Welcome Visciole di Cantiano: the exaltation of wild sour cherries

To reach Cantiano, you come from the beautiful Gubbio to the north and from the Marche coast to the south: a small medieval village that is part of the province of Pesaro Urbino. In these territories, since the time of the Romans, wild cherry shrubs grew along the Flaminia road: the Amarena Visciola, known as Prunus cerasus, a severe variety.

It is especially in the Middle Ages that this ancient wild fruit was harvested and used for the production of reductions and syrups rich in energetic components. The Visciole from Cantiano are considered the best Amarene in Italy and, although little known, they found a market and artisanal outlet only in the early 1900s outside these territories, thanks to some producers and Fabbri, which became the official supplier of the Royal House of Savoy. Subsequently, market demands and the low availability of the product led Fabbri to continue producing simpler amarene, leaving the Visciole to Cantiano.

Today, thanks to an enlightened producer who decided to invest in the preservation of the nursery heritage of the original shrubs and plants, we can finally indulge in the pleasure of this unique and rare fruit. Tenuta Muzighin is producing Visciole among the meadows and fallow woods of the ancient properties along the Roman Flaminia road.

The preserved Visciole are of boundless goodness, almost “embarrassing” because they have nothing to do with the classic sweetish and “fake” amarene unfortunately found in many pastry shops and ice cream parlors. Here, there is a level of flavor intensity to be savored with closed eyes! A flavor so bold that will make you say “wow” with every small spoonful tasted. The preserved Visciole are delightful to eat on their own, as a dessert. They are not overly sweet and have an intriguing almondy finish with a pleasant fresh and tangy sensation that facilitates swallowing and the desire to start again.

In addition to the preserved Visciole, Corte Luceoli offers us the fantastic and traditional Vino di Visciola, which is produced with Visciole juice mixed with Sangiovese grosso from the Tuscan hills of Montepulciano. A sweet red flavored wine ideal for dry pastries based on chocolate or sweet spices. It is also excellent paired with dark Modican chocolates. Very pleasant as a dessert together with a nice aromatic Cuban. Finally, Corte Luceoli also proposes some excellent jams and, in particular, the jam of pears and Cantiano Visciole, excellent for fresh and sweet blue cheeses.