Outing to Frascati - April 1, 2023

Off we go on a classic Roman scampagnata -- or outing to the nearby countryside. A short train trip away, Frascati is a small city in the Castelli area south of the city. 

After meeting our qualified local English-speaking guide at the station, we'll go on an easy stroll through the historic centre. There will be a coffee break, details on the area's long winemaking vocation, a stop at the Villa Torlonia park, views of Villa Aldobrandini, and a visit to the cathedral and other historic buildings. Our stops will also include a leather goods workshop and a bakery that makes the quirky Pupazza Frascatana honey cookie!

We'll then meet another local Frascati resident to enjoy a leisurely lunch of food specialties paired with the famous Frascati wine!

When: Saturday, April 1st, 2023

Transportation and meeting time: Visit starts at 9:30 at Frascati train station. By train: meet the group at Rome Termini station at 8:40 to take the 8:54 train (final destination Frascati at 9:24 a.m.; €2.10 each way).

Cost: €40 members, €45 non-members, per person including the walking tour, and set lunch in a typical Osteria with a selection of coldcuts and cheeses, pasta, local wine and biscuits. Advance payment is required. Participants must buy their own train tickets or cover their vehicle costs if coming by car.

RSVP to Marielle at canadarome@gmail.com with proof of payment by March 25, 2023.

Genzano Art & Wine TAKE TWO! - June 5, 2022

Our first, very small-group visit to Palazzo Jacobini filled up so quickly that we've decided to do a second take and give more members and friends the opportunity to go on this outing to the Castelli Romani for some fabulous wine, art and fun socializing!

...

If your family had a tradition of making its own award-winning wine that dated back to 1680 only to be interrupted during the Second World War, wouldn't you dream of reviving it? Those were exactly the sentiments that motivated the Carafa Jacobini family to embark on the shift from being part of a wine grape-growing coop to being sole producers once again. Now the 2021 vintage of "Jacobini IGP Lazio" organic white wine is ready to be shared with us, too!

Nina and Alessandro in their vineyard

So we're heading to Genzano, in the Castelli Romani hills, for a very special experience. Alessandro Carafa Jacobini and Nina Farrell will welcome us into their family's private 17th-century home, Palazzo Jacobini, in the centre of Genzano, and we'll view the art collection Alessandro's family has assembled over the decades. During our visit, we will taste Jacobini wine and make an aperitivo of it in the Sala Pio IX room, where the wine will be paired with local artisan cheese, meats and breads, along with a tasting of their organic olive oil.

Just 3300 bottles have been produced of their 2021 vintage. Starting in 2019 they selected the best Procanico plants (a variety of Trebbiano Toscano) by hand from their Poggio del Cardinale vineyard. The final product reflects the volcanic terroir of the Castelli, producing a fresh, crisp but balanced white. At the end of our visit it will also be possible to purchase the wine at a special price for CCR members.

After our lovely art visit and aperitivo, we'll stroll over to a nearby restaurant for a set meal including a primo, a secondo, wine (another local organic Trebbiano -- for the sake of comparison!) and water. Nina and Alessandro can provide suggestions if you'd like to explore the area further on your own after lunch.

When: Sunday, June 5, 2022
Time: doors open at 11 and tour starts at 11:15 sharp

Where: Genzano centre; the exact address will be sent by email to confirmed participants.
Transportation: by your own means.
Cost: €40 per person including the art tour, wine tasting, aperitivo, and set lunch. CCR members and guests of members only. Advance payment is required.
RSVP to canadarome@gmail.com

Genzano Art & Wine - May 15, 2022

N.B. This event is now full. Wait list only.

If your family had a tradition of making its own award-winning wine that dated back to 1680 only to be interrupted during the Second World War, wouldn't you dream of reviving it? Those were exactly the sentiments that motivated the Carafa Jacobini family to embark on the shift from being part of a wine grape-growing coop to being sole producers once again. Now the 2021 vintage of "Jacobini IGP Lazio" organic white wine is ready to be shared with us, too!

Nina and Alessandro in their vineyard

So we're heading to Genzano, in the Castelli Romani hills, for a very special experience. Alessandro Carafa Jacobini and Nina Farrell will welcome us into their family's private 17th-century home, Palazzo Jacobini, in the centre of Genzano, and we'll view the art collection Alessandro's family has assembled over the decades. During our visit, we will taste Jacobini wine and make an aperitivo of it in the Sala Pio IX room, where the wine will be paired with local artisan cheese, meats and breads, along with a tasting of their organic olive oil.

Just 3300 bottles have been produced of their 2021 vintage. Starting in 2019 they selected the best Procanico plants (a variety of Trebbiano Toscano) by hand from their Poggio del Cardinale vineyard. The final product reflects the volcanic terroir of the Castelli, producing a fresh, crisp but balanced white. At the end of our visit it will also be possible to purchase the wine at a special price for CCR members.

After our lovely art visit and aperitivo, we'll stroll over to a nearby restaurant for a set meal including a primo, a secondo, wine (another local organic Trebbiano -- for the sake of comparison!) and water. Nina and Alessandro can provide suggestions if you'd like to explore the area further on your own after lunch.

When: Sunday, May 15, 2022
Time: doors open at 11 and tour starts at 11:15 sharp

Where: Genzano centre; the exact address will be sent by email to confirmed participants.
Transportation: by your own means.
Cost: €40 per person including the art tour, wine tasting, aperitivo, and set lunch. CCR members only. Advance payment is required.
RSVP to Anna at canadarome@gmail.com by May 11th, 2022.

CCR Day Trip: A New Winery in Old Wine Country - October 17, 2020

Long-time residents of Rome know that the hilly area south of Rome, called I Castelli Romani, has been famous for its wine production for millennia. Although the reputation of its wines waned in the middle of the last century, savvy wine producers have made huge strides in recent years to deliver high-quality vintages that make the most of the incredibly fertile terroir, with its mineral-rich volcanic soils, the added value of nighttime temperature-dropping elevations and sea breezes blowing in from the coast.

One of these new vintners is Stefano Imperatori, who chose this area in 2009 when he decided to leave his day job and pour his heart and soul into a brand new winery designed with a team of experts. They decided to plant some of the international varietals that produce astounding results on Italian soil, but another part of their mission was to recover ancient native vines and apply the best of modern of wine-making techniques. They're even experimenting with the extremely ancient practice of making wine in terracotta amphorae!

Take this opportunity to get out of town, without going too far, to learn about and taste some very fine wines. We'll start with an English-language tour of the winery with Nina, a long-term American expat who obtained her sommelier certification in Italy. Then we'll enjoy a guided tasting of Cantina Imperatori wines on their huge terrace (there's lots of room for physical distancing) with its view of the valley and Rome, followed by a selection of local products, including a cheese and charcuterie board, pizza bianca e rossa, panzanella (bread salad), and ciambelline al vino (biscuits). In case of rain, we'll move inside the winery's very spacious tasting room, adjacent to the terrace.

When: Saturday, October 17, 2020

Time: 11:30 starting with the winery tour (fields, methods, production facilities, cellars, etc.)

Where: Cantina Imperatori, Frascati

Transportation: By car (please carpool if you are comfortable with that). Confirmed/paid participants will be sent more detailed directions.

Cost: €35 for CCR members (€40 for non-members). Advance payment is required.

RSVP to Anna at canadarome@gmail.com by Oct. 15. Please let us know whether you will be seated in a single, couple or household "bubble."