The Story of Carpineto Winery and Locanda Tana de L'Ors in Val di Zoldo of the Dolomite Mountains
Most dishes have stories to tell, some are reminiscent to a cherished past, perhaps a person, a happy moment, or maybe even a touching occasion. These are the flashbacks that flood our thoughts as the aromas and flavors connect to our senses. Reconnecting to the past becomes even more special when we find our way to dishes that we once knew. Let's speak about a nice story between Antonio Mario Zaccheo, co-founder of a big Tuscan winery and a restaurant in a town in the Dolomite Mountains.
Carpineto was founded in 1967 by Antonio Mario Zaccheo and Giovanni Carlo Sacchet who functioned as the oenologist. In their pursuit of innovation and production of the best red wine that the terroir can offer in the Chianti Classico appellation, they dramatically exceeded the quality standards of the traditional Tuscan wine fifty years later. They started cultivating at 20 hectares of land in the the 1960s and currently, Carpineto is present in 200 hectares of land in Tuscany. Over the years, Carpineto has maintained the winemaking activity within the two families which has substantially grown with such an international success. It is now a fully-grown company but still very much family-oriented. Carpineto red wines are known for their excellent aging ability and approachability in part due to their extensive bottle-aging technique.
Caterina Sacchet, oenologist of Carpineto, remembers how her father, a native of Castellavazzo, a northern Italian alpine town in the Dolomite Mountains would escape Tuscany to go to the town where he grew up in. A part of those trips is enjoying the warm hospitality and traditional gastronomy that Locanda Tana de L'Ors offers. It is a restaurant / inn that is located in the main square of the town of Forno di Zoldo and owned by brothers Alessandro and Fabrizio Votta, second generation of a family of hoteliers and restaurateurs. It is a place where locals and travelers stop for genuine dishes that are typical of the area with an air of creativity from the chef along with a good bottle of wine lavished with the warmth of the service.
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| Alessandro and Fabrizio Votta and Chef Nicola Campus |
With the inventiveness of Locanda Tana de L'Ors' chef and sommelier of 12 years, Nicola Campus created a special dish that seals the friendship between the winery and the restaurant. His creation, the Venison Medallions with Polenta Flan and Reduction of Plums and Carpineto Rosso di Montepulciano (€24) has become an integral part of the story of the restaurant. He recommends pairing it with Carpineto Il Farnito Cabernet Sauvignon, a full-bodied ruby red wine that has an intense and complex nose of sweet spices, licorice and mature dark stone fruits. It is persistent in the mouth, smooth and elegant. The succulence of the meat and particular flavors of the dish merges well with the great structure of the wine.
The menu is composed of appetizers (€9 - €12) including a Platter of Cheese and Ham for two persons (€22), first dishes of pasta (€11 - €13) which also includes complete meals in one dish like the Venere Rice with Monkfish, Zucchini and Salmon (€17). Main courses are (€19 - €24) while desserts are (€6 - €8). One of the chef's best dishes is the Cappellacci with Cocoa and Wild Boar on Saffron Fondue (€13). For lunch they serve easier plates including their specialty, the Orso Burger (€10) which has 200 grams of Scottona beef and various fillings.
Locanda Tana de L'Ors
Via Roma, 28
32012 Val di Zoldo (BL), Italy
Tel: +39 0437 794097
Email: info@ristorantetanadelors.it
Website: http://www.ristorantetanadelors.it/en/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TanadelOrs/
Open daily for lunch and dinner except Mondays and Sunday evenings when off-season
