By Rosario Mariani
Castello dei Semivicoli – Casacanditella (Chieti)
Castello dei Semivicoli – Casacanditella (Chieti)
The Abruzzo region is so diverse – from its shoreline on the Adriatic coast, to its small quaint towns on the hilltops, to the majestic peaks of the Maiella Mountains…Abruzzo has it all.
Two years ago, my wife and I spent a few days in a Casacanditella, a small hamlet perched on an enchanted hill, to admire the Maiella Mountains and the surrounding landscape. Gabrielle d’Annunzio referred to this location as “Il terrazzo d’Abruzzo.”
The only place one can overnight is at the Castello dei Semivicoli, a Baronial house with only ten rooms, built by il Barone Pernicone between the 17th and 18th century. In the early 1980s, Gianni Masciarelli took over the property and started producing selected wines from Montepulciano grapes and turned the home into a castle for guests to enjoy wonderful surroundings and great wine.
A few words on the Masciarelli family – Gianni became a great wine producer but part of the Masciarelli family emigrated to the USA from San Martino sulla Marrucina at the turn of the last century. In the USA, Anthony Masciarelli, an industrial film producer, changed his last name to Marshall after he arrived in the Bronx. In 1934 and 1943, Gary Marshall and Penny Marshall were born and went on to conquer Hollywood. Whether its wine in Abruzzo or great films in America, the Masciarelli family became great producers!
The apple in the eye
In ancient times, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of
marriage. Catching it meant she accepted. FYI – The apple tree is a deciduous tree in the Rose family.
