“The Essence of Giglio” The story of a culinary journey among the scents of ansonica and the sea.

Article by Oinos Vivere DiVino – December 2023

Welcome to Fenaio lighthouse, Welcome to Le Secche,
our non-kingdom, where the sea tries to resemble the land.
“They exist because for a long time they have been dreamed of in common
and even those who think they are dreaming alone, alone, are dreamed by others,
it becomes part of the common dream, it becomes the island.”

Freely taken from the poem “The Dream of the Vineyard” a gift to Podere Sapaio from the writer and poet Laura Pugno.

It all began in this way: a laid table, a sunset over Montecristo and Le Secche, and Paradiso dei Conigli ansonica, waiting to be tasted and recounted.

In this evocative setting, on a late September evening that still smelled of summer, ten diners, ready to be conquered by the art and genius of three exceptional chefs and a passionate Gigliese restaurateur, had an opportunity to live an authentic and, to say the least, unforgettable experience. This wine, an exceptional protagonist, is produced on the island of Giglio by Podere Sapaio, a Bolgherian company that was founded by the Venetian engineer Massimo Piccin, who in 2015 set up a sustainable viticulture project here, or as he defines it, a utopian project which is, as much as possible, an expression of the native “ansonica” grape variety and the Gigliese terroir.

We are in the northwestern part of the island at 100 meters above sea level in “Le Secche”, one of its hottest areas. The evocative Fenaio lighthouse provides the background to 6,000 meters of vineyard which overlooks the rocks, and can only be reached on foot. And it is precisely this lighthouse, light of the seas and metaphor for life, that was chosen by Massimo Piccin as a meeting place between intense flavors and utopian evocations.

The idea of tasting his wine around a table, accompanied by food, stems from the strong “sense of taste” of Massinmo Piccin who over time has learned the value, for certain wines, of the art of culinary pairing for the perfect tasting experience. “It is about creating an authentic, harmonious relationship between food and wine, about combining, and at the same time contrasting, flavors and sensations.”

Doing all this in an enchanted place such as a lighthouse, only a few steps from the vineyard where your wine originates, lends the experience even more charm and – as Dora Iannuzzi, journalist and guest at the event describes it – is “the perfect match”.
Paradiso dei Conigli’s Le Secche is an amber-colored ansonica with an ancient, natural aroma.
With every sip one is overcome with the scents encountered along the path to the vineyard: broom, wild fennel, thyme, wild herbs, hay and strawberry tree. Followed by rosemary, eucalyptus, as well as iodine and sea salt. Complex yet fine, structured and constantly evolving, Le Secche is a wine that resists, a wine determined to go deep following, whatever the cost, a back road. It is on such a little beaten path, a dirt road with its unexpected encounters, that its true identity is revealed. An identity that surprises and amazes, year after year, for its continuous desire to strive for, experiment with and achieve perfect harmony.
And in this utopian journey, an encounter with the excellence of Italian gastronomy was born.

Three great professionals landed on the island to pay homage and interpret its essence: Ariel Hagen, Michelin-star chef of Saporium and Borgo Santo Pietro restaurants (Florence), Matteo Panfilio of Arva at Arman Venice, and the multi-starred Rocco de Santis of the Ristorante Santa Elisabetta (Florence). Three pioneers of the culinary art who, with great passion, have been able to best express the intrinsic peculiarities of wine, bringing to the table what can be defined as a real emotional journey of the palate.

With his sophisticated “Mushroom, blueberry and fermented milk orzotto” Ariel Hagen, with his characteristic charisma and energy, recreated an explosion of authentic, profound tastes. What’s more, Hagen’s bond with the land of Giglio accompanied his creativity from the start. All it took was a short walk along the island’s paths, getting a whiff of its herbs’ characteristic aromas, to transform them into the absolute protagonists of a porcini mushroom skewer, which was brought to life in real time, defining it as kilometer-zero, to say the least. There was also a tribute to one of the symbols of Florentine culture: La Rosa by Caterina dei Medici, who loved zuccotto, a sponge cake and Alchermes based desert which brought down the curtain on the evening in style.

Matteo Panfilio’s proposal of “Grilled eel, eggplant babaganoush, Greek yogurt and mint oil” was on the other hand, a heart-felt tribute to the strong bonds that bind Massimo Piccin to his native land of Veneto, enriched with an Asian touch of miso, sake and soy sauce. A succulent dish, which complemented the freshness and acidity of the wine beautifully. This set the stage for the final fascinating dish which was prepared in a yakitori barbeque with a backdrop of the setting sun. To get mouths watering at the end, a blue cheese mousse on nut biscuit served with pear sauce, also a perfect pairing for the dinner.

Finally, from one who likes to call himself a “culinary traveler” the two-star Chef Rocco De Santis prepared an “evergreen”, of which he confesses to be very fond: “Saffron breadcrust mullet 2015”. A creation that can be defined as a veritable feast of the senses, if only for its beauty. The Chef has lived each of his many experiences around the world as moments of discovery and deepening of knowledge, and it is for this reason that he has been able to enhance his cuisine with fascinating combinations, while continuing to evoke the great love for his native region Campania, in every dish. Its cornerstones are minimalism and contrast, which one has been able to discover on Giglio right from its welcoming proposal, also completely inspired by Le Secche.

No menu dedicated to the Paradiso dei Conigli ansonica would be complete without the proposal of authentic Gigliese Luigi Bernardini, owner and manager of Ristorante Da Maria a Giglio Castello, a reference point on the island. Luigi not only came up with a typical Gigliese dish that could be perfectly paired with the wine, but he personally sought out the ingredients. Easier said than done, since we are talking about limpets – locally known as “patelle”-, tasty mollusks that stick to the rocks along the coast. In order to collect them, after diving into the sea, one has to quickly detach them from the rock with a knife, a job that requires extreme skill as well as strength. Luigi did this himself, right on the coast overlooking the vineyard, and the result was a “soup” that brought all the flavor of the sea to the table, and that was witness to a culinary tradition that has endured for centuries.

Massimo Piccin’s idea of tasting his wine paired with dishes that could further enhance its characteristics has given rise to an experience full of emotions which goes far beyond the imagination. A different glance that seeks beauty in unexpected encounters, a journey through the senses that is completed by the smiles of those who travel it. Because after all, as the visionary Venetian engineer who followed his dream of becoming a winemaker all the way to the sun of Giglio always recalls, the only true pairing for his wines is that of joy!