Ciao Tutti!

This weekend we will welcome back a customer favorite,  the Chianti Superiore DOCG Le Due Arbie  ($14.75) from the Dievole winery in the medieval Tuscan town of Vagliagoli, about 12 km north of Siena. The word “dievole” derives from “God willing”. Two farmers bought land for a vineyard in 1090 from the Church for a price of six dinars, two chickens and three pieces of bread!

Le Due Arbie ($14.75) from the Dievole winery in Vagliagoli, about 12 km north of Siena

Ownership then passed to the Malevolti family, who owned it for centuries. Dievole’s 16 vineyards over 70,000 hectares is one of the oldest sanctioned production areas for Chianti Classico. The production boundaries were laid out in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III, with guidelines for the protection, sale, and names of the wine. Its symbol is Il Gallo Nero (the Black Rooster) for the famed Black Rooster who played a pivotal role in the legendary challenge between Florence and Siena to determine the boundary of the Classico Region.

Stunning entry to the Dievole Resort, with a manor house built in the 18th century

Dievole is also a resort with the manor house built by the Malavolti family in the 18^th century, surrounded by gardens. Guests can choose from suites, rooms or apartments.

The Dievole Chianti Superiore DOCG is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot, with aromas of ripe red fruit and cassis with herbal notes, high acidity and smooth tannins. Pair with Piazza’s meat and tomato sauces, lasagna, grilled flank steak, cured meats like San Daniele and bold cheeses.

Stanley Tucci and the Door of Paradise in Florence

When I watched the Tuscany episode of Stanley Tucci’s “Searching for Italy”, I was enchanted by the “Door of Paradise” in Florence where he ordered a glass of wine and a hand reached out to give him a glass. Who knows? Perhaps Piazza’s expansion plans may include a  door of paradise, but until then, come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 for a taste of Chianti Superiore.

Cin Cin!

Jenn

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Ciao Tutti!

This weekend at Piazza Italian Market, we welcome back an Umbrian red wine, the Il Ruspo Sangiovese IGT 2015 ($12.50) from the Podere Barbi winery. The Barbi estate is located in Baschi near both the Lazio and Tuscany borders. Founded in 1932 by Enzo Barbi, the estate is now managed by Marina Barbi, and specializes in the indigenous varietals of central Italy. The winery is known for its high quality, value oriented wines, the perfect choice for my budget after my Thanksgiving splurge!

Umbrian red wine, the Il Ruspo Sangiovese IGT 2015 ($12.50) from the Podere Barbi winery

Il Ruspo’s distinctive label shows a rough sketch of a wild pig or boar. “Il Ruspo” is aptly named for it derives from the Latin ruspare, ” to scratch or scrounge”, which a pig does instinctively when he is on the hunt for truffles. 

Podere Barbi vineyard

 Landlocked Umbria is known as the “green heart” of Italy for its central location and vistas of lush rolling green hills dotted with historic towns. The Barbi Winery is located near Orvieto, in the Lago di Corbara DOC. The denomination applies solely to red wines vinified primarily from Cabernet, Merlot, Pinto Nero and Sangiovese. 

Podere Barbi farmhouse

The Winery also offers accommodation in its historic farmhouse, with a stunning view of Orvieto’s Old Town, resting on its thousand year old rocky cliffs in the distance. 

If you like Chianti but are in the mood for something softer, come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 for a taste of the full bodied Il Ruspo Sangiovese with its notes of plum, red cherry, spice and vanilla. Take a break from Thanksgiving leftovers and pair Il Ruspo with strong savory dishes of roasts, game, pasta with meat sauces or Piazza’s boar salami and hard cheeses. I may pair this wine with Piazza’s fresh pasta and truffle sauce and “pig out”!

Cin Cin!

Jenn

Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center, 218 N. Washington St., suite 23, in Easton, MD.

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Ferrari Brut Trento DOC, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC and the Valpolicella DOC for our Thanksgiving Wine Trio

This is the weekend before Thanksgiving so once again we will offer a trio of wines for your consideration to accompany your Thanksgiving feast. For a bubbly, we will offer the Ferrari Brut Trento DOC ($31.50) from the Veneto;  for a white wine we will offer the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC ($14.99) from the Sartarelli winery in Le Marche and for a red wine we will offer the Valpolicella DOC from the Azienda Agricola Brigaldara DOC ($17.50) from the Veneto.  Since Thanksgiving is all about food and family, I have inserted pictures of the families who produce  their wines:

Ferrari Brut Trento DOC:

Giulio Ferrari

The Ferrari story began with Giulio Ferrari’s dream  of crafting a wine that could compete with the best French champagnes. In 1902, he was the first winemaker to make substantial plantings of Chardonnay, Champagne’s primary grape. His vision lives on in the third generation of the company. Ferrari Trento was named the 2024 “Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year” at the Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships, for the fourth year in a row and seven times out of the past eleven years.  The international wine bible Wine Spectator dubs Ferrari as being “the finest, oldest and most celebrated producer of Metodo Classico sparklers”. 

Sartarelli Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi: 

Sartarelli family

Some visionaries only need to create one great thing; Visionary winemaker Ferruccio Sartarelli was first a very successful baker, then an entrepreneur, benefactor and patron of institutions before he decided to invest in his greatest passion-producing top quality Verdicchio wine.  Now in its third generation of family ownership, Sartarelli is one of the few Italian wineries to exclusively produce mono-varietal wines, from aperitivi to passiti. Piazza hosted Caterina Sartarelli several years ago for a wine dinner that included Sartarelli’s Travilio, Classico, Balciana and Passito so many of you know how well the Classico pairs with white meat entrees. 

Azienda Agricola Brigaldara DOC:

The name “Brigaldara” first appears in 12th century in a deed of sale and for a thousand years, the land has been dedicated to quality viticulture, where the native grapes of Corvina, Corvione, Rondinella and the rediscovered indigenous grape Osleta have found a home in 47 hectares. The Brigaldara DOC is 55% Corvina, 25% Corvione and 20% Rondinella. I am glad to welcome this wine back to Piazza’s collection for its aromatics of red berries, notes of red currant and blackberry; good acidity and balance-great with your cranberry chutney!

Keep an eye out for our colorful turkey decals throughout our shelves!

Throughout the wine shelves, we have placed colorful turkey decals with other suggestions for a rosato, a rose’/light red, white and a red or feel free to ask me for help. 

Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 and from noon to 4:45 for our special tasting. If you are traveling, safe travels to your destination. 

Happy Thanksgiving! Cin Cin!

Jenn

Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center at 218 N. Washington St., suite 23, in Easton, MD.

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Ciao Tutti!

Next weekend at Piazza Italian Market,  we will offer our annual trio of wines we recommend for your Thanksgiving feast.  Since we all tend to spend more on holiday wines, this weekend we are offering a new white wine, Trebbiano D’Abruzzo DOC for tasting (only $9.75),  so you can splurge next weekend on wines for your holiday celebration!

Trebbiano D’Abruzzo DOC from the The Colle Corviano winery in the village of Loreto Aprutino, Italy

The Trebbiano grape in Italy dates from over 2,000 years ago when the Roman Historian Pliny mentioned a “vinum tribulanum” in the area that is now present-day Abruzzo. Europe’s greenest region, with over one third of its land covered by four National Parks and Reserves, its hills dotted with ancient abbeys and castles, and beaches along the Adriatic Sea, Abruzzo is becoming a destination for hikers and retirees.  The Colle Corviano winery is located in the village of Loreto Aprutino, near the regional capital of Pescara on the Adriatic Sea.  

The Colle Corviano winery is located in the village of Loreto Aprutino, near the regional capital of Pescara on the Adriatic Sea

The Colle Corviano winery is located in the village of Loreto Aprutino, near the regional capital of Pescara on the Adriatic Sea. The 15 hectares consists of vineyard blocks with their own unique geological history that are vinified separately, resulting in flavors that differ from block to block. 

Winemaker Antonella Di Tonno is a native of Abruzzo.

Winemaker Antonella Di Tonno is a native of Abruzzo and her mission is to produce that prefect bottle of wine that would convince her non-drinking parents to taste it! She is dedicated to sustainability in all aspects, from water efficiency (no irrigation), energy efficiency (100%  renewal energy from local windfarms), pest management (no insecticides or herbicides), and waste management (recycle bins for all waste). 

Colle Corviano’s Trebbiano D’Abruzzo has a bouquet and taste of ripe apples and peaches, good acidity that makes it a great aperitivo or gathering wine for your holiday celebration. It also pairs well with seafood, after your turkey leftovers are gone!

Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 to taste this refreshing white wine!

Cin Cin!

Jenn

Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center at 218 N. Washington St., suite 23, in Easton, MD.

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured below?

The answer to last week’s mystery is American burnweed or fireweed, Erechtites hieraciifolius, pictured in photo below.

American burnweed is a fast-growing, native, annual. While it is a weed, it is generally considered a minor one. Burnweed has an herbaceous stem surrounded by handsome serrated leaves, which release an intense scent when they are crushed. Burnweed grows 5-6′ tall in dappled shade.Burnweed’s flower heads are yellow or pink, borne in Fall. They are pollinated primarily by wasps and honey bees. After pollination, they develop a dandelion-like globe of seeds. Each small brown seed is attached to a cluster of silvery hairs that are easily dispersed by the wind. The seeds are a minor food source for birds.

American burnweed is most commonly found in crops such as lowbush blueberry, cranberry, strawberry, and vegetables. It is commonly spotted in gardens and fields in late August and early September. It grows well in urban areas and around humans.

Native Americans used American burnweed to treat rashes caused by exposure to poison ivy and poison sumac. It has also been used to create a blue dye for wool and cotton.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.

In the spring of 2024, Master Gardener Intern Wendy Hubbert asked for a project. Knowing her deep-seated passion for Native Plants, I immediately shared an idea I had for a while but didn’t have the time to execute, a native plant giveaway for our fall booth activities. Wendy took hold of this idea and ran with it. She applied for a Plant Grant from Bona Terra Plant Nursery. Bona Terra’s goal of their Plant grant is to “annually place one million native seedlings into the hands of community members and in turn, these seedlings will support our local ecosystems.” 

After successfully receiving this grant and picking up the seedlings, Master Gardeners put the plan into action by having a dividing day in July. One small flat of native plant seedlings turned into over 400 pots to share with our community. This day wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Queen Anne’s County Department of Parks and Recreation for providing us space to divide and repot plants and the countless Master Gardeners who showed up to help and took home plant babies to care for over the summer. 

During some of the hottest and driest long weeks of summer, Master Gardeners doted on seedlings ensuring that the plants thrived. We kicked off our Native Plant Giveaway at Corsica River Awareness Day in September at Conquest Beach. Master Gardeners eagerly talked to participants about native plants and the benefits of adding them to their home landscape. Rounding out the end of fall, Master Gardeners were at Centreville Day in October to hand out the remaining native plant seedlings. Each participant was able to take home a native plant and a factsheet about their native plant. When asked how Master Gardeners felt about this project, Master Gardener Denise Malueg said “I am happy that we introduced native plants to gardeners who are our neighbors! That impacts our environment as well as their immediate surroundings.”

In total over 400 native plant seedlings were given away at both events, Master Gardeners volunteered over 142 hours to this project equaling over $4,755 dollars in-kind services back to Queen Anne’s County. Organizer, Master Gardener Intern Wendy Hubbert reflected about the impacts of the project “I loved about this project was seeing groups pool their resources to accomplish a common goal. We made a tangible difference in adding native plants to our area’s gardens because of Bona Terra’s free seedlings, Queen Anne’s County Master Gardeners’ time and expertise and community outreach opportunities created by UMD Extension. It was super rewarding to see how people can accomplish a lot just by being aware of each other’s’ unique capabilities and shared goals. Giving people free plants makes educating them easier and more effective because they see how painless it can be to make small improvements in their own environments. I hope this will become a regular annual QA Master Gardener effort.” 

For further information please call or make reasonable accommodations to participate in any event email the University of Maryland Extension Queen Anne’s County, Senior Agent Associate for Horticulture and Master Gardener Coordinator, Rachel J. Rhodes, at 410-758-0166 or [email protected] at least two weeks before the events or see us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/QueenAnnesCountyMasterGardeners

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class 

Ciao Tutti!

This weekend at Piazza Italian Market we will welcome back a red wine, Torrette DOC, ($26.95)  from the Di Barro Winery in the Valle d’Aosta. The smallest and least populated of Italy’s twenty regions, Valle d’ Aosta is nestled in the Alps and shares borders with both France and Switzerland. French and Italian are the official languages and its primary indigenous grape is Petit Rouge, which is native only to the Valle d’Aosta region. The wine is named after the sub-region within the Valle d’Aosta and also for the small castles or “turrets” that dot the landscape of the region.

Torrette DOC, from the Di Barro Winery in the Valle d’Aosta available for purchase at Piazza Italian Market

The winery name Di Barro translates as “of the barrels” for the distinctive shape of the wooden barrels, unique to the Aosta Valley, for transferring hand-pressed grapes from the vineyards to the winery’s cellar. The barrels were the stars of village festivals and participants tapped the wine directly into their cups from the barrels that were balanced on villagers’ shoulders. The name is also a sly acronym for the first two letters of the last names of Barmaz and Rossan, the couple who founded the family business in the 1970’s. 

Winemaker, Matteo and his sister Francesca.

The current winemaker is their grandson Matteo, who learned viticulture from his parents, Elvira and Andrea. They  launched their first vintage in 1999 and now have a portfolio of three whites, seven reds, one sweet and one bubbly. Matteo and his sister Francesca continue the family tradition of environmental integrity from planting vines to bottling the wine. Currently, the estate contains four hectares, spread among ten parcels in the floor of the picturesque valley, surrounded by the highest peaks of the Alps.

Fall is a perfect time to enjoy Torrette, a blend of 90% Petit Rouge, and 10% Vien de Nus, Premetta, Vuillermin and Fumin grapes. I remember its robustness, fruity nose, taste of red berries, pleasant acidity and firm tannins.  Pair with grilled red meats, salads of bitter greens, Piazza’s gnocchi with tomato sauce or fontina cheese.

After attending Waterfowl events this weekend, come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 and enjoy this fall fave of mine.

Cin Cin!

Jenn 

Piazza Italian Market is located in the Talbot Town Shopping Center, 218 N. Washington St. in Easton, MD

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Seasonal wonders for the senses await at Longwood Gardens! Longwood’s horticultural artists showcase botanical splendor at its best, using plants as their palette to create an extraordinary display of floral designs, festive trees and gardens of bold blooms. Adkins Arboretum will take its annual trip to Longwood on Mon., Dec. 2. All are welcome to join in this exciting day trip.

The Adkins group will be among the first to experience Longwood Reimagined, a three-year project that blends the visionary and the historic and is a collection of amazing new experiences. Stunning new buildings, wondrous indoor and outdoor gardens and surprising new guest experiences await, made all the more wonderful by the splendor of A Longwood Christmas.

This year’s A Longwood Christmas promises sights never seen before. Brand-new spaces decked out for the holidays give way to amazing new ways to celebrate the seasons. Visitors will revel in hundreds of thousands of lights, both indoors and out, marvel at astonishing feats of horticulture, ingenuity and creativity and delight in beauty at every turn. Gaze upon botanically inspired displays, explore enchanting treehouses, savor the sounds of the season and find new imaginative surprises that are sure to delight.

The trip runs from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. The bus departs Aurora Park Drive in Easton at 1 p.m. and will stop at the Route 50 westbound/Route 404 Park and Ride at 1:20 p.m. and the Route 301/291 Park and Ride in Millington at 1:45 p.m. It will depart for home at 8 p.m. The fee is $140 members, $175 non-members. Advance registration is required at adkinsarboretum.org or by calling 410-634-2847.

Adkins Arboretum is a 400-acre native garden and preserve at the headwaters of the Tuckahoe Creek in Caroline County. For more information, visit adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 100.

Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess the phtoto below?

The answer to last week’s mystery is the turkey vulture, Cathartes aura, pictured below.

Turkey vultures are native to the Americas and a permanent resident of Maryland. They can live to be 25 years old. The turkey vulture’s scientific name, Cathartes aura, is quite pleasant. It means either “golden purifier” or “purifying breeze.”

Vultures are considered nature’s sanitation service, or clean-up crew, because of the important role they play in removing dead animals that contain bacteria and pathogens from our environment. Without them, disease can spread. Vultures play a key part in helping to keep their environment healthy and running as it should.

Turkey vultures rarely attack their prey. They are defenseless against predators because they are not built for hunting. When threatened, they can vomit up to 10 feet in any direction to discourage predators. This regurgitation is full of stomach acids and can be very smelly, which often stops predators in their tracks. Turkey vultures also eat plant material, such as pumpkins, coconuts, juniper berries, and grapes.

Mature turkey vultures have dark plumage and featherless red heads. Their heads are bare to allow them to clean themselves more efficiently after scavenging raw meat. They are huge birds that can be mistaken for eagles, however vultures make wobbly circles with their broad wings raised in a V.

Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum.