Stefano Barbini is a man of strong opinions. At dinner with journalists, the owner of northern Italy?s exquisite, private White Deer Mountain Lodge announces that he hates sommeliers. ?It?s too theoretical,? he explains. ?If I want to drink tobacco, I?ll drink a cigar. I want to know the man behind the wine.? And so a local wine expert?emphatically not a somm?helped him choose wines to match the rustic, delicious mountain cuisine cooked by his wife, co-owner and self-taught chef, Giorgia.
The food?which has passion as its secret ingredient?is so good that Michelin asked the Barbinis for permission to include the house as ?special place? in its guidebook. They said no. The Südtirol has the most Michelin stars in Italy, and he didn?t think they needed one too. ?It attracts guests, but maybe they?re the wrong kind of guests,? he says. ?No White Deer guest has ever asked about Michelin-star restaurants nearby.? Guests ask where their family goes, and they happily tell them. White Deer San Lorenzo Mountain Lodge
The lodge is a 16th-century house overlooking the intersection of three valleys, near the village of San Lorenzo in the Dolomites. It?s stunning country, laced with trails for hiking and snowshoeing?you can actually see white deer?and there are several ski areas nearby. The house, which is well-heated by fireplaces and stoves, is a perfect place to warm up, with three bedrooms for couples and a bunk bed room for children upstairs and a series of cozy lounges and dining...