Aquapetra Resort & Spa
by
Terry Sullivan
February, 2012. Our bus pulled up to Aquapetra early evening. It was dark and a blustery wind sent wind chills to below freezing. There was also steady rain at this point. Checkin was easy and we were soon off to our room. Unfortunately, on a rainy, windy dark evening we missed the charm Aquapetra offers, until we met for dinner.
Even in the dark we noticed that the Aquapetra Resort and Spa resembled a small village. Actually it was the ruins of a 19th century village that was restored to create lodging, restaurant and spa facilities. The lodging area looks like a small narrow street. The setting for this beautiful facility is in the Campania countryside near Telese Terme. By the morning, the rain had stopped enough to capture photos of the distant mountains and the village-like atmosphere of Aquapetra.
Aquapetra has four different room styles from which to choose. Our room was modern looking on the inside with plenty of space to spread out. The room was furnished with a queen-size bed, chair and desk with chair. The overwhelming color was white. The ceiling was interesting. A cut out extended the ceiling a few feet to wood beams and planks. The bathroom was comfortable with plenty of amenities.
La Locanda del Borgo Restaurant
On the center of the left wall of the restaurant a roaring blaze was burning in the fireplace. We gravitated to this wall and noticed others were standing near the fire to drive the inner chill away. Our group was met by area winemakers who ventured out on this stormy night to pair their wines with our dinner. Our dinner lasted several hours and the wine and food was excellent. The food was paired with wines made from a few of the common grapes grown in the Campania wine region. We tasted different wines made from the white grape Falanghina and the red grape Aglianico.
The several courses and wines included:
Entrée
The entée was matched with the Falanghina del Taburno 2012 by Fattoria La Rivolta. The yellow colored wine offered a very floral aroma and yellow stone fruit on the taste. The finish was very crisp.
Potatoes and porcini mushrooms “capuccino” scent of truffles
This course was paired with the Aglianico Rosato 2010 by Fontanavechia. The dark pink wine offered berry fruits on the aroma and taste.
Potato dumplings with black pork sausage and broccoli cream
This course was paired with the Aglianico D’Erasmo 2007 Nifo. The dark ruby colored wine had complex aromas and tastes. There were layers of fruits and spices including black cherry and cedar. Bold tannins accompanied the finish.
“Laticauda” lamb cooked on the Acquapetra stone with sweet sour onions and local potatoes
Another Aglianico wine was matched with this course. The Terra di Rivolta 2007 by Fattoria La Rivolta was a dark ruby. There were black cherries and alcohol on the aroma. The taste was fruity with tannins on the finish. There was a bit of alcohol burn. Also served with this course was the 2001 Villa Cataratteris by Fontanavecchia. The dark ruby wine had dark fruit, licorice, smoke and alcohol on the aroma. The taste was fruity and the finish was fruity with tannins.
Predessert
“Annurca” apple tart, raisin, pine nuts and “Marsala” ice cream
The dessert was paired with Falanghina Passiti “Sarriano” by Nifo. The wine was a dark orange color with orange and spices on the aroma and taste. It had a crisp finish.
During the dinner there were the three Aglianicos. They were completely different and I was able to compare and contrast throughout the courses. I preferred the Aglianico by Nifo. It was slightly less alcohol, (14% compared to 14.5%) but there was not any alcohol burn on the finish.
Perhaps the most interesting course was the lamb cooked and served on an Aquapetra stone. The stones were heavy and the wait staff had to flex their muscles in serving our group.
On the next day we took a tour of the facility that included the spa area and grounds. A church, across from the check-in, provides a glimpse of the past. The spa offers many amenities such as an indoor swimming pool, a jacuzzi, sauna, bath, and a relaxation area.The resort makes for a relaxing stay and provides a base for exploring the wineries in the region.
Aquapetra Resort & Spa
Strada Statale Telesina, 1, 82037 Telese Terme, Italy
