World Octopus Day

World Octopus Day is celebrated on October 8th. The date of this annual international awareness day was chosen to honor the octopus’s eight arms.

The day is dedicated to:

  • Celebrating the intelligence, diversity, and fascinating behaviors of octopuses.

  • Raising awareness about the ecological importance of octopuses.

  • Encouraging people to learn about marine biology and support ocean conservation efforts.

Octopuses are remarkable creatures with several unique characteristics:

  • Nine brains: They have one central brain and a cluster of neurons in each of their eight arms.

  • Three hearts: Two pump blood to the gills, and one pumps blood to the rest of the body.

  • Blue blood: Their blood is blue because the protein that carries oxygen, hemocyanin, contains copper instead of iron.

  • Masters of camouflage: They can change their color and texture to blend into their surroundings.

  • Ancient lineage: Octopus fossils have been found that predate the dinosaurs, dating back over 300 million years.

We have the best wine to celebrate this day

Toscana Rosso IGT Materia Rossa: La Casa dei Polpi,  the special edition of Cantina LaSelva‘s Toscana Rossa IGT 2022.

A red wine with character – smooth and enveloping.
A special edition wine to support “The House of Octopuses” an initiative aimed at protecting these incredible inhabitants of the sea from intensive fishing using plastic traps.
This experimental project seeks to offer octopuses new shelters by permanently installing artificial dens on the seabed, made from eco-sustainable materials such as terracotta.

THE WINE

Grapes: Sangiovese, Merlot
Production area: Magliano in Toscana
Bottles produced: 16.000 bottles

Vinification: After gentle destemming and crushing, the grapes are vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve their freshness and varietal character. Fermentation times and pump-over practices are carefully adjusted according to the specific traits of each grape. After fermentation, the wine matures in stainless steel tanks, allowing it to develop greater aromatic complexity and a clean, vibrant profile.
Flavour and aroma: Elegant and spicy with fresh notes of red berries. In the mouth it is soft, persistent and fresh at the end.
Pairings: pasta dishes with red sauces and meat sauce, red meat, spicy dishes.
Serving temperature: 18° C.
Certification: ICEA – Naturland Fair.

download the factsheet
Logo La Selva

THE PRODUCER

Cantina LaSelva is located  in Maremma , in a unique place, nestled in the south of Tuscany and surrounded by untamed nature. The varied landscape ranges from the woods of a regional park to medieval villages, and then on to the sea. These are places where you can discover ancient traditions and enjoy true beauty in every season. Maremma is also the birthplace of Tuscan viticulture, with its origins dating back to the Etruscans and their sophisticated civilisation.

The microclimate of the Maremma hills has always brought out the best qualities of Sangiovese grapes, which are used to make wines like Morellino di Scansano – known and loved throughout the world. The combination of minerals, lime, marl and limestone – combined with the coastal influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea – form the basis for opulent, soft red wines and for savoury white wines with a strong personality.

Strictly Organic: Even in the winery, they process the grapes without using unnecessary additives. They apply organic concepts and adopt the most advanced technologies in temperature control, fermentation, pumping over and delicate punching down.

Discover the world of Cantina LaSelva…..

…take a look at their website →

laselva.wine

Happy World Animal Day

Happy World Animal Day…with the friends of Torre Raone.

All the labels are inspired on the animals that inhabit the vineyards, creating a strong connection to the land and the natural environment.

Abruzzo: Torre Raone: Vinous

The Squirrel – Trebbiano d’Abruzzo – The industrious and nimble spirit of the squirrel is captured in this lively wine. Quick on its feet with a bright, nutty character, it’s a perfect everyday sipper. Notes of apple, pear, and yellow peach make it an ideal partner for light meals and conversation. It’s a testament to the vibrant, busy life that thrives in the vineyard.

The Deer – Trebbiano d’Abruzzo senza solfiti-  A wine of nobility and grace. Just as the deer moves with quiet elegance through the forest, this wine is refined and beautifully balanced. It offers notes of green apple, apricot, pineapple and almond aftertaste. This wine is more about finesse than power, a testament to the quiet, dignified beauty of the reserve.

The Shepherd – Pecorino – A wine that speaks of tradition and careful guidance. Just as the shepherd watches over the flock, this Pecorino is a classic and reliable expression of the land. It offers a gentle, refreshing character with clean notes of green apple and white flowers, a timeless taste of the region.

The Fox – Cerasuolo – The cunning and clever fox is the perfect symbol for this crisp, aromatic rose’. This wine is nimble and bright, with a vibrant acidity with notes of cherry, strawberry, yellow plum and mango.

The Hare – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo –  lively and quick-footed rosé, is perfectly captured by the hare. It’s a burst of energy in a bottle—full of bright red fruit flavors like strawberry and raspberry. Zippy and refreshing, it’s a wine that invites you to enjoy life’s quick, fleeting moments.

The Boar – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo senza solfiti – A bold, rustic red that embodies the untamed spirit of the wild boar. Much like the boar forages for truffles, this wine unearths deep, earthy notes of dark cherry, leather, and spice. It’s powerful and concentrated, a true expression of Abruzzo’s character.

The Wolf – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva – The alpha of the vineyard. This wine is a riserva, aged to perfection, showing a more complex and structured profile. It’s a true pack leader—powerful and elegant, with layers of dark fruit, cocoa, and a hint of forest floor. A wine that commands attention.

The Ox – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva Terre dei Vestini – A symbol of strength and patience. This wine is a testament to the hard work of the land. It is a robust and full-bodied creation, with an immense depth of flavor and a lasting finish. It’s a wine to savor slowly, a testament to endurance and powerful character.

Patrizia Cencioni’s awards’ update

Logo Patrizia Cencioni

Patrizia Cencioni ‘s awards’ update.
Kerin O’ Keefe rated their  beautiful Rosato Toscana 2023 with 93 Points while Brunello di Montalcino 2019  received 98 Pts by Doctor Wine.

ROSATO TOSCANA 2023

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“Made entirely with pre-harvsted Sangiovese destined to make Brunello, the fantastic 2024 Rosato from Patrizia Cencioni has an intense color recalling pink rose petal and intense floral aromas of lavender and rose that mix with small red berry and spice. Dry, savory and linear, the full-flavored palate delivers succulent red cherry, pomegranate and orange zest before a saline close. Bright acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. Drink through 2027. Abv: 12.5%”
Kerin O’Keefe June 2025
©kerinokeefe.com

 

 

….and ther is more…..

With a ratings of 93 Points,
Patrizia Cenzioni’s Rosato Toscana 2023 reached the 8th place in the Top 25 Italian Rosato.

BRUNELLO MONTALCINO 2019

Points
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Logo Patrizia Cencioni

THE WINERY:

Founded in 1989, the winery Patrizia Cencioni is now managed by three women who continue a tradition started by their grandfather, Giuseppe Cencioni, one of the founders of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino.
The estate spans about 50 hectares, including 8 dedicated to Brunello di Montalcino vineyards and 7 to olive groves. 

Patrizia, Annalisa and Arianna

Last but not least, the winery offers tours and tastings at their location at Podere Capanna, 102 – 53024 Montalcino.

Cantina Patrizia Cencioni: Solarianne
Falstaff awards for Patrizia Cencioni
Patrizia Cencioni
patrizia-cencioni-wine-bottles-shot
patrizia-cencioni-cellar

 

Don’t miss out on what’s coming next—follow their pages to stay in the loop

Website
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New label Solarianne

Logo Patrizia Cencioni

New label Solarianne: Patrizia Cencioni‘s Rosso Toscana has a new label.

Rosso Toscana IGT Solarianne 2022

“Solarianne: a singular wine for the mouth as well as on the label.
A project that changes every year – not only in the choice of the final blend but also in its aesthetics: year by year, We choose a different bottle label together with the Sienese painter Alessandro Grazi“

– Patrizia Cencioni- 

THE WINE

Grapes: 50% Sangiovese – 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vinification: in steel
Staying on small lees: 36 months in 2.5 oak barrels (French oak)

TASTING NOTES:

Colour: clear, deep ruby red with violet reflections.
Bouquet: floral and fruity, particularly in evidence the scent of black cherry and fresh violet.
Taste: it is a structured wine, intense and with good persistence. It is elegant and fine, well balanced between softness and tannicity.
Food pairings: red and white meats, cheeses and cold cuts.

Solarianne 2022
Logo Patrizia Cencioni

THE WINERY:
The  winery is managed by the owner Patrizia and her 2 daughters, Annalisa and Arianna. Thanks to the long family experience and the entrepreneurial skills of Patrizia, a refined feminine touch is added.
There is feminine elegance in the wines from this cantina.

vineyards Patrizia Cencioni

THE LAND:
The vineyards date back to 1989, the year in which the company was born, which draws its origins from an ancient company in Montalcino created in the 1950s by grandfather Giuseppe Cencioni, one of the founders of the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium.
Located a few kilometres from the town center of Montalcino at about 350 meters a.s.l., overlooking the Val d’Orcia.
A total area of 50 Ha, of which 9 Ha of Sangiovese vineyards and 7 Ha of olive groves

THE WINES:
High profile wines and Sangiovese.
The azienda creates high profile wines, thanks to a very good balance between use of modern technologies and respect for the tradition. This results in a range of excellent wines. Wines where Sangiovese is the protagonist.


With the steel vats at controlled temperatures, the correct fermentation is guaranteed.
The slow aging of the wines takes place in oak barrels, with their refinement the elegance and character, already peculiar characteristics of each vintage, stand out also in the bottle.

Cantina Patrizia Cencioni: Solarianne

Check the website of the winery for more info about the producer and the wines

patriziacencioni.com

Vintage’s update Zenato

Vintage’s update Zenato:

Valpolicella Superiore 2022 and Ripassa 2021 are available.

Made from vineyards in Valpolicella, this wine has an impressive lingering finish with rich flavor.

The blend is 85% Corvina Veronese, 10% Rondinella, and 5% Corvinone.

On the nose, it delivers delicate hints of almond and violet.

On the palate, it’s dry and smooth with good structure and wonderfully robust notes of cherry and prune.

Factsheet

As soon as the dried grapes for the winery’s Amarone have completed fermentation, a top selection of Valpolicella grapes “passes over” (ripassa) the Amarone pomace, thus resulting in a second brief fermentation.

This helps to obtain higher alcohol content, deeper color, and rich flavor and aroma. Af-ter aging in French tonneaux for 18-20 months, the wine is cellared for another 6 months in bottle before release.

The process makes for a refined and concentrated wine, extremely smooth and vel-vety, with vibrant red fruit aromas.

On the palate, it delivers fruity notes and elegant tannin with hints of chocolate and spice. Ripassa has played a highly important role in the Zenato winery’s evolution over the years.

Factsheet

Zenato. The soul of Lugana and the Heart of Valpolicella.

Two faces: One white, the other red, both emblems of high-quality wines that are born through a visceral passion for the land, through respect for time, through a family tradition that has championed local grape varieties for 60 years.

The Story
Zenato: the story of a family that firmly planted its roots in the land. It was made possible thanks to the passion and entrepreneurial vision of the estate’s founder, Sergio, who managed to fulfill his greatest dream: to create a winery capable of harvesting the fruits of the earth and transform them into emotions with matchless flavor.

Today, more than 60 years later, the results are testament to his extraordinary vision. A wonderful story took shape thanks to his vision and today its star is his family: Wife Carla and children Alberto and Nadia.
Their eyes and their heart continue down the path that Sergio laid out with great clarity as he steadied the course toward quality and love for their land. Over time, that land wasn’t just Lugana but also Valpolicella, with its celebrated red wines and their matchless aromas.

Valpolicella
 Taking over the Costalunga estate, in the heart of Valpolicella Classica, Sergio Zenato wanted to measure himself in a new venture, after making the most out of his Lugana vineyards: to make it a model vineyard, beautiful to look at, cared for in every detail, in which to apply modern agronomic techniques and at the same time resume the traditional methods that had defined the Valpolicella landscape.

In a thorough manner, Sergio Zenato drew the distribution on the land of the vines selected for the production of the different wines, going so far as to indicate the direction of the rows so that the vines could receive maximum benefits from the sun. He took special care to make the soil work well to achieve a dry and permeable soil without water retention.

A passionate dedication that we read in the construction of the characteristic dry-stone walls, at first sight elegant support structures, in actual fact an efficient containment system that guarantees the vine the three fundamental elements it needs: the warmth of the sun and the ventilation of air and water thanks to the gaps existing between the stones of the walls and the flaky crumbles of the subsurface.

Lugana
lugana territorio zenato

In the flash of an eye and the wonder of Lake Garda is all there: in the beauty of the landscape; in the naturalist, historic, and artistic value of the land; in the mild climate.

 

The secret of Trebbiano di Lugana, a native grape variety planted on the southern banks of Lake Garda, is hidden in its origins.

With the backdrop of this pristine setting, the gates of the Santa Cristina estate open up on to a broad road with elegant red rose bushes on either side. They are the silent sentinels to whom the Zenato family has entrusted their rows of vines.

All of the incredible things that have happened in this little corner of the world are thanks to the extraordinary intuition and entrepreneurial power of a grape grower who was in love with his land and absolutely convinced of the quality of the wines that only this land could produce. It all began with a white wine, Lugana: Sergio Zenato’s Challenge and Dream since the 1960s.

More info? Check their www
↓

zenato.it

Cala Silente: the essence of Sardinian Vermentino

Cala Silente: the essence of Sardinian Vermentino

Cala Silente: The Essence of Sardinian Vermentino

Cala Silente is a distinguished white wine from Sardinia, Italy. It is crafted by the renowned Cantina Santadi winery. This wine is a 100% Vermentino di Sardegna DOC. It truly showcases the potential of Sardinia’s signature white grape. Its taste captures the unique spirit of its Mediterranean origin.

From the Heart of Sulcis, Sardinia

Cantina Santadi is located in the Sulcis district of southwestern Sardinia. The winery was founded in 1960 in the town of Santadi. In 2025, it proudly marks its 65th anniversary. The cooperative is a standard-bearer for quality Sardinian wine.

Unique terroir:  Their Cala Silente (“Silent Cove”) perfectly expresses this unique terroir. Vineyards in Sulcis benefit from a coastal climate. Summers are warm and dry, while winters remain mild.

The grapes grow in sandy and clay-loam soils. This specific soil composition gives the wine its distinct character.

Cala Silente: the essence of Sardinian Vermentino
Cala Silente: the essence of Sardinian Vermentino

Winemaking Process

The winemaking for Cala Silente is meticulous. The grapes are carefully selected Vermentino. They are harvested in early September in Sardinia. The grapes undergo a gentle pressing. Fermentation happens in cool stainless steel tanks. This process preserves the wine’s delicate fruit aromas. The wine then ages on its lees. This technique adds complexity, structure, and a richer mouthfeel.

Tasting Profile

-Appearance: Cala Silente shows a brilliant straw yellow color. It has subtle greenish-gold reflections.

-Aroma: The nose is intense and inviting. It offers a bouquet of fresh fruit aromas. You will notice crisp green apple, ripe peach, and zesty citrus. Hints of flowers and Sardinian minerality complete the scent.

–Palate: The palate is both elegant and full-bodied. It balances fresh acidity with a pleasing roundness. Flavors of stone fruit and citrus carry through. A characteristic saline note points to its coastal Sardinian origin. The finish is long, persistent, and refreshing.

Food Pairing Suggestions:  Cala Silente is a versatile wine for food pairing. Its crispness is perfect for rich seafood and shellfish. This makes it a classic pairing choice. The wine also complements flavorful white meats and poultry. Try it with pasta dishes using vegetable or light cream sauces. For a true taste of Sardinia, pair it with local food. Enjoy it with Sardinian specialties like fregola with clams or grilled sea bass.

Cala Silente: the essence of Sardinian Vermentino
Cala Silente: the essence of Sardinian Vermentino

Each bottle of Cala Silente captures the spirit of Sardinia. It is a true reflection of its sunny Sulcis terroir. Cantina Santadi showcases the elegant potential of the Vermentino grape from this unique part of Italy.

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

The Concours Mondial de Bruxelles is a prestigious international competition, established in 1994, known for its rigorous standards and commitment to identifying the world’s finest wines and spirits. Split into various sessions and selections throughout the year, it evaluates over 15,000 entries annually. An exclusively professional tasting panel ensures a blind tasting process focused solely on quality, making the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles a globally recognized benchmark for excellence in wine and spirits. 

Italy delivered an exceptional performance during the 32nd edition of the prestigious Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. With a total of 351 awards, the country confirmed its top position in the wine world. The Italian wines were decorated with 15 Grand Gold Medals, 132 Gold Medals, and 204 Silver Medals.

This year, the competition for red and white wines took place from June 10 to 12, 2025, in Yinchuan, the heart of China’s Ningxia wine region. An international jury of 375 experts blind-tasted over 7,165 wines. These wines came from 49 different countries, highlighting the global scale of the event.

The Cala Silente 2024 from Cantina di Santadi got a gold medal at this competition.

For more information about the winery, take a look at their website:

Website Cantina di Santadi