MASERA
Dense
with syllables
you burst forth
in real clusters…— “Il cuor che non persi”, Nando Scarmozzino
A bond between place, art and wine
Nando Scarmozzino is a man of many interests: literature, poetry, journalism, the mountains and wine too. He spent his childhood among his grandfather’s vineyards, who passed on this passion to him from an early age. As he grew up, he began to follow with curiosity the winemaking processes that take place inside the barrels, and as an adult he started tasting wines from all over Italy, without becoming a sommelier. Even today, he enjoys visiting wineries to discover niche products.
“Il cuor che non persi”: a tribute to Ossola
The collection “Il cuor che non persi” is dedicated to the land of Ossola, where the author spent three years of his life, becoming completely captivated by this area. Today Professor Scarmozzino is retired and aspires to return to live in Ossola, where part of his family also lives: a wish that would also allow him to continue tasting Ossola wines and discovering the area’s new wineries.
An Ossola told valley by valley
In the collection, the land of Ossola is described in evocative words that tell of its fauna, vegetation and unspoilt landscapes: the author presents Ossola as a mountainous, agricultural and wine-tourism destination, a world in which each valley has its own distinct personality. In the second part of the collection, Scarmozzino devotes space to the individual towns of the valley, without overlooking places, times and people: a collective portrait that reveals a sincere affection for this land.
Wine as a poetic language
Terms related to wine also recur frequently in his poems, used according to their deepest and most vital meaning. This is no isolated case: wine has always been a recurring theme in Italian literature and poetry, capable of evoking both the hard work in the fields and the joy of conviviality. In Scarmozzino’s case, these concepts fit perfectly with the current situation in Ossola, where viticulture is regaining prominence thanks to the restoration of ancient vineyards and the desire to reclaim the glorious local winemaking past.
A presentation on the eve of the harvest
The publication of the collection was first presented in Croveo, a hamlet of Baceno, on Sunday 29 August 2021, just as the grape harvest was about to begin: a symbolic choice, ideally linking the moment of publication to the agricultural cycle celebrated by the collection itself.
Discovering Ossola as told by someone who lived there
For those who, like Scarmozzino, are captivated by the charm of Val d’Ossola, a tasting among the vineyards remains the most direct way to experience first-hand the same emotions recounted in his verses.
Poetry as a key to understanding the area
Reading Scarmozzino’s verses before visiting Ossola can offer a different perspective on the area, one that helps you notice details that might otherwise escape a purely tourist gaze: an invitation to slow down and observe more closely the villages, vineyards and landscapes that the author has portrayed with such sensitivity.
Verses that, even today, invite us to see Ossola with fresh eyes.
A model for telling the story of an area
Scarmozzino’s experience can also be seen as a model for telling the story of an area without falling into tourist rhetoric: through poetry, the author succeeds in conveying an authentic and personal image of Ossola, far removed from the clichés often used in traditional tourism communication, and precisely for this reason able to speak to readers’ hearts.
Enjoy the reading, and enjoy your journey through the verses and vineyards of Ossola.
A heritage to preserve, verse by verse.
Poetry, wine and place, intertwined forever.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for reading this far.
Further reading
To continue the journey through vineyards and culture: the history of Ossola wine, our tastings, Women of Wine.
