Rifugio
UMBRIA, ITALY | JUNE 2026
Our first Italian Supper was our most romantic Supper yet! On a hilltop overlooking Spina, Umbria, we set a secluded table in the dim candlelight of the medieval Castello di Saint’ Apollinaire. We started the evening with welcome cocktails in the courtyard, made with elderflower and olive oil pressed just down the road, as the light slanted low through the trees during golden hour.
We opened the doors to welcome everyone inside to a sit down in the sanctuary of the castle, where live music was echoing off the ancient walls. Together, we enjoyed a beautifully elevated meal by Chef Giorgio Enrico of La Carneria Spina, showcasing the region’s bounty with fried zucchini blossoms, tomato tarte, fresh pasta filled with duck and summer truffles, and perfectly simple chicken roasted on the Big Green Egg with chicory, almonds, and lemon. Wine specially selected by Vero in Italy from nearby paired with each course. Eventually the live strings gave way to the melody of lovely conversations as everyone around the table chatted over the intimate beauty of a shared meal.
WELCOME
Ludo, one of our hosts from Vero in Italy, created an elderflower and olive oil spritz utilising olive oil from just down the road. He invited his friend up from Rome, who happens to be a renowned bartender, to mix and pour cocktails for us under the trees. With the summer heat radiating off the surrounding stones, the light, refreshing spritz was exactly what we needed to settle in!
A MENU BY GIORGIO ENRICO
In the past, we’ve invited Chef Giorgio and the team from La Carneria to join us on the final night of our Culinary Pursuit for a cookout on the lawn at Poggio Belvedere. This year, we leveled up and asked them to help us serve Supper in a castle nearby instead. Every course was a thoughtful ode to some of the best of summertime in Umbria.
MENU
WELCOME
Porchetta-Spiced Almonds
Fried Zucchini Flowers
Cecina Tuscan chickpea flatbread, black bean cream
Rye Bread, Smoked Sardines & Giardiniera
Olive Blossom Spritz
elderflower, prosecco, sparkling water, fresh olive branch
ANTIPASTI
Seed Crackers & Whipped Fennel Blossom Butter
Tomato Tarte Tatin Ma' Falda goat cheese, oregano
Summer Trout peaches & peppers
PRIMO
Bottoni with Duck & Summer Truffle fresh pasta filled with duck in salmì and summer black truffle
SECONDO
Roasted Chicken chicory, toasted almonds, lemon
DESSERT
Brioche di San Costanzo pine nut gelato
Wines:
Cantina Bettalunga, Castello delle Forme
WINE PAIRINGS
Kaila, the other half of our Umbrian hosting duo, carefully selected wines to accompany dinner from the host of surrounding winemakers. She chose to feature Cantina Bettalunga, a winery and cellar just a few kilometers down the road in the Castello delle Forme. The obsessive craft and tradition of winemaker Alessandro Lanterna brings to each bottle completed the already incredible meal.
SECRET LOCATION: CASTELLO SANT’APOLLINARE
Originally a benedictine Abbey from the 10th century, the landmark fell into disrepair over the centuries. It’s now being restored to stand as a proud gateway to the village of Perugia. The Knights Hall and other elegant rooms we occupied have been fully revitalized, but the castle maintains a rustic charm fitting to the region’s humble beauty.
