A Glass of Wine, A Place to Stay - Cantina Del Barone, Cesinali (Av)

Karen, I want to show you something...
Those were the words wine maker Luigi Sarno, Cantina del Barone, spoke to me the other day as we were walking down the narrow road that leads from his small wine cellar to his vineyards in Cesinali (Av).
A new wine? I thought.  Vinitaly was just the previous week.  It had been several months since I had seen Sarno, and a couple of years since I'd visited the vineyards.  We chatted a bit, stop a couple of times on the small path that divides his Fiano vineyards into two separate sections.

I'll be right back, Sarno said.
He left me alone for a minute or two, so I decided to wander over to one of my favorite spots on the property.  A majestic century old grapevine that seems to stretch its arms out wild as if to say welcome...
But something was different.  To get to my vine, I had to walk around a freshly painted casa.  Walk across a freshly cut lawn.
Sarno joined me.
This is what I wanted to show you, Sarno smiled as he held a set of keys.

And with that, he opened the door to his latest project.  A project that he hopes will not only bring wine lovers to his territory...but will also keep them there.
4 mini apartments that can sleep up to 7 were just about ready. 4 mini apartments that would allow travelers an experience and not just a place to stay.  An Irpinia full immersion provided by Sarno and his family which could expand to tours of other wineries in the area, visits to local artisans, farms, restaurants.  Even cooking courses provided by Sarno's mom in the not so distant future.
My eyes went from Sarno to the window as I imagined myself waking up here, having breakfast with a caffe' and fresh jams prepared by the Sarno family.

 I imagined myself enjoying that Cesinali evening  breeze that his vineyards love. I imagined having a glass of wine and a place to stay. Sarno continued to speak, sharing his project...sharing his dream.  I continued to listen, entranced by his enthusiasm.
There are just a few finishing touches before opening like bedding, toiletries, and...a name.
Stay tuned!