To Lombardy for wine and music

Lombardy has a plethora of activities for recreation: Milan, Lake Como, thermal springs, ski resorts. Marina Sklyar adds vineyards and violins to reasons for visit this region. 

Marina, can you call yourself a wine connoisseur?

In some way or the other. We visit vineyards from time to time and recently have been to Franciacorta, a famous wine-producing region in northern Italy. We have had a tour in Ca`del Bosco winery. We choose their wines while on vacation in Italy.  That was a group tour. All, but for us, were Italians and new a great deal on the product. The winery looks very neat and modern. It was a real pleasure to walk around, see those sculptures of renowned architects inside and outdoors. A loved the sun-shaped bronze gates by Arnaldo Pomodoro and the installation, representing the water spilt in the air. 

The history of the vineyard dates back to 1964 with the purchase of a small house and 2 hectares of land by Annamaria Clémenti. The idea of the vineyard was taken and developed by her son Maurizio. You can still see that house. Four years later, they planted the grapes. And in 1972, the first wine, Pino Bianco, was produced. The vineyards now spread for about 160 hectares, with modern facilities and a range of wines from white to sparkling. Ca' del Bosco ranks among the best of over 100 vineyards in the region.

During the tasting, we were given three wines, including Cuvée Prestige. The oldest among the three was produced in 1999. 

For an individual visit, you can order any wine you wish, including such precious samples as Riserva, and snack to your taste. But for a group tour, options are limited. For example, in Tuscany they served wine with meat and cheese and in Burgundy treated us with a lunch farm-style.

In terms of impressions the best time to visit is harvesting. But some estates are closed for the guests in that busy period. Still, in other times you can see production lines, cellars, a museum, so it's pretty interesting anyway. 

Of course, you can buy wine. In case the desired item is not in stock, try and visit local wine stores with impressive collections of wines.

Where do you like tasting?

I prefer French vineyards, because of the drink itself and its rich history. We were in Burgundy. They say, their wines are worth a king and one should get on their knees to try them. I have been to Sauternes, which is in Bordeaux. There I prefer the wines of Chateau d'Yquem. But French wines have established traditions. Whereas Franciacorta's wines are relatively young.

Does every manufacturer have their own secrets?

I think so. For example, the Ca` del Bosco pays much attention to grape cleaning. They believe the purer the berries, the more exquisite taste of the drink. In Burgundy, for example, Gros Frère & Soeur estate is run by an 90-some-year-old lady. She herself accompanied us on the tour, being our guide. As we bought some bottles, she asked to pay cash only. She adds in column, but her estate has the most modern equipment. She understands the need to invest in development. She's got a team but remains a leader and a driving force.

How to enrich you visit to Franciacorta?

80 km from vineyards, there's a town of Cremona associated with violins by Nicola Amati, Stradivari, Guarneri.  

For 5 centuries, the town's life has been connected with violins. There's a school of violin masters and International Music Academy as well as annual Classic Music Festival, held in summer. We've been to Stradivari's house and seen a monument outside. There's a Violin Museum and a workshop where you can delve into centuries-old traditions of violin-making. It takes 200 hours to create a single violin. 

A violin in Cremona costs from ten to 15 thousand euro. The buyers are mostly musicians from symphony orchestras. The assortment is small: the instrument she's working on now and some more to show prospective customers.

The master has told us a lot about famous violins. Amati's violins are classic ones. Stradivari's create a magical, unforgettable sound. Guarneri's are for connoisseurs, for a genius. No other violin can sound like that. The most famous violinists have a Guarneri's instument. Paganini had one. "Paganini's widow" it was called after he passed. We tried to play, and the master played to. As she explained, you won't create a vilon if unless you know how to play it. 

Is violin-making all about experience? Not that simple. They use two types of wood: local fir tree for the upper part and maple for the lower. The wood must be in a perfect condition. They say, Stradivari himself chose the wood for his instruments. And then they let the material dry, sometimes for years. But still why some violins become masterpieces while others don't remains a mystery.