“Fortune favors those who dare.” – Raffaldini family motto
Of course this famous phrase originates from Roman times, BC, but still rings as true today. Little can be gained unless you reach for it.
The Villa Raffaldini at Raffaldini Vineyards sits upon a hill surrounded by grapes growing in the North Carolina sun. The Raffaldini family has a long history of wine making. Family roots can be traced back to 1348 in the town of Mantua, Northern Province of Lombardy, Italy, where they still have an ancestral home.
My connection to Italy?
In the late 70’s I spent 18 months in southern Italy with many opportunities to sample the local homemade Italian wines — they were inexpensive and always available making them the drink of choice for most meals and social events. With time I grew to appreciate the honesty of these local wines. They were not tailored to the American pallet, many were rough around the edges, but the taste was clear and truthful.
Memories of this were brought forth during a recent wine tasting at Raffaldini Vineyards — afterwards, as we pulled away, a few bottles of our favorites rode safely in our car’s trunk. It seems these are the days of nostalgia.
It’s time again to wish everyone a wonderful weekend — live, enjoy, and share!
You always manage to tell such marvelous stories of your adventures. Even though am not a wine drinker, you made my mouth water with your description. The quote is a grand one and one we would all be wise to heed. The photos, especially the one of the villa, manage to make me fantasize about Italy. (Forget that they were taken in North Carolina.) As usual, a post that reminds me why I don’t want to miss anything going on at Meandering Passage.
Anita, at times I think the stories exceed the adventures. :-) But then, it would be a little sad if we could not make “good stories” out of our own lives wouldn’t it. Thank-you for your kind words!
It’s a beautiful home in a great setting. I enjoyed reading of your background experiences with wines here and in Italy. Nice post.
Thanks Don! They were very proud of their long history of wine making and heritage from Italy. It was nice to witness that level of pride in what they do.
Even though I don’t drink wine, I appreciate the variety and complexity of wine and the process of producing and bottling it. It’s not as simple as one might think. This looks like a prosperous estate, it’s gorgeous. And nice framing on the photo, too.
Ken, I only drink wine on occasion but I do enjoy the experience and like knowing a little about it. Thanks!
It must have been wonderful to be able to spend 18 months in Italy… I can understand why sometimes you feel nostalgic!
JP, it was a wonderful experience. While in the USAF I was stationed at San Vito, Italy, not far from Brindisi, on the heel of the boot. This made for a wonderful location to travel and see much more of southern Europe. One of my favorite experiences was a group of us catching the late ferry from Brindisi to one of the Greek Islands, Corfu, sleeping on the upper deck and awaking just in time to witness the boat pulling into the harbor at sunrise. :-)
Seven or eight years ago I made a trip to Napa Valley. What I remember is the aroma of wine emanating from the vineyards. Even though I no longer drink, you brought up those memories. And, the family history of these wineries is amazing to me as is the architecture they present. Enjoy your favorites and have a good weekend also!
Monte, thanks. I enjoy wine but only drink on occasion. I may like the process almost more then the product. :-)
la dolce vita…
YZ, yes, but I was only visiting. ;-)