The wine list is an old book with leather covers and big as a newspaper. It has 159 pages full of wines not only Italian, but for all over the world. You check for a country in the index, they have it. You can go to the website and you will find there the wine list. Luca Nicolis is the one in charge and he fixed us with a great lunch. The food here is really good. And the best kept secret? The underground cellar you access behind the bar. If you like wine, that’s Disneyworld for you. Ali took us around and explained us about the cellar. There you can find old vintages of some of the most important wines around the world. They have over 3,000 bottles, with vintages going back in time more than 60 years. They have bottles of Bertani Recioto, for example, from 1959 and also many 1960s vintages. I couldn’t check everything, of course, but two things caught my attention: a few bottles of La Tache 1972 and Romanée-st. Vivant 1974 from Borgougne, and especially, an incredible collection of Penfolds Grange, the Shiraz from Australia. One bottle from every single vintage since 1963. Amazing. That would go for thousands of euro in a wine auction.
Unluckily, it was time for us to go back to our regular daily duties, but we are sure Tommasi offers a lot more of their incredible hospitality. We need to go back there more often to keep on enjoying with them.
You can watch the video of the Botegga Vini Cellar in this link.
