Antica Enotria (azienda agrobiologica) – more organic wines from Italy to delight us at the the 3rd edition of the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop

The Azienda Agrobiologica Antica Enotria is located in the province of Foggia, just a few kilometres from the Gulf of Manfredonia, near the salt works of  Margherita di Savoia, in Posta Uccello.

On these lands, they grow indigenous grapes such as Nero di Troia, Aglianico, Montepulciano and Falanghina. They train the vines to grow in the “Pugliese trellis” and the “espalier” methods, implementing the biological farming system.

All their wines are “bottled by the winemaker” to guarantee their origin.

Antica Enotria was established in  1993 when the founder Raffaele Di Tuccio, farmer for generations,  has converted his fields to organic farming, and started to vinify his grapes in the ancient Masseria  Staffa, building of 1700, now fully restored. 

The extension is of 40 Hectares with an annual production of 100.000 bottles of high quality wines. But the product range also includes preserves in oil of artichokes and dried tomatoes, extravergin oils and Table Olives of Cerignola all very interesting for their simplicity and authenticity.

In these fifteen years Antica Enotria has received several quality certificates from Gambero Rosso, Slow Food, Meran International Wine Festival, and other wine guides. In  2007 the Falanghina has received the Oscar Quality price from Gambero Rosso and all other wines have received good scores and reviews from Italian wines guides.

THE WINES: FALANGHINA Igt Daunia, CONTESSA STAFFA Rosato Igt Daunia,  AGLIANICO Igt Puglia, NERO DI TROIA Igt Puglia, ROSSO DI CERIGNOLA doc, Rosso di Cerignola doc FALU’,  SANGIOVESE Igt Puglia.

If you would like to contact this winery and find out more about their wines please do so through their web site or come along to Sitges (Barcelona) and try their wines at their table. Just enrol by completing the form!

VERA DE ESTENAS (DO Utiel – Requena) at the Wine Pleasures Workshop: Buyer meets Spanish Cellar

The Wine Pleasures Workshop: Buyer meets Spanish Cellar looks set to benefit enormously all of the participating Spanish wineries. With the appointment making between buyers and cellars well underway, many wineries are already reporting positive looking appointments.

Most active buyers for setting early appointmnets include RMB Associates (USA), Vin Kompagniet (Denmark), Omniwines (USA), Distribuidora de la Peña (El Salvador), Vinos y Tapas (Germany) and Petre Spassov (Bulgaria).

This year we have just two wineries from the DO Utiel-Requena: Chozas Carrascal (2nd year attending) and Vera de Estenas. Infact Vera de Estenas was, behind Abadal (DO Pla de Bages) the second winery to enrol way back in November 2008.

Vera de Estenas was founded by the Martínez family in the borough of Utiel (Valencia) in the 1940s. Nowadays, the third generation of owners of VERA DE ESTENAS, Mr. Félix Martínez Roda is our General Manager and Head Winemaker.

The cellar Vera de Estenas is located in the heart of one of oldest wine regions of the world:  Utiel-Requena, and produces a wide variety of wines from the autochthonous grapes Bobal and international grapes as Malbec, Syrah, Carbernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay.

The whole estate is dedicated entirely to the growing of vines. These range from over a hundred year old Bobal vines to the recently planted ones. All our wines are from hand-harvested grapes grown in our vineyards, crafting in the ageing plant and bottling in the upgraded cellar.

 If you would like to contact Vera de Estenas please do so through their web site or enrol to attend the Wine Pleaures Workshop Buyer meets Spanish Cellar and meet the winemakers in person.

Loacker (organic wine) at the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop

South Tyrol’s wine history goes back to well beyond the Roman period. This region was part of the Roman province of Rhaetia and its wines were in high demand among the eternal city’s patricians. Now, some 2000 years later the South Tyrolean wines are more popular than ever thanks to a 20 year-long strive to maximise quality in both the vineyard and cellar. This involves drastically reducing vineyard yields in favour of quality, rigorously selecting grapes and adopting winemaking techniques which express each grape’s varietal character to the full.

Rainer Loacker chose and decided to follow these principles from the very beginning and gradually introduced biological cultivation methods, in the Schwarhof estate, which was documented as long ago as 1334, and in the nearby Kohlerhof estate. Both are in the heart of the classic St. Magdalena vineyard area. He has been producing superb wines from these vineyards since 1979. Their superlative quality is due on the one hand to the climatic conditions and soils consisting of loess, sand and clay on the steep hillsides overlooking the Bolzano valley basin, and on the other, to toil and perseverance while working consistently in harmony with nature. Lagrein and Vernatsch (Schiava) the varieties indigenous to South Tyrol are grown on the pergola trellising system, while for international varieties the wire frame “guyot” system is used. All red wines are fermented in oak and top quality wines are matured in Barrique. The excellent white wines are grown in the “Kalter Keller” estate in the Eisacktal valley. It is Rainer Loacker’s intention to leave his mark in life through hard work and endurance aimed at creating a source of happiness, satisfaction, a fondness for good company and tranquillity in a glass of wine. Schwarhof has been managed on these principles for 22 years and the impulses it releases stimulate the heart and soul and emanates perfect harmony.

Tuscany is one of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious wine-growing areas and like most Mediterranean region it is characterised by wine, olive oil and corn. The Tuscan countryside has a stimulating effect on people and has brought forth an enormous abundance of artists, scientists and winegrowers. It also attracted Rainer and Hayo Loacker.

The Loacker estate Corte Pavone extends across the Montalcino hillsides at around 500 metres altitude amid a delightful landscape consisting of vineyards, fields and thick Mediterranean scrub. The finest sites and soils are planted with carefully selected clones of Sangiovese for the production of Brunello. Aromatic plants and herbs such as rosemary, lavender and thyme grow among the vines in the Corte Pavone estate and these and many more characterise the aromas and flavours of the complex and deep ‘Brunello di Montalcino’ which comes from these vineyards. The crushed grapes are left to ferment slowly with temperature control and the wine is matured for four to five years in oak casks of differing sizes and origins. Finally the wine is matured in bottle for six months prior to release. The wine estate ‘Corte Pavone’ was owned by the Martini family from Montalcino from around 1940 to 1988 and was subsequently managed by the Swiss company ‘Terre Bindella’. The Rainer Loacker family acquired it in 1996 and since then it has been run according to Loacker principles with the motto ‘Philosophy with heart and soul.

The southern part of Tuscany bordering onto Latium also has a rich wine-growing tradition reaching back to the Etruscans and beyond. They were great agriculturalists and during the first millennium BC developed a highly advanced wine culture, trading their produce with the Greeks. This in its turn led to the introduction of Greek grape varieties into Italy. The Etruscans vanished in the mist of time while their wine culture has survived. Several years ago Rainer Loacker acquired another very promising wine estate in the heart of old Etruria in the province of Grosseto: Valdifalco. It is located between Alberese and Collecchio in the commune of Magliano in Toscana. The name meaning “Valley of the Falcon” alludes to the fact that the area was famous for falconry in medieval times. The Valdifalco estate is bordered by Via Aurelia road to the south, the ‘La Selva’ wine estate to the east, extensive woodland to the north and to the west by the two hectares of vineyard owned by our neighbours, the Fusini family. It is located in a beautiful position among rolling hills where 12 hectares of vines were planted amidst olive groves in spring 2000. A further 11 hectares of vines will be planted there in 2001. The climate here is distinctly Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and the area is protected from the sea by the hilly landscape of the “Uccellina” The soils provide an excellent prerequisites for quality wine production, being red and loamy with a high iron content, while the upper sites are characterised by marl. The vines are spur pruned on the wire frame, guyot trellising method and the rows ascend the hillsides vertically, though in places also cross them horizontally. Earth, sun, wind and sea are the real protagonists in crafting thes wines, while the human element is charactrised by principles of biological wine growing which are common to all Loacker wine estates. Depending on the characteristics of individual sites such as the microclimate, exposition, altitude and steepness of the terrain the following varieties are planted: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Primitivo. We will have to wait until 2004 for the first Valdifalco “Morellino di Scansano” to appear, though patience is a virtue of both winegrowers and wine lovers.

Interested in adding organic wine to your exisiting portfolio? Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop or contact Loacker through their web site.

MASET, THE CAVA SPECIALIST

Good news for buyers travelling to participate in the Wine Pleasures Workshop: Buyer meets Spanish Cellar! Cava is often a preferred wine for buyers and Maset del LLeó have some excellent cavas to consider.

Here’s some background info on the winery: Since 1777, the Maset family is closely linked to the world of wine.  A legacy that resists the pass of time, generation after generation, working in the industry for over 200 years.  As one of the founders of the Cava wine region, Maset, offers a wide range of sparkling wines: Brut, Brut Nature, Semi-sweet, Rose, a variety that has positioned us as the Cava Specialist what allows us to supply any specific demand of each of our customers.   SPANISH WINE AMBASSADORS   The winery produces its prestige wines carefully, only selecting the best grapes and following a strict quality process. Currently, the winery has a wide range of top quality products, wines from the most important regions Currently, Maset is focussing its efforts on the international markets and we are looking forward to contact distributors interested in collaborating with a solid firm and a leader in its market.

Looking to add Cava to your portfolio? Come and visit the Wine Pleasures Workshop: Buyer meets Spanish Cellar (15 – 17 March)

Punset (organic wine) – one of several Italian wineries looking to export their wines through the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop

Not surprisingly, we are presenting information on another Italian organic wine producer to participate in the next Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop:

The Punset Winery is located in the village of Neive, in the Piemonte district of Italy. The “azienda agricola” lays up on a hill which faces the old town. The Winery’s name Punset comes from the Piedmont’s dialect and history, which says that the Counts of Neive gave this nickname to the roundish peak they could see from their castle, where the winery and vineyards are today. Today the winery is run by Marina Marcarino, who is one of a few female wine makers which first started this activity in Piedmont; she is making the winery one of the top producers of the area.

The property, has been owned by the Marcarino family for many years: it was about year 1964 that the Punset winery decided to sell its wines in shops and restaurants. Up to this period the wines were made only for family use.

Over the 40 years that the winery has been marketing their products, they have developed methods and philosophy of making excellent wines at reasonable prices. Punset Vineyards are controlled by an agricultural director, always following organic methods without using chemical pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers.          

Punset is the only winery in the  area that was totally converted to the growth of vines with natural certified methods, in 1987. Selected grapes from owned vineyards become wines under the oenologist’s technical control, combining technology with tradition. Wines with typical characteristics of high quality and personality are reaching many markets with an increasing positive reputation year by year. Only the very best grapes picked in our vineyards are made into our wines. The Punset brand is becoming well known also thanks to specialized journalists of books and magazines.       Many awards and recognition have been given to those wines lately and at least one of our Punset wine is awarded by important writers annually. In particular, “the Wine Spectator” and “Santè”, as well as Robert Parker, put this wines at their top ratings.

THE WINES: LANGHE DOC BIANCO, LANGHE DOC ARNEIS, DOLCETTO D’ALBA DOC, DOLCETTO D’ALBA DOC Campo Re, BARBERA D’ALBA DOC, LANGHE DOC ROSSO, BARBARESCO DOCG, BARBARESCO DOCG Campo Quadro, BARBARESCO IN INFUSO DI CHINA Quintessenza

Please feel free to contact the Punset winery through their website or alternatively enrol to the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop.

Organic wines from Italy set to dominate the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop

Buyers travelling to Spain with the aim of adding organic and biodyanmic wines to their exisiting portfolios might think they will be seeing majority Spanish wineries at the workshop event. Well they couldn’t be more wrong as it seems that Itlalians really do do it better!

With already 8 Italian wineries making the journey to Spain to meet international buyers and a few travelling down from France the organisers are actually thinking of shifting the event to Italy for 2010 due to seemingly lack of interest on the part of Spanish wineries to export their wines.  Is it the case that Spanish wineries have not got any organic wine to export? Has all been sold already?

Sadly, it seems there will not be much Spanish wine to pour into the buyer’s empty glasses during the thrid edition of the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop (17 – 19 March).

RMB Associates Inc to participate in the Wine Pleasures Workshops

Based in two countries: the state of Georgia and Quebec, RMB Associates Inc (Importer of Fine Wines & Spiritis) will be participating in both the Wine Pleasures Workshop: Buyer meets Spanish Cellar and the International Organic Workshop this March. Both the President and the Vice President of the company will be attending.

For particpating wineries it’s an interesting importer to meet with as they only currently import wines from Argentina, South Africa, Chile and the USA.

RMB Associates is currently looking for Spanish wine from the Penedes, Priorat and Montsant region. They are looking for pure varietal as well as blend. They are specializing more in the boutique winery as we are looking for quality. Spanish wine are in demand in the US and people are looking to discover their quality. 

If you would like to meet RMB Associates together with many more international buyers then please complete an enrollment form on our the Wine Pleasures website.

La luna del Rospo (Biodynamic wine): Wine Pleasures International Orgnic Workshop

The Azienda Agricola La Luna del Rospo was founded in 1994 from Renata Schütz and Michael Schaffer, two young people of German nationality that more than accidentally have uncovered in Agliano Terme, little village in Monferrato’s hills, a small cellar in nearly complete abandonment. Pushes from the passion for the wine, have decided to change life and to begin the adventure: “to make the wine”.

From here the main objective of the company: to produce wine of the territory. Being Agliano Terme, one of the main village in Barbera’s area, this is the more important product of the company.

Today the Luna del Rospo has 8 hectares of vineyard, all cultivated closely following the rules of biological and biodynamics agriculture.

THE WINES: PIEMONTE DOC CORTESE, BARBERA D’ASTI DOC, PIEMONTE DOC BARBERA, GRIGNOLINO D’ASTI DOC, MONFERRATO DOC ROSSO

If you would like to contact the La Luna del Rospo please do so through the VINTESA Consortium  website. If you would like to participate in the International Organic Workshop (17 – 19 March) as a wine buyer then please complete an enrollment form.

Fasoli Gino (organic wine) also has a 0% sulphite wine!

David Moore has made an interesting comment on Wine 2.0 re consumers and sulphite wines in the USA. Perhaps more organic wine producers should be moving to 0% sulphites or perhaps conventional wine producres should be moving to at least to the sulphite restrictions of organic wines?

Fasoli Gino (Veneto), also present at the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop  have two 0% sulphite wines available for export: BIANCO GARGANEGA “B” and ROSSO CORVINA “R”. Here’s some info on this Italian winery:

To fully understand what we are today, it is necessary to look to our ancestors.

In 1925, our grandfather Amadio was the pioneer of the farm. It was he who first planted vines and made wine from his own grapes and produced a good quality wine. At this time he used to sell his wine to the best taverns in cities such as: Verona, Vicenza and Padova, transporting it in small barrels on a horse-drawn cart.

Our father Gino, and his brother Gigi, built on their father’s experience building the reputation of our wine in other regions of Italy and abroad. Together, with the work of Amadio-Franco in 1966 and Natalino in 1971, this has been the foundation from which we have been able to grow.

Our first foray into organic cultivation came in 1980 and since 1984 all of our vineyards have become organic. In 1990 they were A.I.A.B approved.

The vineyards are situated in the lower Illasi valley near San Zeno di Colognola ai Colli and Illasi. These areas have a strong tradition of viticulture because of the nature of the land (partly clay and partly a mix of stones and sand) and the favourable microclimate: the wide, sunny valley is protected from the north by the lessini hills.

We are currently cultivating 20 hectars of vineyards divided into seven parts: Casetta, Cassòla, Creàri, Pessétta, Perantònie, Orgno and Sande. The soil type varies from one vineyard to the other, which has helped determine which varieties should be planted. In the clay soil there are 30 to 40 years-old Garganega vines, traditionally cultivated for the production of Soave wine.

Back in 1978 we planted Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the stony and sandy soils, adopting a system of vine training known as “pergola corta” and “cordon pruned” to improve aeration, reduce spoilage and thus improve ripening. This has allowed us to obtain wines of better structure, which are therefore more suitable for fermentation and barrel maturation.

The meticulous vinicultural practices include: cover crops; manuring with bovine dung; balanced pruning to guarantee a low yeld; pest control using natural products and predators and hand picking carried out at different times to select grapes at their optimum ripening point.

The vinification is undertaken with the use of modern technology whilst respecting the criteria for organic production. This involves: destemming; light pressing; must clearing by natural decanting through cooling filtration with fossil dust; fermentation at controlled temperatures  and fining using bentonite.

In this way we have, in the course of time, ensured that our wines reflect both regional and varietal characteristics in harmony with the surrounding environment.

 If you would like to contact Fasoli Gino please do so through the VINTESA Consortium web site. Better still come and join us in the Mediterranean town of Sitges in the International Organic Workshop

Los Pinos 0% (organic wine) Sulphite free!

Have you got wine consumers concerened about healthier eating and drinking? Sulphite free wines have got to appeal! At the Wine Pleasures International Organic Workshop we are fortunate to have 3 wineries (to date) producing suphite free wines – Los Pinos (Spain), Perlage (Italy) and VINTESA (Italy).

Here’s some info on the Los Pinos 0%:

Grapes selected in the vineyard FINCA EL ALTO. Elaborated WITHOUT SULPHITES and with autocton yeast. Varieties: Garnacha, Monastrell y Syrah. Tasting notes: Complex, spice and intense nose which remains eucalyptus, strawberry jam and cherry.

Los Pinos 0% is elaborated with all the indigenous yeasts of our vineyard since there are no sulphites added that could eliminate them. Hand harvested in cases of 15kg to avoid oxidation. Produced with grapes selected for their phenolic potential and low pH, which confers natural resistance so that the wine can evolve in the bottle.

Not sure how the export works for such wines but then you can apparently find a sulphite free  wine on the shelves of Sainsburys from mid – March all the way from South Africa and at an astonishing retail price of 4.99 GBP! Sulphite free organic wine for under 5.00 GBP – How do they do it? Presumably, sulphite free wine is not available to buy in bulk quantities? Also they would have to sell it very quickly, wouldn’t they?