We arrived at Il Vittoriale Degli Italiani on a slightly overcast morning in October. This was our first stop in Valtènesi.
Located in Gardone Riviera on the eastern coast of Lake Garda, this was as far north on the lake as we would visit.
It was beautiful. The golden yellow buildings, arches, the view of the Lake, sculptures everywhere, gardens, winding pathways, streams. It was a glorious place where we could have spent a day or two wandering, taking in all the secret nooks, and enjoying nature.
Context is everything, right?
We always want the backstory. I love to dig into the history of a place and the people that made it happen.
But humans are complex. I feel like we struggle with that daily. It is rare that you will find a person with whom you agree on everything. We see it often in celebrities, people who have a message that we agree with, and perhaps also have messages that we don’t. Artists who produce beautiful work but have things in their personal lives that are less than savory. We’ve seen this with filmmakers, artists, musicians, politicians…
The Poet and Madman – Gabriele D’Annunzio
This was the home and playground for Gabriele D’Annunzio. He’s the Madman I refer to in the title, a strange blend of artist and military man, a deplorable and depraved genius. Flamboyant, patriotic, a playboy who extravagantly spent money he didn’t have (oh dear…this sounds familiar).
His family comes from Pescara in Abruzzo, where his father was Mayor, a wine merchant, and a landowner. Wealthy, they sent Gabriele to the University of Rome. He published his first poems at the age of 16. He was a prolific writer, creating poetry, novels, and plays. The quality of his work may be disputed; some find the lyric quality that he uses to be sublime, and it is said that James Joyce and Marcel Proust both admired his work. Others note that his style picked up the style of the day, naturalism, sensual verse, and physicological study… and leaned into sensuality and erotica, which many morally condemn. The quality of his work may be disputed, but by the quantity of it, you can see that he was devoted to his writing. Obviously, he felt the quality was high, as he declared himself Italy’s greatest poet since Dante!
He was highly influenced by Friedrich Nietzche and, at the same time, as an artist, believed in beauty and that Life should be lived as Art.
An artist who spent beyond his means, he once fled to France to outrun his debts. He returned to Italy to encourage his countrymen to enter World War I.
D’Annuzio, the Military man
Gabriele D’Annunzio went through several military branches before entering the Air Force. He lost an eye in combat and was known for his 1918 flight over Vienna, where he dropped propaganda leaflets of his own poetry.
Italy was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany, and Austria-Hungary did not immediately join the fighting in World War 1, claiming neutrality.
In the Treaty of London in 1915, Italy agreed that with an Allied Victory, they would gain the Austrian Littoral (an area along the Northeast border of Italy that wrapped around the Adriatic, covering parts of what is now Slovenia and Croatia), with the exception of the city of Fiume (which today is Rijeka, Croatia). Italy did join the Allies in the war, fighting battles along their Northeastern border.
After the war, D’Annunzio took exception to the exclusion of Fiume, which he deemed an Italian City. In September 1919, Gabriele led a group of Italian nationalists to seize the city himself, defying the Treaty of Versailles.
The troops took the city easily, and D’Annunzio declared himself dictator “Comandante” of what he proclaimed was the Italian Regency of Carnaro. He ruled for about 15 months, with mandatory poetry readings. The city filled up with occultists and advocates of “free love.” Drug use and VD skyrocketed. They expelled the Ethnic Croatians and forced their enemies to drink Castor Oil (a laxative). Eventually, the Italian Military forced him out.
Benito Mussolini, the Fascist Prime Minister, had watched D’Annunzio. While D’Annunzio, in his egotism, thought little of Mussolini, using him more for PR, Mussolini thought of them as equals and learned from D’Annunzio’s successes and mistakes. Ultimately, he gave D’Annunzio a title, and the poet stepped out of politics and retired to Gardone Riviera to write his memoirs and create the park or estate that is Vittoriale degli Italiani.
His behavior laid a roadmap for leaders like Mussolini and Hitler, although he later vocally opposed both of these dictators.
He was a pioneer in “political spectacle,” turning politics into a religious experience where he could whip the alienated into a frenzy. While brilliant, he preferred to create his own facts and truth. Truly, there is so much out there about his exploits, most of which are plainly morally deplorable.
All this to say, this beautiful place was created by a man of questionable character.
Vittoriale degli Italiani
D’Annunzio rented a Villa here that had been confiscated by the Italian Government. The simple villa grows into a crazy ornate property as he purchases surrounding properties and works with architect Gian Carlo Maroni.
The property might seem over the top with multiple gardens, fountains, buildings, and an amphitheater, but it doesn’t stop there. It is capped off with an Italian Military ship mounted into the hillside. The Puglia was donated to D’Annuzio by the Royal Navy. The prow of the boat points toward the Adriatic. (D’Annuzio would fire off the cannon to greet his guests).
Our visit to the park was the beginning of our day in Valtènesi, and as we entered, we found stunning photos everywhere. Sculptures, metal, stone, modern, ancient, dotted our walk, and the views of the lake…well, we were walking in an Italianesque dream. The day was overcast, the air thick over the lake, giving everything a soft glow, like an impressionist painting. We could see the small island off the shore.
We walked through the outdoor amphitheater (over the grating for the orchestra pit). The backdrop for the stage was the gorgeous lake view.
Windows and porticos, stone and vine…we were enveloped in beauty, and it was hard to keep us moving; every step brought another enchantment that cried out to be photographed. Even the cobblestones were photogenic.
After our first stop at the vineyard and olive orchard (we will get to that later), we headed up the hill on a path next to a ravine. Small bridges and paths went along the ravine, with stone stairs peeking through the lush green of the undergrowth. Small waterfalls could be seen in some places as the ground dropped off. Pathways crisscrossed, stairs going up and down, almost like Escher.
We did not go down; sadly, there was no time (incentive to have us all return to Lake Garda). The two rivers come down Valletta dell’Acqua Pazza (Dale of the crazy water) and Valletta dell’Acqua Savia (Dale of the sane water). They arrive together at the Pond of the Dances.
We continued up the Giardini e Frutteto, the garden, and the orchard. Roses of all colors bloomed in the gardens. There were Budda’s hands (that strange-looking citrus. Bougainville and other vines covered trellised patios. Vines cling to the stone pillars, finding cracks and climbing.
We come upon a planted grove of Magnolia trees, shaded with standing stone pillars that almost make you feel that you are in Bali. This is the “Arengo,” with 27 pillars commemorating the Italian victories in World War 1. (Another spot that is more magical if you don’t know the story behind it).
Ahead, I see some strange lookout towers atop decorative stone pillars hidden in the trees to give a secret view of the lake.
We strolled back through the Courtyard of the Schiavoni and by the Prioria (D’Annunzio’s residence) under archways with wooden ceilings and beautifully painted patterns. Wooden doorways gave a glimpse into other gardens and courtyards. The relief work was captivating.
Up we went on brick paths with stairs here and there, gradually taking us up the slope. Finally, we could see the battleship Puglia peeking through the trees. But we will get there shortly. First, we walk through secluded gardens with fountains to the Dolphin Fountain, with its bronze statue of Aphrodite with a dolphin.
Now, we head to the Royal ship Puglia, given to d’Annunzio by the Italian Navy. It is mounted on the hill with the bow facing the Adriatic Sea in memory of its captain, Tommaso Gulli.
We strolled out onto the deck of the Puglia, which is by far the park’s most striking and eccentric feature. The mast, the anchors and chains…and the ship’s bell seemed so odd, landlocked as it is, with trees to the starboard and port and the mountain to the aft. There is a small room (on the deck), the Mostra “Silla Giuseppe Fortunato” Storia della Nave Puglia (the story of the ship with photos of the vessel being mounted on the hill.
Now, it was time to head to our next stop. As we strolled back to the entrance, we took in the rivers, the buildings, and even the stunning lanterns. Our next stop would have us tasting the rosé wines of Valtènesi. So here, I will take us back to the vineyard…
The Rosé or Chiaretto
The Consorzio Valtènesi maintains this vineyard next to the olive grove on the property and has made a limited edition of Valtènesi wine from the grapes.
The vineyard is trellised in star shapes, an asterisk *, the symbol of D’Annunzio and the museum. Harvest here was already complete for the season. The young vines here are of the three types of Groppello: Bocazina, San Lorenzo, and Gentile. This is an excellent way for them to study and showcase the grapes.
Having the grapes trellised in this shape makes it challenging to grow them. Labor, of course, is more difficult, but also, you don’t have rows of grapes facing south to catch the best light. Nonetheless, this is about honoring the poet on his estate, so the aesthetic comes before quality. I believe that D’Annunzio, for all his other “habits,” was not actually a drinker! (So, my description as a “madman” may not be far off! A man who took the pleasures of life to an extreme and did not enjoy wine? Madness!)
Gropello is like Pinot Noir in that it has small berries with very thin skin and little pigment. Here, in Valtènesi, they use it to make rosé. The DOC is small, producing just 2 million bottles of rosé each year and just 1 million bottles of white and red wines put together. Here, the best grapes are reserved for the rosé wines, often known as Chiaretto.
70% of the wines are exported. Much of the wine sold locally is sold to the many tourists from Germany and Denmark who come to the region. Italian’s, Juri tells us they are still not on board with rosé. This is changing, but nowhere near the level that they enjoy rosé in France. In France, red wine is the most enjoyed wine, followed by rosé and white. In Italy, only 1 of every 10 bottles of wine is rosé. (5 are red, 4 are white).
The Chiaretto wine of Valtenesi, made from these grapes at the Vittoriale degli Italiani, is very limited in quantity, and we were lucky enough to be gifted a bottle of the 2021 vintage by the Consorzio.
Want to learn more?
For more information on the park, visit Fondazione Il Vittoriale degli Italiani.
For more information on the wines, visit Consorzio Valtènesi
More on Valtènesi from Crushed Grape Chronicles
- Discover Costaripa – Tradition to revolution, more than rosé this IS Valtenèsi
- Costaripa Winery Into the Cellar
- Under the radar, Italian Rosé to indulge in before Summer’s end
Watch for more coming soon!
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
Check out our book series, “Tempting Spoonfuls” available through Amazon!
Inspired by the flavors and aromas in wines, these books create “tempting spoonfuls” of flavors to pair with wines.
“Tempting Spoonfuls – Pairing single bites with glorious wines” – Our first book paired wines from boutique wineries on the west coast, in California, Oregon, and Washington, with delicious spoonfuls.
This book is 60 pages, 18 recipes, lots of beautiful photos, and insights into some fantastic small wineries!
“Tempting Spoonfuls – small bites paired with wines from around the Globe” – This book takes us around the globe to explore 12 wine regions, a wine from the region, and then gives you a recipe for a pairing!
A slightly larger book at 104 pages, this time you learn about pairing with a type of wine from a region. Rather than a specific bottle, you can look for a style of wine from a region and feel confident that it will go well with the recipe pairing we provide. We give you 12 recipes, each to pair with a wine.
The goal is to make your mouth water and encourage you to create your own “Tempting Spoonfuls.”
Leave a Reply