The Narcisi Winery: It’s like having a little piece of Italy, right in your backyard

Two days ago, several of us from the Primetime Center took a little road trip to Gibsonia, roughly 40 minutes north of Pittsburgh—and home to the Narcisi Winery.  The weather could not have been more perfect, around 60F and not a cloud in the sky.

It’s a family owned business, and the buildings (restaurant, winery, ampitheater, assorted gazebos & grape arbors) made it feel like we’d arrived in Italy.  It was beautiful.

Based on reviews I read online, I was all set to order the Roasted Eggplant Parmigiana; but once we were seated, I wound up eating half the warm bread at our table and was carb’d out.  (It was delicious, served with olive oil, parmesan cheese & crushed red pepper for dipping—I think we went through 3 loaves!)

The server recommended I try one of their dinner salads, and said their steak salad got high praise.  I said I had difficulty with most steaks because of a jaw dysfunction, but she told me it was very tender, a cut between a ribeye and filet mignon, and the chef would cook it special.  I said okay.

Hands down, it was the best meal I’ve had this year.  And probably the best steak salad I’ve eaten in my lifetime. 

Afterwards, a few of us did some wine tasting at the taster’s bar, and the sommelier was so kind finding me a wine I enjoyed, I wound up buying a bottle to take home.

Here’s a couple pics of our outing: 

My friend Evvie & myself, waiting for our food to arrive and doing what we do best (chatting and noshing)

This isn’t a great picture of Geri, but I wanted to include everything behind her—a tremendous stone fireplace and tapestries of Italy that adorned the stucco walls

Here’s that steak salad I talked about earlier, the greens were delicious in a peppery garlic marinade. It was pretty much perfection

After our meal and after the wine tasting, we went outside to explore the grounds.  Do you remember that scene in ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ where the kids and their parents are let loose in the factory, licking fruit-flavored walls and eating candy flowers and such?

I was reminded of that here, with half the seniors in our group exploring the arbors, stuffing their mouths and purses with grapes!

And finally, here’s that bottle of wine I brought home.  Given current events, I may open it this weekend, and do some reflecting.  Stay safe, everyone.