Venizia - Just go there. You will get lost. You will not mind.

Venice did not disappoint. It was unique, romantic, ancient and just splendid. Our Airbnb apartment was right in the heart of the Dorsoduro district, the university district. Our hostess Anna met us upon arrival from the airport via our transfer boat and ensured we were informed about the area before she left. The apartment was perfectly outfitted for our stay with a lovely view of a quiet side canal.

View from our flat in Venice.

We walked, and walked and walked. Crossing canals via bridges seeing expected sights such as the famous Grand Canal, singing Gondoliers, the Rialto Bridge and Piazza San Marco and then just happening upon other marvelous unexpected sights as well. Sometimes it was a small side canal or art, sometimes string quartet music streaming from inside a church, or food or leather shoe/clothing displays in shop windows creating the vibrant tapestry of Venice.

Rialto Bridge

Gondola carving, all by hand

Floating fruit market on the canal

Basilica San Marco

Canal delivery boat to local restaurant/hotel

Wine and cichettis

  We were constantly amazed and confounded at the daily life of this city that operates with no automobiles, only canal boats and wheeled carts. It was a topic discussed many times over an apertivo  and cichettis (Our two favorites were Osteria Al Squero and Osteria All'Arco) and as we witnessed new and interesting things on the canals. The history of wealth and prominence is still alive and well and obvious on the Grand Canal and the designer shopping area. Tourism is a staple of Venice today, but you can minimize your exposure to the hoards, we certainly did.  We got lost, got found and got lost again.

DHL delivery boat, we did not see any Amazon boxes

More wine and cichettis

When not on foot we got around via the Vaporetto (water bus).  They were a little crowded at times, but provided great views of Venice from the Grand Canal and on of our outer island trips to see the Basilica San Giorgio Maggiore and take a lift up the tower for amazing birds eye views of Venice and its waterways.

Lunch one day by the canal

Obligatory Tiramisu, not the only one we had

Rialto Fish Market, 10 centuries old market

I always post pictures of food, as it is so beautiful to me. I will do so again here because I just can't help it, but suffice it to say we ate several delicious meals. We have muddled through Italian menus with Google Translate and the help of mostly friendly wait staff. And wine, fugetaboutit, it's all good and regional! However this region has offered an opportunity to fall in love with very dry Prosecco which we enjoyed much.

Display in Pasticceria window

After taking a walking tour, hearing about the history of this place and the people in 400 AD who out of necessity to survive forged this city on tiny islands in the water, I feel humbled by their ingenuity, their spirit and their resolve.  It is a magical jewel in our small world, and I feel lucky to have gotten a glimpse of it only for a few days.  I have so many other lovely photos from this place, can't fit them all here, maybe I will try to post albums by location when I get home. Ciao.     

History Lesson: Priorat Pioneers

One of the great values of having a guided wine tour of this region was learning about the history.  All the wines were pretty amazing, but the story of this region, it's tragedy and tenacity add as much to the wine's "bouquet" as the terroir and grapes themselves.  Read a good in-depth article on the region here. I have summarized some historical info from the article below.

Wine production began in this region in the Middle Ages through monastic orders who were settled in this wild, secluded mountainous region to form new abbeys.  Feudal rights were given to seven villages in this region which formed Priorato. They were adept at viticulture and self-sustaining farming in this difficult terrain.  It is known as the world's most vertical wine region as there are precious few flat lands on which to plant vines.  The Priorat became known for high alcohol, robust red wines.

The 19th century saw the fast decline of Priorat: many workers moved to the silver mines nearby, and then the scourges of oidium and phylloxera destroyed the vineyards, which had reached some 6,000 hectares at the end of the 18th century. The population dwindled and its wine influence became a distant memory, the villages now shells of their former selves.

The Priorat Pioneer folklore of the redevelopment of the region varies a bit, but it is widely held the in late 1970s, when René Barbier (Clos Mogador) and Carles Pastrana, two young local growers, started replanting vines around Gratallops they were joined over the next decade by a bunch of youngsters from many places who heard of the project, plus a veteran oenology professor, José Luis Pérez, who would mastermind some of the collective decisions, such as the importation of French varieties. The region's vineyard area then was just 800 hectares.  There are now almost 200 wineries and 2,800 hectares under vines in Priorat.  These Pioneers, and now their families are again bringing these wines to the world.  

On day two, we began our tour at the legendary Clos Mogador.  Rene Barbier was not at the winery the day of our tour but Katja (our guide) shared the pioneering legacy, the evolving philosophy and of course their award winning wines.

Ancient juice press in which baskets are layered

Grape baskets used for pressing juice lightly from the grapes

We also toured another more current pioneer at Mas Doix, a mother and daughter team who make berry by berry selection of the grapes at harvest to produce award winning local wines.  You Go Girls!      

Sandra Doix, Winemaker

Flagship wine and my personal favorite,
65% Grenache, 25% Carignane, 10 % Syrah