Oh, the places we’ll go

One of five lakes at La Selva, Paliano, a national park and bird sanctuary

Two blog posts in one day…well, it’s a day worthy of two, at least!  We visited La Selva, a nature preserve and one of Italy’s National Parks, located a stone’s throw from the hilltop town of Paliano.  It’s one of several “incantevole” (enchanting) places we’ll paint during Discover Ciociaria II.  Thanks to Simone Marucci, one of the Town Council members of Paliano, for arranging the visit and also for our upcoming day of painting at La Selva.  Local artists as well as our group will be at La Selva for a day which will include a picnic and folk music!

Me & Simone Marucci at La Selva

Another fantastic opportunity to paint…right inside a vineyard (vigneto), where the grapes which become the famous Cesanese del Piglio vino rosso are grown, awaits our group.  We’ll be painting at the Terenzi vineyard, in Piglio, thanks to our gracious hosts, the Terenzi family. 

The grapes of the Azienda Agricola Terenzi…awaiting their fate…soon they’ll become Cesanese del Piglio.

Cesanese del Piglio, said to be the wine of kings, popes and Roman legions, has been grown in the valleys and along the slopes of the Ernici mountains for centuries.  The climate and calcium rich soil of Piglio is considered optimal for growing the grapes which eventually become the rich red and strong wine.  On October 6, our group will celebrate the harvest of the grapes at the Sagra dell’Uva Cesanese…a jolly frolic of wine, food and the occasional spontaneous breakout of accordion music!

Giulio Tirinelli and Pina Terenzi walking in the vineyard