Tuscan vineyards have always be devoted to the planting of red grapes, acknowledged worldwide. Most of them are from pure Sangiovese, less or more. You are spoiled for choosing among Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico and Chianti, Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino di Scansano and many others. More there are many big reds from Bolgheri.
There is a wine area in Italy, whose character is more distinguished than others: this is Valpolicella, in Veneto, North East of Italy, by Verona, the world famed city of Romeo and Juliet, the tragedy written by Shakespeare. From such a romantic and fascinating land, it comes a deep, noble and passionate red wine: Amarone della Valpolicella. This is a wine that has deeply changed in the latest decade, from a muscular, alcoholic, almost sweet chewy red, it turned into an elegant, austere, less alcoholic and elegant wine.
Pietradolce is a new estate among Etna producers, founded in 2005 by the Faro’s, a pioneer family in the green business development. The Faro’s is a leader in Europe and Middle East for growing flowers and plants, thanks to Venerando Faro, aged 72, from Aci Sant’Antonio (in Catania province) who invented and crated a Nature’s jewel, Radicepura, a natural park, water and energetic self-sufficient, in Acireale and a must-stop place for thousands of visitors every year.
Discovering “Fontodi world” has been a priceless experience. And it is not a catch-phrase. I have already tasted the wines from this vineyard some years ago, but it is a partial valuation if you do not really know the place where these wines come from. Fontodi is in the heart of Chianti Classico, in a valley South of Panzano (nearby Florence in Tuscany), a place known, since ever, as the Golden Valley. Here, thanks to a special terroir, vine growing is of high quality, because of the high altitude vineyards ( from 350 to 500 mts asl) the marly soil, sun exposure and local microclimate with important diurnal range.
Tasting a Barolo is always a great experience because this red nectar is one of the greatest wines in Italy (and in the world). But this Barolo is something outstanding. I love talking about a Riserva, a real Cru (single vineyard) from the hill Cannubi, one of the best places for growing the grape Nebbiolo, that, in this place, shows incredible elegance and depth. In this area, the soil is made up of chalks and clay, with high percentage of limestone and sand.
Today I introduce you an absolutely new wine, as, while I am writing it is going to be released on the domestic and foreign market. It is produced in a special area of “my” Sicily , the area of production is Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico, the sole DOCG of the island. It is made by one of the most dynamic wineries of the area, probably a flagship winery of this place, Valle dell’Acate, whose name comes from this area, Valle dell’Acate of Dirillo, a small river and even the name of this South – Eastern town of Sicily, in the province of Ragusa.
There are several example of cooperation in Italy, in agriculture, but above all in the wine business. More than ever “there is strength in numbers”. And the wine, I am talking about, that amused me is a sparkling one, produced by a cooperative, Cavit Trento, i.e. Cantina Viticoltori del Trentino, a really big one, involving about 4500 vinegrowers, from 10 cooperatives in Trentino, in the North East of Italy.
It is told so often about wines, referred as “terroir expression”. I think I have definitely found a wine, really terroir expression and obviously I have tasted it. It is an extraordinary white wine, from extreme vineyards on the Amalfi Coast, in Campania, between Naples and Salerno: this is Furore Fiorduva by Marisa Cuomo. Before telling you more about the incredible tasting notes of this white wine, let me tell you more about it.Who’s the winemaker? Where is it from? What about the vine’s training system? And why is Fiorduva an “extreme wine”? Here we go, with all the replies.
TheWineReporter go back to Campania, in Southern Italy, to talk about a really rampant woman winegrower. She’s Maura Sarno, currently one of the most important names among the Irpinia producers, in the Region hinterland. Her motto was for a long time: “A single land, a single vineyard, a single wine produced: the Fiano di Avellino DOCG”. Surely, this enthusiastic and positive woman is the real key to the success of her own winery, called Tenuta Sarno 1860.
The protagonist of this wine story is a volcanic woman, proactive and full of ideas. She’s Donatella Cinelli Colombini, a great woman of Italian wine. Born in Siena and graduated in History of Medieval Art, in 1993 she founded the “Movimento del Turismo del Vino” (Wine Tourism Movement) and invented “Cantine aperte” (open wineries), the event that made wine tourism known in Italy.