Sicilian wine tasting with snacks

Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Saturday, 10 May 2026.

We booked this excellent food and wine pairing at Bottega Monteleone through Get My Guide. I can do no better than quote Mary’s review:

"We booked for their wine tasting with food and loved it, would definitely recommend to others. A great opportunity to try some unfamiliar wines and local food. 

We could not have asked for better - our waiter was friendly and very knowledgeable, telling us all about each wine and the food before we tasted them and in perfect English. 

The selection of wines was interesting, representing some of the range produced locally (one each of sparkling, white, rose, red and sweet) and we liked them all. The food pairings worked well and they were very good at adapting to cater for my lactose intolerance. 

As other people have noted, wine portions were generous, allowing to taste the wine without and with the food and still have plenty to savour. The five food tastings were equivalent to a light meal. 

We were sat a table with a lovely couple and were not rushed in any way making for a very enjoyable evening. A place to go back to - so many more wines to try!"

1. Sparkling: Coppola - Spumante Extra Brut Grillo "71". 12%.

The Grillo grape is typically Sicilian. According to Wikipedia: "Grillo, also known as Riddu and Rossese bianco, is a white Italian wine grape variety that withstands high temperatures and is widely used in Sicilian winemaking and, in particular, for making Marsala. Its origins are uncertain, but it may have been introduced into the island of Sicily from Apulia".

We had a Grillo as a still wine on our first evening in Palermo and were impressed by the exotic, floral notes so much so that we had the same the following evening with our meal. I was pleased to see it here again in the sparkling version, delicious and not too dry.

Matched with a pasta salad: fusilli with a tomato sauce.

2. White: Cantina Patria - Etna Bianco DOC Sensi. 13%

The Etna Bianco is, obviously, grown on Etna’s volcanic slopes at 750 meters above sea level. 80% Carricante and 20% Catarratto. Light and refreshing, we got the expected spiel about minerality!

Matched with crostini: one with tapenade, the other with a soft ricotta topped with an anchovy fillet and lemon zest - the latter really lifting the flavours. 

3. Rosé: Terre di Gratia - Dama Rosa. 12%

The rosato grape variety: 100% Perricone (also known as Pignatello). 

Paired with pecorino cheese (sorry, forgot to photo) of three different agings: a soft pecorino, one with a few months aging and the third a tangy version aged for 12 months. Fascinating to taste the evolution.

4. Red: Quattrocieli - Jocu Nero d’Avola. 12.5%.

Another Sicilian varietal, Nero D'Avola is named after the town of Avola in the south-east of the island. Delicious, not too heavy and with scarcely a trace of tannins.

Paired with assorted salumeria: a parma style ham, a soft salami and a mortadella.

5. Sweet: Tenuta delle Palme - Zibibbo Terre Siciliana. 16%

This vino liquoroso was delicious - I do like Italian desert wines. The Zibibbo grape, also known as Muscat of Alexandria, is an ancient grape variety. They believe that this grape it is one of the oldest genetically unmodified vines still in existence. The grape originated in North Africa, and the name is probably derived from its association with Ancient Egyptians who used the grape for wine making. 

It is used in one of my favourite dessert wines, Pantelleria from the island of the same name just off the coast of Sicily. 

The biscuits look a bit like cantucci but are softer and are apparently made using stale bread so nothing goes to waste!

It was an excellent introduction to Sicilian varietals.

Looking at their blackboard menu, as Mary said, so many more to try.

Palazzo Lagravinese, Cisternino

Via La Fiera, Cisternino, Puglia.

We live next door to the Palazzo Gravinese: "A private noble residence from the late 18th century, recognised as being of historical and artistic interest, it was purchased by the Municipality of Cisternino in 2011 and restored to become a museum".

Over the years the plaque to the right of the entrance telling the story of the Lagrvinese family had become weathered and faded. Last year (May 2025) from our terrace we saw woman there for the better part of a week painstakingly cleaning and repainting the engraving.

"Conservative and aesthetic restoration of the writings on the plaque placed on the facade of the Palazzo Lagravinese in Via La Fiera" according to the notice on the scaffolding. 

Work complete.

The restored plaque.

In this ancient palace the siblings of the esteemed Lagravinese family opened themselves to the light and noble ideals of life:

Nicola (1883 - 1971)
Head surgeon of international fame he always worked with a spirit of christian charity in the service of man and in defence of life;

Pasquale (1884 - 1963）
Lawyer, speaker and writer, eloquent
Refined and witty known for his honesty and wise humanity;

Giovanni (1895 - 1927)
Passionate culturalist of socio-economic studies of Puglia
A generous heart that illuminated with goodness the skies of his youth;

The Misses Maria and Rita
Delicate and sensitive souls lived in the cult of beauty art and poetry

The people of Cisternino
In memory
Placed
August 1985.

We regularly see educational tour groups, both school children and adults, gathered round the plaque having the history and significance explained to them.

International Jazz Week 2026

Ciseternino, Puglia, Italy.  Friday 01-May-2026.

We only learnt about International Jazz Week last year. In 2011 UNESCO declared 30th April to be International Jazz Day to "celebrate the power of jazz as a force for peace, dialogue and mutual understanding". In our area they celebrate with a month or more of jazz concerts confusingly called International Jazz Week. 

This year we nearly missed it but spotted a poster in time to catch the Cisternino gig on May Day featuring the Itria Jazz Ensemble, courtesy of Jazz Friends Associazione Culturale.

Handily it was literally in our street. Over an hour of excellent jazz with not too much speechifying from the maestro.

As you can see by the coats and scarves it was a cool evening. It was early evening so we were treated to the "golden hour" lighting up on our local church of San Cataldo.

As we were stranding next to the local wine bar, Vineria del Borgo, we thought it would churlish not to support them.

After the main concert the youth band had a turn.

Having stood outside for long enough, we retreated home for a pasta supper and some warmth. 

Must make a note in the diary for next year!

Everyday Differences in Puglia: the Ape

Puglia Differences: an occasional series on things that strike this Brit as so very Italian.

The Ape (pronounced ah-pay) is the go-to vehicle of choice for the small scale farmer or tradesman. The most common ones are made by Piaggio, the company that brought you the Vespa scooter. Fun fact: they are named Ape, the Italian word for bee, we presume because of the buzzing noise they make and Vespa is named after the Italian for wasp for the same reason.

And that basically is what this vehicle is, a Vespa: they added a third wheel, a cabin and a flatbed but, underneath it all, it’s still a scooter. It has handlebars instead of a steering wheel and a 50 cc motor. 

Woe betide you if you get stuck behind one up hill as they are not speedy!

They re-engineered a scooter to add a rear axle for the third wheel.

The steering device:

Some have a basic flatbed, some have side rails.

In the old town we get daily rubbish and recycling collections and, because the alleyways are too narrow for a conventional dust cart, they use an Ape instead.

At olive harvest time the local frantolio (oil mill) will have a queue of them lining up to deliver their crop for pressing. 

Likewise at grape harvest time you’ll see them arriving at the local wine co-op with their grapes. 

I'm not sure if this a special edition or somebody is try to emulate "Pimp My Ride"!

In Locorotondo there is even one all decked in white with ribbons for wedding hire. I’m not sure of the purpose of this mini van version.

Update from our visit to Palermo. An Ape Taxi...

... and a mobile Aperol Spritz vendor!

A versatile vehicle indeed!

Pasqua in Puglia 2026

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. 03/06-April-2026.

Friday 03-April-2026.

Surprisingly for a Catholic country, Good Friday is not a public holiday, it is business as usual. My Easter usually starts with a chocolate Easter egg from Mary. One thing I like about this small town is that I even know the chocolatier personally. Antonietta from Chocolab customised this egg for me. This year she is experimenting with a fruity, dark chocolate, flavoured with red fruits. Crunchy and delicious!

Friday evening was a Processione dei Misteri (Parade of the Mysteries). It consists of several floats decorated with wooden, canvas, and glue sculptures representing the passion and death of Jesus. These are paraded around the town on the shoulders of the faithful.

Normally I observe the parade from our top terrace. This year I decided to go down and stand in our doorway for a ringside seat.

Another statue.

Heading for the crucifixion.

I’m guessing this is Christ risen.

And this Christ demonstrating the stigmata.

Saturday 04-April-2026.

Salento 04/06/26 24:24 [10/20].

Saturday in Italy means an early alarm for the hour and 10 minutes drive down to our nearest parkrun. We had to be especially early this week as we were picking up a couple of tourists from Lecce, holidaying there without a car.

Mary striding in at the finish.

As always, it’s a picnic in the park at the end of parkrun, today featuring a Colomba Pasquale a traditional Easter cake vaguely in the shape of a dove. It tastes very like the panettone that you get at Christmas. There was also a "Ramo di Primavera" - the Spring Branch - another typical Easter cake.

I get a volunteer credit for post event clear up: I drive round the course picking up the signs. I was pleased to see a hoopoe strutting along the track giving me this photo opportunity.

Sunday 05-April-2026.

A quiet day. We tried the special Easter menu at our local nearest restaurant Osteria Lagravinese. A ridiculous number of dishes and all excellent. We were completely stuffed by the end and had to go for a lie down.

Menu di Pasqua

Antipasti

• Carpaccio de pesce spada su julienne de finocchio
• Gambero mazzancolle con ananas e melone
• Riso Venere al pesto con pomodorini e sfilaco di cacioricotta
• Sformatino de patate e mousse ai porcini
• Cozza nero ripiena con pomodorini
• Mazzancolle con coda croccante alla speck
• Misto fritto del osteria (polpetta de patate con salmone, verdure miste pastellate)

Primi Piatti

• Tagliolini al nera de seppia, gamberetto dell'Adriatico, pomodorini e pesto al pistacchio
• Pacchero, carciafo croccante e pancetta

Secondo Piatto

• Agnello cotto a bassa temperatura con contorno de patate
• Frittura mista dell'Adriatico

Dolce della Tradizione

• Bevande e digestivi.

Monday 06-April-2026.

After the horrible wet weather of the last couple of weeks, it really brightened up over the weekend. We decided to do one of our favourite walks that we call the Hidden Valley as it is a bit of a unspoiled gem. A big loop of just over 8km through some quiet countryside with lovely spring flowers starting to emerge.

Flowers plus a common brimstone butterfly (on the yellow daisy).

Easter Monday is the big religious day here in Cisternino celebrating of Madonna d'Ibernia with various religious events during the day and a parade round the town which we missed.

Concluding with a huge firework display visible from our terrace.

As always photos do not do them justice.

That's Easter for another year.

Terrace Storage Box

Cisternino, Puglia, Italy. June-2025/March-2026.

Part 1: Construction.

We got bored of dismantling the terrace furniture every autumn and carting it all down the stairs into the living room then reversing the process in the spring.

Since the furniture included a couple of daybeds, there were no storage boxes large enough to accommodate two bed bases and all the other stuff. We got creative and found a bicycle store which was just large enough to take the bases and everything else.

Duly purchased from Leroy Merlin (Italy’s equivalent of the British home improvement store B&Q) we took delivery of the flat pack. I thought assembling IKEA furniture was tough but this took the biscuit.

Stage one was assemble the base and install the uprights. The illustrations were unclear so, having slotted in all the side panels I discovered they were upside down, had to undo it all, turn them over and reassemble.

Once completed, it was, indeed, capacious enough for everything on the terrace: two daybeds, two tables, six chairs, two sun loungers and a barbecue. 

Part 2: Destruction.

In February, Cisternino had gusts of wind up to 100kph (62 mph). Despite us having fitted additional padlocks and clips, the winds ripped the lid off the storage box and deposited it down in the street. We were alerted by the very nice Gaetano who runs the linen shop and apartments along the street. Luckily no-one seems to have been around when it happened. It is only light plastic however it still could have injured someone or, at the very least, given them a nasty shock if they had been in that part of the street at that time.

Our friend Pietro went round later that day to check it out and secure the contents. 

Whilst he was there he spotted that the chimney cowl belonging to the restaurant on the ground floor was looking a bit precarious.

Pietro alerted the fire brigade who came and made it safe. Being metal and heavy if that had fallen and hit anyone or anything it would have been disastrous!

The cowl has since been chopped down and reinstated with copious numbers of rivets to hold it in place. 

Part 3: Re-construction.

That left us with the problem of how to replace the lid of the box to keep the contents dry. Eventually the answer was a return trip to Leroy Merlin where we found a sturdy sheet of plastic roofing that was just the right size.

The first step was to move the box across the terrace to over the gully that separates us from our neighbours where it is sheltered by the roof stairs next door and further from the edge of the terrace.

We installed the new cover with a nut and bolt at each corner, extra bungees along the long edge and a long bungee around the whole thing.

We are more confident with this arrangement: the box is in a more sheltered position; the cover and bungees are flexible so hopefully will flex in the wind rather than break; and if anything snaps off it should fall onto the terrace or into the gulley rather than fall to the street.

This last week has seen torrential rain most days and it seems to be doing a good job of keeping the contents dry. The real test is the next time we have hurricane force winds!