When planning our wedding over the last several months, I wanted to welcome our friends to Positano, Italy on the Amalfi Coast with something special after their long journey. What better way I thought, than to surprise them than with my favorite wine from the coast and the best winery in the area, Cantine di Marisa Cuomo?! I discovered their Costa d’Amalfi Furore Bianco 2009 during our visit to Postiano last September at the fabulous restaurant Da Vincenzo. Now to figure out how to get my hands on twenty bottles upon our arrival in May.

After some digging I found their website, all in Italian, but located the email icon on their homepage and sent off a request. Was so excited to receive a response the next day from Dorotea Ferraioli. We exchanged information and I could buy the wine no problem. She’d drop if off at the hotel when we arrived. When we landed in Rome last month, Dorotea called while we were waiting for our bags. She asked if I’d like to come by the winery to pick up the wine and thus be able to see their winery. Perfecto!

We arrived at the winery many hours later after a very long drive. Furore, where the winery is located is approximately 25 miles / 40 minutes down the winding road from Positano and close to Amalfi, is often called the non-town. There’s not really a town center, just lots of houses and businesses built into the cliffs.

Dorotea greeted us…she’s the daughter of the owners. In 1980, her father Andrea Ferraioli acquired Gran Furor Divini Costiera wine, established in 1942, and gave it to her mother, Marisa Cuomo, as a wedding gift honoring their shared passion for wine. Thus was born what is now the award wining winery of the Amalfi Coast…Cantine di Marisa Cuomo.

The family owns 3.5 hectares of the 18 that grow the grapes for their nine wines and two grappa. 41 families own the other hectares of terraced vineyards. The area is a site to be seen…grape vines growing on the pergola system planted into small plots of land that stair step the rocky cliffs with the sea 500 meters below. Harvesting is done by hand with dangerous climbs to be made while carrying the grapes. With no irrigation, the wines must grow on their own. The pergola system also allows the growing of other fruit and vegetables underneath. Due to the rocky soil and sunny conditions, the wines produced are salty and fruity in nose and taste.

After Dorotea took us on a tour of the small but impeccable winery (they do tours by reservation), including the aging cellar dug out of Dolomatic limestone rock that took three years to build by hand, we stood outside overlooking 120 year old vines when up walked Marisa, the winemaker and namesake of the winery. What a pleasure to meet her! While we couldn’t speak Italian or her English, we communicated through Dorotea talking about the winery and how much we love the wine.

Back in their office, they proudly shared their many recent awards and great photos of the winery and area. Before we left with our boxes of Costa d’Amalfi Furore Bianco 2009, Marisa and Dorotea gave us a wedding present, a bottle of their most special D.O.C. Costa d’Amalfi Fiorduva.

As we drove away, we left with so much more than wine. Salute to Marisa Cuomo and the great wines of Gran Furor Marisa Cuomo!

Another reason to love the Amalfi Coast … great wines. Located in the Campania region of Italy, this region is also an official DOCG, 1 of 12 in Italy.  DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garatita) and DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) are the wine region standards created by the Italian government in the 1960s to control wine productions outlining boundaries, maximum yields, specified grape varieties and production methods. DOCG is similar to DOC but more stringent. Within the Campania DOCG are 18 DOCs of which Costa d’Amalfi is one.

Tiers of vineyards grow all along the coast in the warm Mediterranean sun and sea air among the olive tree and lemon groves producing distinctive grapes. The 3 sub category DOCs within Costa d’ Amalfi are Furore, Ravello and Tramonti, named after these areas they grow in.

My favorite wine during our recent trip was grown in Furore and produced in Ravello… Costa d’Amalfi Furore Bianco 2009 produced by Marisa Cuomo. This wine is 60% Falanghina grape (a DOC requirement for whites from this area) and 40% Bianotella grape. The Falanghina is a mild grape with lots of citrus and floral flavors.  Marisa and her husband, winemaker Andrea Ferraioli, are known for their work with this grape. The reds they produce blends the two local grapes Piedirosso (berry fruit and cinnamon notes, DOC requires 40% of this grape) and Aglianico (the powerful southern Campania grape, DOC requires up to 60% of this or Sciascino grape).

Furore Bianco had great aromas of banana, pineapple and honey with a taste that was balanced, dry, slightly fruity with honey notes.

Cheers to a new favorite I’m going enjoy back home!

Positano’s MUST GO’s list continues…

* Wine & Dine

There are so many great restaurants to chose from! Here are 3 of my favorite dinner spots:

• La Tagliata: A MUST! Sitting high above Positano in Montepertuso, the Barba family (Peppino, Antonietta, Enzo and their parents) welcomes you to their restaurant for Italian cooking and hospitality at its best! Make reservations (+39 089 875 872) and they’ll send a car to pick you up for the 15 minute ride up the mountain.  Ensure its early enough to enjoy the sweeping views and sunset. Come hungry…the delicious 4 course dinner is family style, complete with wine and limoncello, and only €35 per person. The atmosphere is pure Italy! *Update 22 February 2011* We love this restaurant so much we’re having our wedding dinner here in May 2011 in their NEW larger property right next door! They’ve built this spectacular new location by hand over the last several years. Three terraces offer even more sublime views of the coast in the distance and their organic vegetable gardens just below…enjoy as you feast and drink! They also offer two lovely bed & breakfast guest rooms for rent. Visit their new website for tons of fabulous photos!
• La Guarracino: This romantic spot, located on the Via Positanesi d’America, sits above the sea like a tree house. Great seafood like Poseidon’s Treasure and pasta like Tagliatelle al Limone.
• Da Vincenzo: Cute authentic Italian spot in town with amazing local pasta dishes like scialatielli with eggplant and smoked parmesan and zucchini parmigiana. Make reservations as it gets crowded (on Viale Pasitea 172, +39 089 875 128).
• After dinner: If you’ve still got energy, there are a couple of great places for live music and dancing.  Music on the Rocks, built into a cavern at the east end of the Spiaggia Grande, is a unique bar with live music during the week and a nightclub on weekends (it doesn’t get going until LATE).  La Zagara, a great pasticceria by day, is a piano bar at night… its fantastic for enjoying a nice after dinner drink and live music under the lemon tress covered patio.

* Explore the Coast

By car or boat there are so many incredible spots within easy distance of Positano:

• Amalfi: A short, albeit tight & winding drive down the coast is Amalfi, the biggest town on the coast (if you don’t have a car you can bus or take a ferry from the beach). Once home to a thriving paper industry, this port town is busy with activity.  A great stop for a few hours of exploration and lunch.
• Ravello: Pass Amalfi and head up the mountains 1,100 feet to this romantic town high above the Gulf of Salerno. Enjoy sweeping views of the entire coast. Villas and gardens to explore…some even turned into beautiful hotels like Palazzo Sasso. The Ravello Chamber Music Festival takes place every year March – November.
• Pompeii & Herculaneum: Destroyed in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was a bustling ancient city sprawling 66 hectares. Discovered in the 16th century, 45 hectares have been excavated giving visitors an amazing look at a preserved ancient civilization. About 45 minutes by car from Positano, I recommend getting a local guide they offer to give you an individual tour.  Herculaneum, once a resort town, was discovered first and is better preserved because of the volcanic mud that covered it (about 15 minutes from Pompeii). Another treasure is supposed to be Paestum, further south of Positano, with the most complete Greek temples in the world even counting those in Greece.
• Capri: A 45 minute boat ride away is this small glamorous island and its most famous attraction, the Blue Grotto.

Where to Stay? My favorite little local family run hotel is Albergo California. The Cinque Family owns the hotel … Maria is Mamma and hostess ensuring every guest is happy! From adorable balcony rooms at great rates (only 15) to breakfast on their incredible terrace, its a great spot with fantastic views and an easy walk to town. Maria can also arrange everything from transportation from Rome/Naples to great activities…cooking classes, wine tastings, painting classes, excursions to Pompeii and Capri. If they’re booked we also stayed at Casa Albertina, a cute hotel with 19 rooms on the opposite Positano cliff from Albergo California, up high so it has stunning views (and also lots of steps to get there).  Maria also recommends Villa Rosa next door to her if she’s booked. Friends have enjoyed their stay at Hotel Palazzo Murat and renting a quaint apartment from Ville In Italia.

I recommend a minimum of 2 days to drink in all Positano has to offer then give yourself another 2 or more days to explore the coast with Positano as your base. If you can take a full week, you will not be disappointed with everything it has to offer. Best bet getting there is fly to Rome or Naples… if Rome then train to Naples and get a car service from Naples to Positano for €100. Rental car is also an option if you prefer driving albeit a little more stressful. Best time of year to go is May-early June and September… its high season as are July and August but not as busy.

And for more amazing photos to put you in the mood visit the gallery.

Positano…the perfect spot to practice ‘dolce far niente’…the joy of doing nothing!

Built into the Lattari Mountains, Positano’s pastel colored buildings appear to be suspended in air above the blue sea as cliffs climb behind them. You’re enveloped in the postcard perfect beauty the moment you enter town. We just returned from our second trip to Positano on the Amalfi Coast, Italy and were quickly reminded of why we love it so much!

Positano is southeast of Naples by a 90 minute drive and a 3 hour drive south from Rome.  The Amalfi Coast is 30 miles of cliffy coast line above the Bay of Naples and Gulf of Salerno in the Mediterranean Sea. The famous winding Amalfi Coast road was carved out of the cliffs in 1852 extending from Meta near Sorrento around to Vietri sul Mare near Salerno.  The breath taking ride, from the views to the hairpin turns on roads barely two cars wide, is one of legend and worth the experience.

It is said that the Li Galli Islands, also known as the “Sirenuse,” sitting just off the coast of Positano, are where Homer’s Ulysses went astray on his homeward voyage listening to the song of the Sirens.

Often called the playground of the rich and famous (don’t be put off by this… its laid back and prices are reasonable), Positano is loved not only for its beauty but for its winding lanes, steep steps, leisurely shopping, dining and sunning.

This quintessential Italian resort town is one of my favorite spots in all my travels. There’s so much to see and do in Positano and surrounds that its hard to make a MUST GO’s List.  I’ll start with Stroll the Lanes and Soak up the Beauty.  Tomorrow I’ll cover Wine & Dine and Explore the Coast.

MUST GO’s:

* Stroll the Lanes

One of my favorite ways to spend a day in Positano is simply strolling… the lanes, the alleyways, and even the myriad of steps.  Stop into the town’s beautiful landmark, Church of Santa Maria Assunta, in the center of town. Enjoy lots of great shopping specializing in ceramics (visit Ceramica Assunta), handmade sandals (try Paulo’s tiny shop on the steps down from Via C. Colombo to Via die Mulini) and linen (visit Boutique Rino for gorgeous clothes at a great price). Lemons rule the coast so you’ll see them on everything… don’t miss the local limoncello (lemon liqueur) for an after dinner digestif.

* Soak up the Beauty

This is easy to do no matter what your activity of choice…

• Beaches: Spiaggia Grande (spiaggia means beach in Italian) is Positano’s main beach at the bottom of town, all paths lead to it. I love renting a chair from L’Incanto, the main club on the beach (€12 for the day, €2 for a towel).  Spiaggia Fornillo, a lovely walk down the seaside walkway Via Positanesi d’America (named for thousands of locals that left Positano for a better life in America after WWII) carved into the rocks, is a less crowded beach but still has restaurants and beach clubs.  One spot I didn’t make it to but will on my next visit is Da Adolfo, a 5 minute boat ride from the beach for a day on a private beach with great restaurant, chairs and changing rooms.

• Lunch on the Beach: L’Incanto is also a great place for lunch on the beach… nothing beats a sunny day, Caponata Salad and glass of local Greco di Tufo white wine.  Another good spot close to beach side is nautical themed Chez Black serving up great seafood and pizzas.
• Boat the Coast: Rent your own boat from Lucibello Boats or splurge on a private charter. They’re located right on Spiaggia Grande. We’ve rented little speed boats for €70/hour both visits and zipped down the coast line enjoying sun and incredible views.
• Gelato & Cappuccino: Bar Buca di Bacco, at the bottom of town’s main stairs, is the perfect afternoon stop … our last trip we spent 6 hours here one afternoon waiting out torrential rain but loving every minute of afternoon gelato (yummiest sfogliatelle gelato…versioned after the heavenly pastry of the same name), aperitifs then dinner.
• Sunset Cocktail: my favorite spot is Le Sirenuse… this gorgeous 5 star hotel is perfectly situated on the cliffs to sip a sunset champagne and enjoy the luxury that surrounds you.

Coming tomorrow more Positano MUST GO’s : Wine & Dine and Explore the Coast.