L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 13 L'Italo-Americano Dear Readers, a June selection of Italian Connections for you: Andretti Winery, founded by one the finest racing car drivers of all time, Mario Andretti and long-time friend Joe Antonini opened its doors in California's legendary Napa Valley in 1996. Today, Andretti Winery is noted for its portfolio of some of the finest "Cal-Ital" style wines in the world, featuring traditional regional varietals as well as award winning Luxury Italian varietals, Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio and Barbera. The vineyard serves tourists , as well as internet and wholesale distribution internationally. I visited the Andretti winery a few weeks ago and felt transported back in time as I walked up to a beautiful Tuscan Villa nestled alongside a quiet country lane in the heart of Napa Valley. I also felt like a guest at an ItalianVilla backyard party because the winery is not large or commercial in feeling at all. The winery conjures up the boyhood home of its namesake, Mario Andretti and his hometown of Montona. Mario Andretti and his twin brother Aldo were born in Montona, a small town near Trieste on the Adriatic Sea, on February 28, 1940. His love of cars and sports began in 1954 when he saw the great Alberto Ascari race at Monza. The race crystallized Mario's thinking, and made him determinate to become a racing driver. At the time, he and Aldo were 13 years old, working in Lucca in a garage and car repair shop, parking cars, although neither of them were licensed driver. In 1955, the Andretti family emigrated to the United States and began working in their uncle's gas station in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. By 1961, Mario was Pennsylvania's dirt track car racing champion. In the next thirty years, Mario became the most winning driver in auto driving history. He is considered the greatest car driver of all time. His most exhilarating moment came in 1977 when he won the Italian Grand Prix driving the ultimate sport car --- a Ferrari. His skill and versatility in driving has produced some of car racing history's most legendary accomplishments. In 1994, he chose to retire after his 29th appearance at the "Brickyard" in Indianapolis. A couple of years later, Mario and his friend Joe founded the Andretti Winery. *** On my recent visit, upon entering through a beautiful archway I was surprised to see a small Italian fountain reminiscent of those found in the piazzas of Italy. As I strolled through the grounds with my "Marito" the Italian music we heard, together with the ambiance made it feel like we were in Italy, but without any airport hassle to get there. To experience Andretti Winery, call 1-888-460-8463 for more info or visit their tasting room at 4162 Big Ranch Road, Napa, California, just west of the Silverado Trail. They welcome visitors daily from 10:30AM to 5 PM at their tasting room: 707- 261-1717. After the Wine Tasting, you can enrich your Napa Valley experience by having lunch at Bistro Don Giovanni, just a few minutes away at 4110 Howard Lane, Napa Calif. or visit pasta@bistrodongiovanni.com. *** Boston's North End neighborhood with its numerous Italian restaurants, pastry shops, and shops owned by friendly folks is one of the few thriving U.S. "Italian Americans still in residence. What many people do not realize is that Boston's North End is synonymous with the early beginnings of American history. For example, Benjamin Franklin was in Boston in 1706, and his father made soap and candles in his shop on Milk Street. Paul Revere's house still stands and the Old North Church of "one if by land and two if by sea" fame which gave start to our War of Independence and the birth of our nation is in the North End and still an active Episcopal Church. The North End with pastry and gelato stops makes following the freedom trail a dual pleasure. *** Canada's east coast city of Toronto, has a large Italo- Canadian population. Many of them have "roots" in Southern Italy and their forefathers by self- sacrifice and hard work in the space of a generation were able to remake themselves from simple laborers into pillars of the community. Circa 1992, then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, joked with his Italian visitor, Giulio Andreotti, that the first generation of Italo Canadians built downtown Toronto and the second generation owned it. If slightly true, they can thank the first handful of Italians that arrived in the 1880's and 90's mining or doing railway work in the Ontario bush. *** Dogs, "in life the firmest friend" are often as well known as their humans and Lulu, Giuseppe Verdi's dog was one of them. Verdi (1813-1901) made his fortune composing operas for the major cities of Europe. As soon as he could afford it, he bought an estate, Sant' Agata, near Busseto, Duchy of Parma. He devoted his time more and more to his dogs and crops and rose at dawn to walk his fields with his dogs. As he grew older, writing operas became more of a burden. Then, in 1856, his librettist Piave presented Verdi's wife Peppina with a Maltese spaniel. She called it "Loulou"; he called it "Lulu". Although they could never agree on the spelling, the two of them went nowhere in the next six years without the little white dog. Although Verdi worked irregularly and spent months at Sant'Agata when he gave no thought at all to music, he became almost obsessed when he had a new project at hand. He would work all night at his piano, walking Peppina when he had come up with a particularly striking passage. Since he couldn't get away with that too many times, he shared many of his first inspirations with Lulu. When Lulu died at a fairly young age in 1862, Verdi had her buried near his bedroom. Her tombstone read, "To the memory of one of my most faithful friends". Giuseppe Verdi was born in Parma, the son of a grocer. His first opera, "Oberto" was produced at La Scala in 1838. "Ernani" had a triumphant production at Vienna in 1844, and "Rigoletto" still commands great popularity. "Il Trovatore" and "La Traviata" and "I Vespri Siciliani", "Un Ballo in Maschera" and "Don Carlos" show symptoms of the more spacious and dramatic manner of "Aida" which was written at the suggestion of the Khedive of Egypt and first programed at Cairo on a grand scale in 1871. "Otello" was a logical development of Verdi's new style; "Falstaff", 1893, was his last opera. HIs most important work, apart from operas, is the "Requiem", 1874. Verdi founded the Casa di Riposo for Musicisti in Milano in 1897. *** Elba's greatest claim to fame may be its role as the temporary hame of Napoleon Bonaparte, who was exiled to the island for 300 days in 1814. Although Isola D'Elba, is the third largest italian Island (after Sicily and Sardinia) and just off the coast of lower Tuscany, Elba remains off the radar for most vacationing Italo- Americans. I for one, was unaware that Elba has served as a favorite tourist destination for Italians for decades, thanks to its national parks, beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters. Tourists today can also visit the three luxurious residences where the emperor did his time and the buildings his mother, Letizia Ramolino, occupied while staying close to her son. Clearly this was nowhere near the "Christ stopped at Eboli" place of exile, that in 1935, Carlo Levi, doctor and man of letters was forced by the Fascist to live as a prisoner in the barren province of Lucania (Basilicata) in southern Italy. *** Friendship like a pearl. Both are formed over time from small beginnings. A grain of sand begins the process of creating the pearl. The simple grain of sand brings about beauty of the pearl. The small things in a friendship, thoughtfulness, care and concern make a friendship beautiful like a pearl simple, clean and pure. LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Mario Andretti

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