Hills and castles

Soft, undulating, dotted with vineyards, the hills of Parma are places of charm and surprises

by Silvia Ugolotti

The country of hams

Nothing to say: some people in Langhirano have noses.
In the land of hams, the gentlemen of the Parma Quality Institute decide the fate of about ten million pieces of raw ham a year with a thin horse bone.
They stick it into the ham and after extracting it, they sniff it.
In silence, amid concentration and much experience, they choose those that can be branded: on the skin a five-pointed ducal crown.
This is the final, perhaps the most exciting stage of a long process, from salting to the cellars.
The best prosciutto is born here, where the sea blows and the stones preserve intact stories of princesses and knights.
On the Prosciutto and Wine Road of the Parma hills, a land of charm and natural riches, Langhirano has been able to develop the art of pork butchery thanks to the resourcefulness of its artisans and the favorable climate for curing, the good air that comes from Versilia.

Celebrating the King

The importance of its geographical location was evident as early as the 12th and 13th centuries, and it soon became a center of trade and communication between the city, the hilly area and the mountain villages.
Today, companies linked to the Prosciutto di Parma Dop Consortium export all over the world and bring the Prosciutto Festival(festivaldelprosciuttodiparma.com) to life each year in September, with events featuring gastronomy, entertainment and culture.
The most important, “Open Windows,” lets visitors enter the prosciuttifici, watch the processing cycle and participate in tastings.
Connoisseurs of the subject can pay a visit to the Museum of Prosciutto in the former foro Boario, a journey full of nuances and discoveries to retrace history through vintage objects (via Bocchialini 7, tel. 0521 218889).
To stock up, there’s the Fratelli Galloni company(galloniprosciutto.it), which has been vouching for quality raw material since 1938.
Among the goodies is the barrique ham, aged in oak barrels where wines were once aged.

Culture, art and nature

In an environmental setting of undeniable charm, Torrechiara Castle(castellidelducato.it) is just a few minutes’ drive from Langhirano.
An example of 15th-century architecture, it is a symbol of the civilization of beauty that spread manors, fortresses and fortresses in Emilia from the Middle Ages to the Belle Époque.
Imposing and scenic, it was photographed, instagrammed and filmed by Bernando Bertolucci in The Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man” (1981) and during the filming of Ladyhawke” with Michelle Pfeiffer (1985).
It was designed by Pier Maria Rossi, a man of arms and culture who wanted to make it a fortified structure to deter enemies and their sieges and to cultivate love.
Massive and well-protected it was meant to ward off any enemy siege, but also to welcome his beloved Bianca Pellegrini, whose story is celebrated by Benedetto Bembo in the paintings of the Camera d’Oro.
The walls are covered with terracotta tiles depicting coats of arms, emblems and the intertwined initials of the lovers.
From the courtyard of honor, characterized by loggias, porticoes and capitals, one enters the chapel of St. Nicomede and, later, the rooms frescoed in “grotesques” by Cesare Baglione.
The entrance portal speaks of a “altiera et felice” fortress, a perfect synthesis of defensive and residential functions.

Doc wines and ancient parishes

Surrounding the castle are the hills where the DOC Colli di Parma wines, the most representative and oldest in the province, are bottled.
Malvasia di Candia, sparkling, pairs with cured meats when dry; if sweet, it accompanies dessert.
From France-but well acclimatized from ancient times, and even more widespread in the area in the early 19th century during Napoleonic rule-comes the stately and unmistakable sauvignon.
It should be served chilled to honor the prosciutto.
From the Barbera and Bonarda vines (originally from Piedmont), on the other hand, comes Rosso dei Colli di Parma: full-bodied and savory, it is the wine of roasts, braised and boiled meats.
Wines that go well with the dishes served at Taverna del Castello(tavernadelcastello.it), where research into the raw material is the key word: in a medieval house from the 1400s, it has a terrace overlooking the valley for summer evenings.

Around are many wineries that are open for visits, tastings and special evenings, such as Cantina Lamoretti(lamoretti.eu) where the environment is respected and winemaking is geared to the search for pleasantness and typicality.
Lining its vineyards is the “Art Trail“(sentieroditorrechiara.it), which leads from the castle to Langhirano, flanking the San Michele canal and crossing woods, meadows, embankments and vineyards.
As you walk, you will encounter contemporary art installations that dialogue with the environment in perfect harmony.

Less than a kilometer from the castle is the Abbey of Santa Maria della Neve.
built close to the Parma stream.
Significant, the 15th-century cloister, the precious fresco “Madonna and Child,” a work of the Lombard school, and the Belvedere, a striking late Baroque architecture.
Today the Benedictine community has a bee laboratory for natural products: creams, ointments and special oils.
These preparations are based on very old recipes, inherited from the activity of the ancient Spezieria di San Giovanni di Parma, where natural medicines were made since the 1200s.