What do Hollister, Calif., and Venice, Italy, have in common? At
first glance, not much.
Hollister: no canals, no Piazza San Marco, no (well, some)
pigeons, no gondolas or gondoliers, no Harry’s Bar.
What do Hollister, Calif., and Venice, Italy, have in common? At first glance, not much.
Hollister: no canals, no Piazza San Marco, no (well, some) pigeons, no gondolas or gondoliers, no Harry’s Bar.
Venice: no winding country roads, no Veterans Memorial Building, no wild condors, no Harleys, SUVs or pickup trucks – in fact, no traffic at all, no Johnny’s Bar and Grill.
But a closer look brings some similarities into focus: both cities have major fine wine production areas virtually on their doorsteps, both enjoy great weather and both have a great and elaborate Carnevale celebration.
“Now wait just a doggone minute, Mikey,” you are probably thinking. “There’s no Carnevale in Hollister.” Au contraire, mon ami.
The exact origins of the Venetian Lenten festival of Carnevale are disputed by historians, but it is known that it goes back to at least 1094 when it was mentioned in an official document by Doge (chief magistrate of Venice) Vitale Faliero. It’s related to Rio’s Carnivale and New Orleans’ Mardi Gras in that it was originally a soirée for those of the Catholic persuasion in which they party their brains out before giving up some favorite foods (mostly meat – the word “carnevale” comes from Latin for “farewell to meat”) for Lent. The Italians have a saying for it: “Semel in anno licet insanire,” meaning basically that it’s okay to go insane once a year. Remember, this is Italy we’re talking about, so it’s a sure bet that there’s plenty of wine consumed during the festival.
Modern-day Carnevale is an elaborate spectacle of pageants and balls. Participants wear colorful costumes and the masks for which the event – and the city – is famous. The masks themselves are designed in several very specific types. The Bauta is the most traditional, and is designed to cover all the features while still allowing eating and drinking (my kind of mask). The Temptress is a half mask, adorned with sleek black feathers and Il Dottore is a doctor’s mask, sporting a frightening beak that has its origins during the Plague, when physicians wore the mask to ward off the disease.
If the Venice Carnevale sounds like your kind of party, you’re out of luck for this year. It was held from Jan. 28 to Feb. 8. But guess what? Pietra Santa Winery is bringing the festivities to Hollister on the evening of Saturday, March 5.
Pietra Santa co-owner Deanna Gimelli says that she and her husband Joseph are transforming their winery for the event. Hollister’s Carnevale will feature food from Il Fornaio Restaurant in San Jose and, of course, the Italian style wines made by Pietra Santa winemaker and Sienna transplant Alessio Carli.
The wines poured by Deanna and Joseph for Carnevale will include their “Amore” Estate Pinot Grigio, a crisp white that holds its own against some of the best produced in the Aldo Adige area of Italy – a wine region just a stone’s throw from Venice. Pietra Santa reds to be served include a complex Zinfandel, the estate grown “Dolcetto,” and “Sassolino,” a lovely blend of Tuscan and Bordeaux varietals. If they’re lucky, guests will also get to sample some of Pietra Santa’s incredible olive oils, also grown and pressed on the property
There will be strolling minstrels, and members of a local theater troupe will be present in full costume, providing nonstop entertainment.
As in Venice, costumes and masks are required. But don’t worry. You won’t have to fly to Venice to find appropriate accoutrement. (I really didn’t mean to make flying to Venice sound like a chore. If you need someone to go there and get a costume for you, I’m your man. I’ll make the time. You don’t mind if I bring my wife along, do you?) Deanna has teamed up with local artist Carla Almanza. Carla crafts authentic Venetian masks – in fact, her work has been on display at the Pietra Santa tasting room for some time now.
If you haven’t been to Pietra Santa, Carnevale would be a great excuse to head out Cienega Road and experience the world that Joseph and Deanna have created. It’s a dramatic setting, with an impressive building set in a sea of vines amid the rolling hills. Carnevale will be held in that building, amid barrels of wine awaiting its turn to shine – perhaps at next year’s event.
Need costume ideas?
Deanna and Carla will be at Heatherfield’s on Sunday, Feb. 27 from 10am to 4pm to help people with costume ideas. Tickets to the event will also be available, and also by calling the winery at (831) 636-1991.
Heatherfield’s is located at 243 6th Street in Hollister.
