About a year ago I had the pleasure of attending a luncheon at Il Gattopardo, a swanky restaurant across the street from the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The reason? To welcome Ilaria Petitto and the wines made on her family’s property, Donnachiara Montefalcione.
At the time I was familiar with the wines of Campania in general but knew almost nothing about those from the local region of Irpinia, situated an hour’s drive inland from the famous Amalfi Coast and the bustling city of Naples. I came away from that lunch with an unbridled appreciation for the land, its wines and, above all, its people.
Needless to say I was very pleased to be invited to another lunch a few weeks ago – same wines, same place – and to learn what was new with Ilaria and Donnachiara.