Tag Archives: Pardi

108 Hours in Cannara

108 Hours in Cannara 006Nothing says summer to me like spending a few weeks in Umbria, visiting friends, finding new and interesting products for the store, enjoying Umbria jazz, and, of course, relaxing by the pool. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work out as planned- a lesson we learned last week during a whirlwind visit to to Cannara. I warn you now, the details of this trip are not for the faint of heart, the easily tired, or the weak of liver- read along at your own risk

Thursday, July 14, 2016

After many days of postponing and rescheduling our trip, we finally made it to the airport, bags in hand, happily seated at our gate, ready for a short but amazing trip to our favorite place only to find out that the flight was delayed. Not just delayed, extremely delayed. By the time we finally (rather crankily) boarded the plane six more hours were gone from our already truncated vacation but we were determined to make the most of it.

Friday, July 15, 2016

108 Hours in Cannara 0056:30pm With our original scheduled arrival time in Rome of 7:24 am we had planned to have lunch with Simone in Bevagna. With the flight delay, however, lunchtime was long gone by the time we left Rome but we beelined for Simone’s anyway (after making a quick stop at Lufra to pick up fresh mozzarella di bufala of course).  We arrived at  le Delizie del Borgo just in time for Spritz O’Clock and spent an hour catching up with our fourth (and favorite) ‘son’ Simone over a platter of salamis and cheese.  

7:30pm When we finally made our way to the Farmhouse, Jennifer McIlvaine and Federico Bibi pulled up behind us with their adorable children, and after a few minutes of excited greetings in the driveway we opted for drinks in the living room.  For those of you suffering through the current east coast heatwave you will find it impossible to believe, but despite being the dead of summer, it was way too cold to sit outside!  

108 Hours in Cannara 002Inside we found Marco and Orusia firing up the pizza oven, and friends of ours from Washington who were staying with us at the Farmhouse soon returned from a day of touring. Not far behind them were our son and his girlfriend whom we picked up at the Foligno train station- the last piece of our group.

Marco outdid himself, as always, and our raucous group enjoyed pie after pie with a bit of spicy bomba and Birra Perugia.  A small taste of Nutella pizza to end the meal.

12:00am No idea what time it was when bedtime finally rolled around but it was definitely  a long day.

 

 

108 Hours in Cannara 007

Saturday, July 16

1:00pm After catching up on our zzzzzs our intrepid group headed to Bevagna for a “light” lunch with Simone.  It was another beautiful day and we happily enjoyed our meal outside in the park.

5:00pm I finally had to give in and take a quick nap while Bill took a group to Foligno on a hunt for a Sicilian pastry shop to satiate a craving for cassata, and a visit to the Granarium (our nearby zero kilometer granary, mill and bakery) for a tour and to buy flour, bread and cookies.

 

7:30pm – It’s a birthday celebration and we have invited several (see below) of our Italian friends to join us.  We were hoping to eat outside, but again it is too cold and the Italians want nothing to do with the chilly, fresh air.  We have Spritz by the pool and then head indoors where Marco has rearranged the dining room to accommodate our small party of 25.  In addition to the group staying with us we are happy to have Gerardo and Assunta Ribigini, Jennifer and Federico (tonight they are senza children), Albertino and Jessica Pardi, Zia Augusta, Alberto, Linda and GianLuca Pardi and Linda’s mother, Federico and Claudia Ribigini and Daniele Sassi.

108 Hours in Cannara 003

108 Hours in Cannara 0018:15pm Everyone has brought wine so we have a selection from Terre Margaritelli, Pardi and Tabarrini to pair with a favorite summer meal – fried sage leaves, onions, zucchini and zucchini blossoms followed by pasta with arugula and walnuts, mixed grill and vegetables from the garden.

10:00pm We have sparklers in the Birthday cake but the real fireworks are outside.  Marco has picked up a fabulous pyrotechnic display and Bill has it matched perfectly to Whitney Houston’s Star Spangled Banner.

Sunday, July 17

6:00am – early departure to Cantina Dionigi for a Hot Air Balloon Ride.  You can read about it here.

108 Hours in Cannara 008

1:00 pm – Lunch in Bevagna with Simone, Marco, Francesco Rustici and his wife Elisa, plus the group at the house.

An opportunity to introduce our guests to our favorite Italian Tradition – Sunday Lunch.  Our children have bravely endured lunches lasting anywhere from 3-7 hours and despite their protests as children they have come to love and expect them.  This is a meal where the food is slowly paced, no electronics are on hand and everyone is engaged in conversation.  

6:00 pm – Not a Menard record – but still an excellent leisurely lunch.

Back to the house with Ombretta’s children Silvia and Tomaso for a quick swim before the sun sets.

108 Hours in Cannara 010

7:00pm – Albertino and Jessica stop by to visit and we make plans for dinner on Tuesday night.

8:00pm – All plans of attending a local wine festival get scratched in favor of setting up the big screen outside and picking up pizza.  Another chilly night so we bundle up and hunker down to watch a movie.

Monday, July 18

108 Hours in Cannara 0099:00am – Up by 9:00 to play cards with Tomaso and Silvia (who have opted to spend the night) and say goodbye to our guests.  

11:00am – The sun is shining and we take a break to sit by the pool and swim with Tomaso and Silvia.

1:00pm – Off to Cantina Tabarrini to see the new renovation – it’s breathtaking.  Giampaolo’s plans and ideas are exhausting but the result is going to be amazing.  We are treated to an excellent meal prepared by Franca and Federica – food fresh from their garden and an introduction to a new label and the latest release of Montefalco Rosso.

6:00pm – Back to the house for a couple of quick business calls and emails – it’s a work day after all.

108 Hours in Cannara 0117:30pm – Dinner at Cantina DiFilippo

Roberto is just back from his winery in Romania but he has the horses all set up for a sunset carriage ride through the vineyard. Elena and Bianca Maria are fantastic hosts and we enjoy a flight of Asiago cheeses and plenty of wines.

Enjoying a beautiful night with friends with Assisi lit up and sparkling in the distance.

Tuesday, July 19

8:00am – Up early to pack and return emails.

1:00pm – Off to lunch at the home of Marco’s parents, Anna and Lodovico Palermi where we are joined by Chiara, Carlo Alberto and Viola and Chiara’s mother Mariella.

3:30pm – Back to the house to Visit with Augusta.

6:00pm – Time to pack up.

108 Hours in Cannara 0127:00pm – Off to Cantina Pardi for a farewell dinner of Jessica’s Korean specialities.  It’s not easy to find all the staples for a Korean feast in the heart of Italy but Jessica makes it all seem simple and delicious.

10:30pm – Quick stop in Bevagna to say goodbye to Simone.  The circle is complete.  We have seen everyone and enjoyed our brief visit.  It’s time to go home and share our experiences, stories and hopefully a few new tastes at Via Umbria.

108 Hours in Cannara 013

Wednesday, July 20

6:00am – Early morning and departure for Rome FCO and back to DC.  Bill gets the honor of captaining the early morning drive.  I sleep.

Not the most relaxing summer vacation – but it’s easy to trade in relaxation for good friends, good wine, and good fun. Italy is such a magical place, but the most special thing about it for me has always been the people and it’s trips like these that remind me how lucky I am to have found such a great community in Umbria. For those of you who were not able to come with us on this trip, we encourage you to keep apprised of the goings on in the store.  Rumor has it a few of these friendly faces may be popping up in Georgetown in the next few months. And for those of you looking to book your own vacations in Italy, give us a call! We are happy to share our experience, and our farmhouse with you.

Traveling with Bill and Suzy Menard Read more

Nothing says summer to me like spending a few weeks in Umbria, visiting friends, finding new and interesting products for the store, ...

Pardi Private Wine Dinner

Albertino Pardi hosted a special dinner at Casa Menard last weekend, for friends of the Pardi brand. After spritz o’clock cocktails, our guest sat down to a delightful Umbrian feast. Friends old and new socialized with Albertino as the sun set on a beautiful night.

Via Umbria Pardi Dinner IMG_8850 IMG_8852 IMG_8860 IMG_8865 IMG_8871

 

Bill and Suzy Menard Via Umbria IMG_8842 IMG_8843 IMG_8875 IMG_8879

Albertino Pardi Pardi Cantina IMG_8889 IMG_8893 IMG_8904 IMG_8910 IMG_8912 IMG_8919 IMG_8920

Albertino Pardi Pardi Cantina IMG_8947 IMG_8957 IMG_8960 IMG_8962 IMG_8977 IMG_8982

Pardi Cantina Montefalco IMG_8990 IMG_8997 IMG_9013 IMG_9017 IMG_9021 IMG_9031

Parti Wine Dinner Menard IMG_9034 IMG_9035

 

Ci Vediamo!

–Via Umbria

Albertino Pardi hosted a special dinner at Casa Menard last weekend, for friends of the Pardi brand. After spritz o'clock cocktails, our ...

Photo Diary: Pardi Wine Dinner with Albertino

120 people luxuriated in the finest foods and wines from Umbria on Sunday with Casa Luca and Albertino Pardi. Albertino walked from table to table, making sure each guest had individual attention, as each course and wine pairing came out in a delicious stream. Thank you to everyone who attended!

 

Via Umbria Casa Luca IMG_9084 IMG_9088 IMG_9107 IMG_9116 IMG_9120 IMG_9129 IMG_9131 IMG_9151 IMG_9153

 

Casa Luca Albertino Pardi IMG_9163 IMG_9168 IMG_9174 IMG_9183 IMG_9186 IMG_9189 IMG_9202

Albertino Pardi Wines IMG_9209 IMG_9219 IMG_9228 IMG_9240 IMG_9245

Wine Dinner Casa Luca Sunday August 23 IMG_9266 IMG_9280 IMG_9282 IMG_9293 IMG_9314

IMG_9336 IMG_9345 IMG_9351 IMG_9349 IMG_9356 IMG_9384 Via Umbria Casa Luca IMG_9388Casa Luca Sunday, August 23 IMG_9412 IMG_9451
IMG_9456 IMG_9466 IMG_9469 IMG_9485Ci Vediamo!

 

— Via Umbria

 

 

 

 

 

120 people luxuriated in the finest foods and wines from Umbria on Sunday with Casa Luca and Albertino Pardi. Albertino walked from ...

Private Pardi Dinner Menu

Pardi Winery

To Start 

Pardi Colle di Giove (Grechetto, Chardonnay, Trebbiano Spoletino)

Pinzimonio

Bruschetta with olive oil

 

Antipasti

Pardi Trebbiano Spoletino

Lentil salad with celery, carrots, and fresh basil

Panzanella with Italian cous cous

Prosciutto with melon and mozzarella

Mint and seasonal vegetable frittata

 

Primi

Pardi Montefalco Rosso

Strozzapreti with roasted tomatoes, marjoram and garlic in a light arugula pesto with walnuts

 

Secondi

Pardi Sagrantino

Beef stew with prunes

Potato flan

 

Dolci

Pardi Sacrantino

Cheese selection from Righteous Cheese

Fresh fruit

Sagrantino cookies

 

Gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options available upon request.

To Start  Pardi Colle di Giove (Grechetto, Chardonnay, Trebbiano Spoletino) Pinzimonio Bruschetta with olive oil   Antipasti Pardi Trebbiano Spoletino Lentil salad with celery, carrots, and fresh basil Panzanella with Italian ...

Announcing: A Pardi Wine Dinner

Cantina Pardi Wine

We are pleased to present, in tandem with Casa Luca, a wine dinner featuring our dear friend Albertino Pardi’s wine.

The Pardi story begins just outside the city walls of Montefalco, Umbria, in the heart of Sagrantino country. In 1919, the brothers Alfredo (1880-1953), Francesco (1882-1965) and Alberto Pardi (1889- 1943) established the Cantina Fratelli Pardi.

From 1919 to 1945, the brothers worked the grapes of their family vineyards by hand on the ground floor of the abbey of San Francesco in Montefalco. The Bianco, Rosso and Sagrantino Passito wines produced in this historic winery were marketed all over Italy, and the most prestigious buyer was the Vatican.

The wine expertise of the Pardi brothers was passed down to the next generation, keeping the tradition of cultivation by hand. Since 2002 great-grandsons Francesco, Gianluca Rio and Albertino Pardi have been carrying on the traditions of their great-grandfathers’ winery.

Cantina Fratelli Pardi

On Sunday, August 23rd, at 5:30PM, we are pleased to welcome their great-grandson Albertino Pardi, who will lead us as we taste great wines from Cantina Fratelli Pardi, and pair them with the exquisite cuisine from their native region of Umbria, prepared by the executive chef at Casa Luca with consultation from an Umbrian chef.

Montefalco Rosso Pardi

The following wines will be featured:

Cantina Pardi, “Colle di Giove” Montefalco Bianco DOC (Grechetto,Trebbiano Spoletino, Chardonnay) Montefalco, Umbria, 2014

Cantina Pardi, “Spoleto” Trebbiano Spoletino DOC (Trebbiano Spoletino) Montefalco, Umbria, 2014

Cantina Pardi, Montefalco Rosso DOC (Sangiovese, Sagrantino, Cabernet, Merlot) Montefalco, Umbria, 2013

Cantina Pardi, Sagrantino DOCG, Montefalco, Umbria, 2011 Cantina Pardi, “Sacrantino” Sagrantino DOCG, Montefalco, Umbria, 2011

Cantina Pardi, Sagrantino Passito DOCG, Montefalco, Umbria, 2009

Pardi Casa Luca

Tickets are $85 per person. Please contact Casa Luca for reservations:

202-628-1099

info@casalucadc.com

More information:

For the full menu, see the Casa Luca website: http://www.casalucadc.com/menus/

For tales of the Pardi Cantina, see the writings of Bill Menard:

http://billnsuzy.blogspot.com/2011/07/for-past-48-hours-we-have-been-testing.html#more

http://billnsuzy.blogspot.com/2011/10/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-ja-x.html#more

Email Suzy Menard with any questions: suzy@viaumbria.com

 

The Pardi family is also engaged in the luxury linens business. The Tessitura Pardi is a successful and traditional mill that produces high-quality linens, all available at Via Umbria online.

We are pleased to present, in tandem with Casa Luca, a wine dinner featuring our dear friend Albertino Pardi’s wine. The Pardi story ...

Vinopalooza Photo Diary – Day III

We continue our adventures in the Umbria countryside at the house of Pardi Linen. An explanatory tour with the always lovely Augusta Pardi was followed by a perfect, classic Umbrian lunch.

 

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Our adventures in Umbria countryside continues Read more

We continue our adventures in the Umbria countryside at the house of Pardi Linen. An explanatory tour with the always lovely Augusta ...