Dicricciola is in that part of Tuscany, the province of Pisa, which does not enjoy the exhibition intended for the Chianti hills, in Bolgheri, at the Val d’Orcia but is still a beautiful land. Here stands one of the resorts of Laqua Collection, which declines the new concept of home hospitality thought by Antonino Cannavacciuolo and his wife Cinzia Primotesta, the Laqua Vineyard, who intends to combine high -level cuisine with the story of the local wine.
Laqua Vineyard is located in a tiny village isolated in the municipality of Dicricciola, Casanova, which makes 47 inhabitants, who peacefully live with an elegant and discreet structure, which counts on six large comfortable suite, on an isolated and extremely reserved swimming pool and on a small but perfectly equipped spa. But the heart of the project, Cannavacciuolo docet, is the Fine Dining restaurant, which the National Tonino entrusted to Marco Suriano’s care. Ligurian of Santa Margherita, 34 years old, passionate about cooking since the early years of his life, also thanks to his grandmother (can Italian chefs do without the grandmother?), Experiences in Portofino and Villa Crespi, the sad restaurant on the Orta Lake of Chef Cannavacciuolo, from which he was then recalled to go to Tuscany. A good idea, judging by how the public reacted and also criticism, given that a few months after the opening the Cannavacciuolo Vineyard already took the Michelin star.
Cannavacciuolo Vineyard is a gastronomic journey between Tuscany and Piedmont, both because the land of election of Cannavacciuolo and for the fort of the bond that the structure boasts with the farmhouse La Spinetta of the Rivetti family in the lands of the Barbaresco, and in Dicricciola, in the vineyards of Sassontino produces a Cru of Sangiovese.
Three tasting menus: the prologue (six courses, 110 euros), the interlude (seven courses, 140 euros) and the vegetarian (six courses, 11o euros), as well as a card that offers the same tasting dishes and some “bonus tracks”. For me the prologue, with a variation that I will then tell you. Departure with an aperitif in a Tuscan key: tomato pappa, spoon of liver and gel al saint, vegetable charcoal tartlet with a cod cod and mayonnaise with parsley. Then a leaf of vine Sangiovese marinated and cooked in tempura with a cream of raisins and smoked sardines on top, accompanied by a spiga -shaped Cecina. Then the actual menu starts with a sea bass with marinated and smoked sashimi, osmosis gardener and frozen frozen crumble, excellent Strart. Then here are the Piedmontese tortelli, or “to the napkin”, with a brutal muse ragù, burrata cream, rind, blown black garlic and pork reduction background. A very satisfied dish thanks to a flavor that starts. The main dish is a cut of limousine with red bathing bath, sea cicadas, teleshoper, veal bottom, cherry reduction. Then the small deviation from the route (requested by me), the artichoke grilled with parsley, marrow and bottarga and if there is once when I regretted a specific request, it is certainly not this. So the sweet part: the pre-departure, a yogurt crumble, herbs with mustard dressing, honey ice cream and Maldon salt, completed by the spinet oil; And the triumph of bread, chocolate, salt and rum, a sort of cocoa fench toast with different chocolate textures. Final with the Petit Fours: Madeleine with the almond with a creamy with limoncello, dark chocolate truffle, Mou candy covered with a raspberry and extracted to the rose.
Suriano has a good hand, despite being young his technique is solid and oriented towards the enhancement of the raw material and of a comfortable and familiar idea of the meal. Suriano appeared only at the end for a short greeting and I appreciated his Understatement, far from the celebrations of the ego of certain colleagues. Perhaps in this the long (and wide) shadow of Cannavacciuolo helps to maintain a low profile that in the end will help Suriano grow again. I also like the tightened menu that does not transform the meal into a kidnapping.
The room is of a high level, I want to mention the maître and sommelier Francesco Cotza, who gave his best with the cheese trolley, which he takes care of a love that is decidedly contagious. Wine Charter with so much Tuscan but also a little Piedmont and the rest of the world. The place is elegant, with a somewhat seventy-chic style.