Antinori (Umbria) to participate in the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar

Clever Agricola Antinori based in Montefalco in the province of Perugia will be joining the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyers meets Italian Cellar from 18 – 20 May. They look to do well as they are the only winery from the Umbria region and they do not yet export thier wines. Buyers will be queuing up to taste their wines and meet the owner.

We look forward to tasting their Sagrantino and/or coupage of Sagrantino, Sangiovese and Merlot on the first night of the event at dinner. Here’s  how Antinori present themselves:

The company AGRICOLA ANTINORI extends as far as the towns of Bevagna, Montefalco, Gualdo Cattaneo and Castel Ritaldi along “La Strada del Sagrantino”. It owns 27 hectares of vineyards and 70 hectares of olive groves. 

Sagrantino wine of Montefalco represents one of the finest examples of the Italian wines, like the famous Chianti, Barolo, Brunello of Montalcino and the most “common” Sangiovese. In the area of Montefalco the cultivation of the vines, especially the Sangiovese, dates back to the ‘pre Roman era, so much so that, Pliny the Elder boasted the qualities of the wine of this land. Later some Franciscan monks brought the Sagrantino grape wine from Asia Minor and replaced it in the vineyards of the Sangiovese grape. This rare and precious grapes only grow in the hills around the country of Montefalco. This makes possible to add Sagrantino of Montefalco in the ‘ Olympus of the Italian wines’. It can be said that the Sagrantino wine is a “unique” wine because of its relationship with the area in which the vine grow and its fruit is rich in noble components that give structure and character to the wine. As a result of a research on the DNA mapping of the Sagrantino shows that no similarity was found with other parental varieties. This wine is unique but also very complex: in the cellars there is the effort to understand and deal with this unknown and exuberant vine in the vineyard and winery, they study the clonal selection, the system of cultivation, the planting density and all it may enable the plant to make the most of its enormous potentiality. The continuous search to improve the winemaking processes, the polyphenols maturation and the winemaking techniques are aimed to make this wine more elegant and noble. Sagrantino of Montefalco dry wine is produced and certified as a DOCG wine since 1979. The production of Sagrantino Passito has obtained the DOCG certification of quality in 1992. In addition to the grapes of Sagrantino, in the territory of Montefalco, other grapes are also cultivated,  such as Sangiovese, Merlot. These 2 grapes together with the Sagrantino make another wine, the Montefalco Rosso Doc. In its new cellar of about 800 square meters the Winery AGRICOLA ANTINORI produces DOC, DOCG and IGT wines, in particular: Sagrantino of Montefalco DOCG, Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG, Rosso of Montefalco DOC, IGT Umbria Melanzio Red wine, DOC Grechetto dei Colli Martani, Grechetto Umbria IGT, Ritaldi red wine IGT, Bianco Ritaldi Table wine. All these wines from AGRICOLA ANTINORI are making them known on the market under the brand CANTINA COLLESOLE.

Umbria Rosso IGT MELANZIO received great appreciation from the critics for the various editions of Vinitaly to the Winery has participated. The FISAR, Federazione Italiana Sommelier and restaurant owners in the course of the 2007 edition of Vinitaly, held in Verona has reserved to a judgment MELANZIO excellent classifying it among the best young wines throughout the event. A great recognition for the Agricola Antinori scarl but also for the area of Montefalco which received a great level of visibility by placing it at the top of wine country. An article dedicated to this wine has been published in the Corriere dell’Umbria April 19 2007.

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG is a wine produced from the DOCG grapes of Montefalco area. It is a wine of great structure from the large bouquet with hint of blackberry blackberries, suitable for large roasts, game and game. Lends itself to long aging. Serve at a temperature of 18 ° or so, after proper decanting.

Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG Passito is produced from grapes of Sagrantino a harvest to dry on racks with the respect of the natural process. It is a dessert wine, very balanced, ruby color with purple reflections and tending to garnet, full of smells (there is a bramble of blackberry and forest fruits), for aging. Combines with the traditional Umbrian pastry (tozzetti Almond, rock), but expresses his character with mature cheeses. Excellent wine for meditation.

Rosso di Montefalco DOC comes from vineyards on the hills of the area exposed happily Doc Montefalco. Produced by the skilful collaboration of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Sagrantino, shows a young ruby red color and pleasantly soft bouquet and fresh taste. To taste a 16 ° – 18 ° with red meats, roasts, cheese plates and structured media seasoning.

 Grechetto IGT Umbria is a wine produced by a skilful blend of white grapes of the area and Castel di Montefalco Ritaldi. It has a straw yellow color, smooth taste, slightly bitter and dry. Suited to taste wine as an aperitif, with appetizers, pasta dishes and Italian fish. Serving temperature 8 ° – 10 °.

Umbria Rosso IGT Ritaldi comes from the hills of Castel Ritaldi Montefalco and has a ruby red color. Very pleasant to the taste, soft and young, best expressed the characteristics of red grapes typical of the area. To taste with excellent pasta dishes, red meat, cheese or fresh medium maturing.

If you would like to contact Antinori about the export of their wines please do so through their web site. If you would like to meet owner, Alessio Utrio and his charming and efficient Export Manager, Elisa please complete an enrollment form.

Next posts will be live and frequent from the event so keep coming back to this blog for the latest news from the workshop.

See you in or from Treviso.

Cantina Gigi Rosso (Piemonte) bring wines made with Nebbiolo & Barbera grapes to the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar

When Seagrams invested millions in Bersano wines in the late 1960’s, Arturo Bersano hired respected winemaker Luigi ‘Gigi’ Rosso to find him some good vineyards. The opportunity allowed Rosso to look over the entire areas for choice vineyards that were for sale, and gave him a good feeling for where he could look to buy vineyards of his own.

He established his winery in 1971. Today Gigi Rosso has 72 acres (a large holding by Piedmont standards) and a beautiful new winery in Castiglione Falletto on the main road toward Barolo, In fact, as you travel south Alba, the Gigi Rosso winery is the first you will come to after turning off on the road to Barolo. It’s the perfect place for a traveler to stop, with a spacious tasting room and a museum of historical winemaking implements. Rosso, with his sons Claudio and Maurizio, produces Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and Dolcetto.

The Rossos have four vineyards in the Langhe area, but the crown jewels is the Arione vineyard in the township of Serralunga, which produces wines of great class and longevity, combining feminine allure with masculine power, the quintessential attributes of Barolo. With 50 years of experience making wine, Gigi Rosso has a sense of tradition and history, but tradition doesn’t impede his quest for perfection. He is constantly experimenting and fine turning his techniques. His wines are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel and aged in both large Slavonian oak casks and French oak barrels, depending on what suits the particular grapes. The winery produces about 21,000 cases of DOC and DOCG wines each year.

Gigi Son’s are an integral part of the operations. Claudio is in charge of the vineyards, Maurizio handles Marketing, which in this era involves a lot of exportation.

The multi-lingual Maurizio Rosso is well-suited to the job. He and his wife Mia, an American from Carmel, California, met at U.C. Santa Cruz when Maurizio was in California doing research for a book he was writing about the lives of Piedmontese immigrants. His latest Book, Myth and Personality, is about the wine-makers of Barolo, told in their own words.

If you would like to join us at the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar and meet Maurizio Rosso and of course try his wines then please complete an enrollment form.

Tenuta Grimani (Veneto) to join the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar

The 2009 Wine Pleasures Workshop: Buyer meets Italian Cellar will take place in Treviso, Italy, from May 18 – 20, 2009. Bringing together small to medium sized boutique wineries of all regions of Italy including: Veneto, Sicilia, Campania, Lombardia, Abruzzo, and Toscana and wine importers, wholesalers, retailers and HORECA from around the world, this year’s workshop will be the first of its kind in Italy.

Today we feature another winery from the Veneto region: Tenuta Grimani who bring to the workshop wines made with the Garganega and Pinot Grigio grape varieties. Tenuta Grimani present their winery:

“The story of our firm started in 1934 when the mother’s grandfather Pietro Dal Care bought some vines soils that once belonged to the noble family Grimani who were know because they had governed the Venice Republic as doges during the XVII century and from this family our firm owes its name. Strong with a vines surface of 13 hectares, “Tenuta Grimani” is now at the third generation of passionate vine-dressers with the son and daughter Andrea and Laura. The first follows the viticultural-oenological aspect while the second follows the commercial aspect.

The vineyards are situated in the fertile valley of Roncà at the foot of the Mount Calvarina, a famous prehistoric volcano.

The zone seems like a bay, in winter, when a light fog covers the lower part of the territory; in fact, it was like that when millions years ago, the sea covered a great part of the surrounding land. The fossil shells body and the specimen gathered in the local museum are evidence of the old origin of this fertile hills. On this land, upset and burnt by the ancient volcano, rich in lagoon deposits, the vineyard has cultivated since distant times.

The growing form classic Veronese espalier and the biggest production is of the grapes garganega, above all in the area called “Farinaldi”. It is an area marked by soft slopes, dotted by the white cherry flowers in spring and dominated by the remaining ancient middle Ages woods where, in the evening, furtive families of foxes slip away from their holes as if they wanted to check the precise achievement of the rural works done during the day by the hard-working vine-growers. And it is from grapes harvested in this area that we get a Soave by the unique and special character, the Farinaldo.

Downstream, exactly at the hill there is the ancient cellar which has been changed since a long time in a new structure with modern technologies.

New vineyards have increased the range of the traditional products as the pinot grigio, the cabernetand the merlot. First, the grandfather’s oenological and commercial success, then the father’s success encourage and make the still young heirs so proud that they can offer the consumer products of high quality rich in history”.

If you would like to meet Laura and enjoy her wines (Soave DOC, Passito IGT & Pinot Grigio IGT) then please complete an enrollment form to participate in this unique event in Italy.

Mas Beltran Balma

Durante (Veneto) organic wines to participate in the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar

The great news just keeps coming in for buyers attending the 1st ever Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar (18 – 20 May2009)

Added value is provided by 11 organic and biodyanamic  wineries represented at the workshop. One such winery is the Durante winery located at the foot of Montello in the Piave DOC Venetian region.

Michell Durante, the winery owner describes his winery

“The farm comprises 18 hectares of land situated in a green area called “ Le Spinèe ”, whose name is written in the label as farm logo. The land is cultivated with vine following the Organic Agriculture discipline.  There is also a covered area of 1500 sq.m., which is used as winery and equipment shelter.  Durante brothers have conserved the best of tradition and they carry out the experiences of the grandfather and the father:  the viticulture according to the tradition handed on from generation to generation.  It is not only a way of cultivation, which respects the environment, but also a way of life, an engagement assumed towards the man, the correct way to mean the progress.  The vine cultivation care is extremely pursued; the grapes selection is strict, the technology of transformation advanced in the respect of a handicraft tradition that does not have to be forgotten.  For this reason, the farm has been starting the organic agriculture since 1998 by giving up the use of fertilizers, plant protection products and herbicides.

For manuring, we only use substances which are compatible with the organic agriculture methods; organic manures of animal origin, molasses and seaweeds derivatives, so that they can give the adequate organic supply without any chemical contribution.  Even the grass cutting has its rules. Once cut it is left among the rows to help in creating an ideal habitat for useful insects, as bees, which are precious for pollination, and ladybirds, which eliminate many dangerous parasites.  This is a well-balanced ecosystem, where it is easy to find sparrow and blackbird nests among vines and on the trees, or notice the race of a hare, or some pheasants among the bushes.

In our farm, every phase of the vine production cycle is followed naturally all year round, by avoiding traumatic interventions for the vineyard ecosystem.  The prunings cycle begins in autumn, immediately after the leaves falling.  In February, we apply the first natural manuring by using organic manures of animal origin, but only if necessary.  The grass cutting among the rows is done every 40/45 days from May to August.  After that, treatments based on sulphur, lime and copper are done on leaves when necessary.  These substances are allowed by the rule CE no.2092/91 for the full organic cultivations.  In June, we consider the opportunity to do the green vintage to obtain the best qualitative result.  In July, in order to allow the best sun exposure, we practice the green pruning.  In September, the moment awaited for many months at last arrives:  the harvest. 

The processing begins as soon as the harvested grapes arrive in the winery.  Here, sensitiveness and man experience must express themselves at their best, in tune with the instruments that the most modern oenological technology offers.

Durante’s farm is certified by the Institute for the Environmental and Ethic Certification (ICEA) which recognizes the principles of natural cultivation in the full respect of environment and man health.  This certification is the acknowledgement to our job and to the engagement that distinguishes us and that will not come never less.

To contact the Durante winery please do so through their website. If you would like to meet Michele and try reds, whites and Prosecco in Treviso please complete an enrollment form.

See you in Italy!

Wine Pleasures organises Italian winery region visit programme: Veneto

Several participating wineries in the Wine Pleasures Workshop Buyer meets Italian Cellar will be opening their doors to receive motivated buyers interested in getting to know the beautiful wine region of Veneto. 

Sunday 17 May  

Treviso/Venice airport pick up & transfer to Hotel accommodation

19.30 Sfriso Pier winery visit followed by dinner in the winery

Monday 18 May 

Visit of the San Polo – Castello e Cantine Giol – a castle & winery dating back to 1400 – the oldest documented winery in Italy! 

Visit of the traditional and innovative Galileo Vini winery in Santa Maria di Piave.

Bio food with typical local dishes served with local organic wines in the Arcade – Pranzo Enoteca Bio Pizzolato 

Afternoon visit of the Prosecco hills and visit of the Perlage winery DOCG Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene 

Arrival and check in Villa Pace Park Hotel Bolognese 

Wines from Italy tasting to include Abruzzo, Campania, Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardia, Piemonte, Sicilia, Toscana, Umbria, and of course Veneto. This tasting will feature no less than 30 (!!) grape varieties some of which you’ve probably have never heard of so it’s a golden opportunity to add to your grape variety “tasted it list” 

Dinner & wine matching in the hotel 

Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 May 

Private meetings and tastings with winery owners and wine makers. 

Booking and prepayment for the event is required. So email to book your place and get your “it’s a steal” tasting payment (65 Euros) in early as we only have places for 6 fortunate buyers. 

As a hosted buyer you get 3 nights accommodation, all first rate meals, winery visit & workshop prog participation & local transfers.

See you in Italy!