At Da Vittorio's massive gate, you have to ring the bell. Then it opens, imposing and unhurried, revealing a gastronomic paradise: a villa on the hillside, flanked by rows of vines climbing the slope in the evening sun. Brusaporto, a village of barely 5,000 inhabitants east of Bergamo, at the foot of the Colle Tomenone. In the gourmet world, this address has a ring of its own – one that rhymes beautifully with fine dining and a great deal of Italianità.
The welcome is a matter for the chef himself. Enrico Cerea – executive chef of Da Vittorio with his brother Roberto, known as «Bobo» – and head of a kitchen that has held three Michelin stars since 2010, introduces himself simply as «Chicco». Behind him, a good dozen waiters, each individually dressed in dark tones – you could illustrate a fashion magazine with this crew. A glass of 2011 Franciacorta sparkles by way of greeting, and the menu is settled without further ado: twelve courses, at the chef's discretion.
Ring the bell first: the path to Da Vittorio on the family's Cantalupa estate in Brusaporto. (Image: Da Vittorio)
Aperitivo with a view
The first act, however, is not performed in the dining room. A golf cart chauffeurs us straight through the vines – which, incidentally, are no mere scenery: the Cereas actually farm them and press their own red called «Faber», a few thousand bottles a year. At the top, a sweeping forest clearing opens up, helipad included. Here, the aperitivo is prepared at a fire bowl. For this institution of Italian hospitality, the house has devised something of its own: small appetizers from the charcoal grill.
