Castello Di Reschio’s recently opened ‘Ristorante Alle Scuderie’ (June 2019) represents a turning point in the evolution of this remarkable Estate we’ve been following since our first visit in 2013. Along with its nearby soon to be completed boutique hotel (June 2020) being converted from the Estate’s castle (or Borgo to be more accurate), the restaurant will herald Castello Di Reschio’s entry into an elite field of Italy’s finest regional destination locales, offering visitors an opportunity to dine in the idyllic setting of the Umbro-Tuscan countryside.
Having experienced Reschio’s existing private restaurant and kitchen in the past, the ‘Osteria’, which principally services the Estate’s residents as dining and entertaining hub, we were familiar with Reschio’s culinary ethos of creating impeccable yet simple Italian cuisine with a focus on traditional Umbrian fare. Utilising the ever-changing ingredients of their own kitchen garden and supplemented with the produce sourced from the wider estate and local area, the Ristorante follows the same paddock-to-plate philosophy as its smaller predecessor with an ever-changing menu depending on seasonable availability and a wine list featuring local organic wines as well as the Italian classics.
Sampling one of the Estate’s own house wine, a San Giovese, or getting into a discussion on how the last growing season’s climatic conditions created the sharper peppery notes in the Estate’s own olive oil highlights Castello Di Reschio’s commitment to the principles of sustainable and local.
‘Ristorante Alle Scuderie’ structure is the culmination of a year’s work by the Reschio creative team under the direction of architect Count Benedikt Bolza who runs the Estate for the family. In this instance, Bolza has created a large spacious building in the style of the Estate’s modern Umbrian aesthetic. Upon entering the restaurant, you’re immediately impressed with both the scale of the venue, with its double-height internal dining hall, and the sublimely appointed space with its custom-designed furniture and fixtures crafted in the Estate’s own ‘Tabaccaia’ artisan workshops, the creative heart of Reschio.
In the restaurant, Bolza has paid particular attention to light. Whether it’s the golden afternoon sun streaming through the enormous floor to double-height ceiling glass windows which overlook the Estate, to the warm glow emanating from the custom-made cordless lamps on the tables, or the dramatic sharp shards beaming across the dark ceiling void, the overall effect achieves a kind of cinematic drama perfectly paired with the grandeur of the space itself.
The restaurant can be configured to accommodate both small intimate groups or couples along with larger more numerous parties in either indoor or outdoor settings, such as on the large covered terrace or in the adjacent garden by the old restored fountain or indeed under the pizza loggia complete with fireplace.
The centrepiece of the restaurant, however, is undoubtedly the ‘Bar Centrale’. Almost an artwork in its own right, the bar represents the perfect union of Bolza’s design vision combined with the master craftsmanship of Reschio’s own woodworkers, blacksmiths, and stonemasons. Exuding an air of old-world Italian glamour, the bar is set to become the natural meeting place for those on the Estate at different times of the day. Whether calling in for a macchiato in the late morning or enjoying a Negroni in the evening, the bar is the perfect backdrop to any stay at Castello Di Reschio.
