BY CLAUDIA CIABATTINI
Getting to know Betty and Daniele is to open a window on a beautiful landscape: their strength – their love – is the main ingredient of their success.
Both grown up in Chianti, it is Daniele who is the closest to his hometown, Castellina: “He has a quite unconditional love for this place and everything he does, he does it to make it better!” – Betty tells me – and there perhaps unwittingly reveals one of the traits that most characterize the venue that Daniele has opened and manages with her: the great welcome and the strong will to satisfy the widest possible clientele.
The beginning of it all: Il Pitena (and its evolution)
In 1997 Daniele began his entrepreneurial activity by opening La Dolce Vita, a small wine bar in Castellina in Chianti, but it was in 2018 that he began to seize various opportunities in the historic centre of the town, starting with the complete renovation of the Chianti Bar, which thus became Il Pitena – in honour of its long-time managers.
Today Il Pitena successfully continues its activity as a Lounge Bar, but, since 2019, it has been joined by one of the projects that Betty and Daniele care the most about: Il Pitena Vinosteria.
The restaurant, in an old fondo in the centre of Castellina – just by the church – has been renovated keeping its main features intact but has acquired modernity and functionality thanks to an open space kitchen, so you can admire all the creations of the chef and the cook squad.
In this case, Daniele’s background in building and construction was fundamental because his knowledge and passion made it possible to build spaces that fully reflect the vision of the two entrepreneurs.
The most stimulating challenge: the Bar Italia
With the management of the Bar Italia – a long-established Castellina establishment – Daniele was able to give shape to his own idea of hospitality: starting from the setting of the space – a large and bright open space divided into sections – up to the food offering, varied and assorted, with everything to satisfy customers from morning to late evening.
Beginning with breakfasts and pastries, continuing with baked goods and artisan ice cream – in winter a hartisan chocolate shop is also added – and you get to the pizzeria, which offers gourmet pizzas with refined ingredients of the highest quality.
Recently, also the possibility of being able to eat the famous Poldo panini – Poldo is a very famous mobile paninoteca which, after great customer success, has recently opened various branches around the province of Siena.
With such a diversified offering everyone’s tastes can be catered to and this, for Betty and Daniele, is what matters the most.
InnPiazza Wine Bar: a small jewel in constant evolution
Its location is perfect because this place is right in the main square of Castellina, just under the enchanting medieval fortress.
Born as an informal but elegant place to spend relaxing moments in company, today – thanks to the nearby Osteria Il Re Gallo – you can not only drink excellent wine but also have lunch and dinner directly from the restaurant’s kitchen. Another excellent intuition offers everyone the opportunity to finally be able to experience a place, the square of Castellina, which has always been difficult to access for Castellina people.
From the most renowned wineries to the customer: that is the Selezione Grandi Vini [Selection of Great Wines].
The pride of all the couple’s activities is the Selezione Grandi Vini, a collaboration with the most important wineries in the area for the direct sale of their most appreciated world-class wines.
The work to choose the most representative wines has been very demanding, but the results were not long in coming: if in 2018 the collaboration started with four wineries – all from Castellina in Chianti – now we can see fourteen, scattered throughout the Chianti Classico area.
It goes without saying that the possibility of being able to purchase significant wines at winery prices is a truly winning idea.
If the success of Betty and Daniele is due above all to their intuitions in the entrepreneurial field, it is equally true that their strength is that of being a close-knit couple and constantly looking for stimuli: their true magic is to have understood that in order to succeed in carrying out great projects, it is not enough to be good, you have to surround yourself with excellence, find the right partners and promote everything that such a rich territory can offer.
Because alone you can go far, but together borders no longer exist.
Info: Bar Italia – Via Trento and Trieste 34, Castellina in Chianti (Si)/ Tel. 0577 740258/ casavico15@gmail.com
Pitena Lounge Bar – Vinosteria – Via Ferruccio 65 – 73, Castellina in Chianti (Si)/ Tel. 0577 742980/ casavico15@gmail.com
Inn Piazza Wine Bar – Piazza del Comune 20, Castellina in Chianti (Si) / Tel. 0577 144097 / casavico15@gmail.com