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Borgo Maragliano’s awards update

Borgo Maragliano‘s awards update: Falstaff rated Borgo Maragliano’s Blanc de Blancs Alta Langa 2020 with 93 Points.

ALTA LANGA: The appellation requires a minimum of 30 months on the fine yeast in the bottle to qualify as DOCG.
The first italian Classic Method was born in 1865 in Piedmont – Canelli – a village nearby Loazzolo.
Loazzolo is one of the selected Villages of the Upper Langa.
Starting in the early 1980s, the Galliano Family began experimenting with Chardonnay and Pinot Nero to produce Classic/Champagne Method Sparkling Wines.

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

100% Chardonnay grapes.
Bottled in the April of the year after harvest and, after dosage and the immediate addition of yeast from the batch, it undergoes second fermentation. At the end of this process, which creates the characteristic foam, the wine continues to mature on lees for about 32 months. During this period the wine loses its herbaceous characteristics and acquires everything it takes to become a very delicate and refined sparkling wine. Then “riddling” and “disgorging” operations prepare it for consumption, which takes place from about three years after harvesting.

TASTING NOTES

A sparkle characterised by very fine chains of bubbles in a pale straw-coloured wine with greenish highlights. The structured bouquet features sensations of fruit, lime, aromatic herbs and honey, with acacia blossom, which bring out the true nature of the Chardonnay grape. The delicious entry makes its very seductive and harmonious as it lingers on the palate. The remarkable flavour of this Blanc de Blancs expresses the true characteristics of a great grape grown in a very hostile terroir.

GASTRONOMIC PAIRINGS

Perfect on its own or as an aperitif accompanied by shellfish, raw fish or fresh cheese.

DETERMINATION AND VISIONARY SPIRIT

Five generations of farmers who have learned to watch the sky and cope with the unpredictability of the climate and natural events.

The first written records of the family date back to an entry in the church registers in 1790, recording the birth of Giovanni, progenitor of the Galliano family, an enterprising, determined and brilliant man who was very proud of his home.

It was 1850 when he decided to purchase the first plot of land in the municipality of Loazzolo. Giovanni had travelled widely, giving him an opportunity to broaden his horizons, and his entrepreneurial mind was filled with the belief that cultivating vines was the way forward

It was the beginning of the twentieth century; a time described as very bitter in the works of Cesare Pavese, which left its mark on the history of the little village of Loazzolo and the Galliano family.

Giovanni’s grandson Carlo died, leaving his wife Teresa to bring up her two young children alone, Giuseppe and Anna Maria. Teresa, obstinate and hard-working, coped with every adversity and never once gave in to the temptation to “run away” from this unfortunate area.

Giuseppe encouraged his son Carlo to study Oenology in Alba and, spurred on by his father, he immediately set to work on the vinification of one of the Langa’s greatest grapes, Moscato.

His passion and dedication knew no ends.

The experience of the generations that had gone before him was reflected in his work, along with the desire for innovation in both the vineyard and the cellar: he challenged his land and himself, attempting something that had never been tried before in these

soils dedicated to the cultivation of Moscato and becoming the first producer of a Traditional Method Sparkling Wine using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The unique pedoclimate proved him right.

Today, Borgo Maragliano is a cellar that is looking to the future once again, through the eyes of the new generation, represented by Carlo and Silvia’s sons: Giovanni, Francesco and Federico.

Take a look at their website and discover more about Borgo Maragliano’s world

Falstaff: Grandi Rossi Veneti Trophy

Falstaff: Grandi Rossi Veneti Trophy: 91 Points to Cantina Colli Euganei‘s Notte di Galileo and 90 Points to Merlot Rialto.

Made from grapes from selected wineries in the DOC area of the Euganean Hills that participate in the Quality Project, launched by Cantina Colli Euganei in 1998.
The project aims to promote the traditional nature of the area and the grape varieties used to make Colli Euganei Riserva.
The grapes are left to ripen until the optimum harvesting time while checking their condition, sugar content and other important substances. Then the vinification process, carried out by the winemaker, highlights the characteristics of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes through prolonged contact between the must and the skins at a controlled temperature so that all substances can be fully released. After fermentation, the wine is stored in fine oak barrels for 15-18 months so that it can fully age and acquire fragrances and smoothness. Maturation is completed in bottles to give the wine an excellent taste.

The presence of marine fossils in the territory of the Euganean Hills testifies their origin: an archipelago of volcanic islands that emerged 130 million years ago.
The decisive reliefs separated by fresh valleys, the suitable sun exposure and the. mixing of the alluvial deposits with the disintegrated volcanic rocks, they determine intense qualitative characteristics in the grapes.
These peculiarities give the red wines the color and strength they draw from the land, as well as intensity of smell and taste.

Cantina Colli Euganei was born at the center of this tradition. Their history is intertwined with that of the territory, which was the protagonist, since the 1940s, of a reconstruction and a revival based on the enhancement of the wine heritage. The common objective was to arrive at the definition of a Denomination of Origin, with a ‘variety’ approach.
The cooperative, which was born in ’49 and vinified for the first time in ’51, has always been in tune with this choice: offering a diverse range of wines with an authentic identity, an expression of a land and a culture.
Thanks to the expertise of capable and technically prepared men, Cantina Colli Euganei has managed to maintain this spirit until today, knowing how to listen to the evolution of taste and expectations of those who appreciate wine in the world.

Today, as a cooperative, Cantina Colli Euganei brings together about 680 winemakers, spread over the protected area of the Euganean Hills Nature Reserve.

The winery is situated in the heart of the Veneto region, in the middle of an area that has been dedicated to vine and olive tree growing since ancient times. Today, it is acknowledged by the latest regulations of 2010 as a DOC and DOCG area.

The grapes are grown on the farms of the municipalities of Vo’, Rovolon, Torreglia, Galzignano Terme, Lozzo Atestino, Cinto Euganeo, Arquà Petrarca, Este, Baone, comprising 700 hectares of rows of vines and providing an opportunity to best enhance the character of various wines: from fragrant white wines sweetened by the sun to more intense velvety red wines.
The northern slopes give rise to Serprino wines with their young and bubbly character, enriched with hints of flowers and fruit. The areas most exposed to the sun highlight the balanced sweetness of Fior d’Arancio DOCG, whereas the soils to the south provide full-bodied and intense red wines.
This varied morphological landscape, offering soils with different nutrients, is the perfect habitat for highly prestigious native grape varieties such as Serprina, Moscato Giallo, Moscato Bianco and Pinella, as well as international varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

More info?
Take a look at their website

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Masseria Cuturi awards’ update

Masseria Cuturi awards’ update: Falstaff recently awarded the Primitivo di Manduria Monte Diavoli 2020 and the Primitivo di Manduria Chidro 2021 with respectively 92 and 91 Points.

Primitivo di Manduria: the flagship wine of Masseria Cuturi.

Monte Diavoli and Chidro represent a selection of Primitivo, aged in wood and in bottle, to enhance complexity and elegance.

What’s in the name?

Monte Diavoli: Monte Diavoli Is a rocky formation that stands isolated in the middle of a vast flat area dominated by the Mediterranean Macchia. In the past it was the place where the Messapi kept the sacred fire of the rites of fertility. Today as then it is a mysterious and fascinating place.

Chidro: The Chidro is an underground river that flows through volcanic tubes underneath the surface of Masseria Cuturi. It ends its run in an estuary that flows into the Ionian Sea.
The encounter of the fresh water and the sea creates a fantastic microenvironment of plants and fish species. The Conca d’oro, whose toponym derives from the fertility of its soils, was a single plot of 100 hectares that extends between the Masseria and the sea.

Masseria Cuturi…since 1881

We are talking about a family, originally from Veneto managing this beautiful estate in Puglia which includes a skilfully renovated farmhouse and many hectares of land. Among the woods, olive trees and vineyards. The Rossi-Chauvenets acquire a reality full of history. The farm, located in Manduria, was founded in 1881 and for centuries belonged to the Schiavoni family. It seems that the origin of Primitivo in the Mandurian land started precisely from Cuturi. Don Tommaso Schiavoni Tafuri married Countess Bianca Sabini of Altamura who brought Primitivo cuttings to these parts. The variety adapted very well to these soils and this climate and thus the famous Apulian wine was born.

The Conca d’oro, whose toponym derives from the fertility of its soils, rich in water, with the presence of five artesian wells and two natural sources have made this land particularly generous and productive: a true Eden.

The current vineyard is about 40 hectares and is particularly fertile thanks to the organic substance contained in the soils and the water of the Chidro River that flows there.

The winery emphasizes sustainable and organic farming practices to maintain the quality of their wines and preserve the environment. For the wines they use renewable energy, lighter bottles, and corks obtained from renewable raw materials derived from sugar cane.
The vinification of our best grapes today takes place within the Masseria, a few steps from the vineyards that generated them.

This proximity allows us to follow the maturation curve of each single particle with timeliness and precision. The cellar is made up of small tanks to obtain the micro-vinification of each single plot.
We use the aging in wood in moderation to enhance the natural characteristics of our wines. Bottling takes place in the cellar.

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Cantina LaSelva’s awards update

Awards for Cantina LaSelva: 91 Pts Wine Enthusiast for Vermentino Toscana 2023 and 93 Pts Falstaff for Rosso Toscana Prima Causa 2021.

Well done!

VERMENTINO TOSCANA 2023

Wine with intense, fragrant scents and a pleasant freshness on the palate.

Produced exclusively with Vermentino, a grape typical of the Maremma region.

Grape variety: Vermentino
Grape harvest: manual, in mid-September
Vinification: the grapes are harvested by hand during the coolest hours of the day, and are then crushed and pressed. The flower must is left to decant and ferment in stainless steel at a temperature of 16°C. Ageing on the lees for 6 months in steel tanks and refinement in the bottle for at least 3 months.
Flavour and aroma: straw yellow. Hints of citrus fruits, peach and yellow flowers. Harmonious, full-bodied flavour, with an intense, persistent and savoury finish.
Pairings: aperitifs, vegetable and fish dishes, shellfish and white meats.

ROSSO TOSCANA PRIMA CAUSA 2021

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. A wine of character with a balanced, complex structure.

Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot
Grape harvest: manual
Vinification: each variety is harvested and vinified separately. After harvesting, the grapes are immediately destemmed and crushed in order to avoid any possibility of oxidation. The controlled temperature fermentation process lasts 10 days for the Merlot, and 20 days for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. At the end of fermentation, the wines are put into new French Allier oak barriques for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, second fill for the Merlot. After 12 months the wines are combined and bottled. Before being placed on the market, Prima Causa ages in bottles for at least 12 months.
Flavour and aroma: intense ruby red. The nose has notes of blackberries, blueberries and vanilla with hints of tobacco and coffee. In the mouth it is rich, full-bodied and persistent, with sweet and velvety tannins.
Pairings: game, red meat and first courses with meat sauce.

“Nothing taken away, nothing added”

This is the. motto of Cantina LaSelva, founded in 1980 by Karl Egger.
Through his vision and work in developing LaSelva, Egger became one of the pioneers of organic farming in Europe. Karl Egger left his homeland, Munich, and moved to the south of Tuscany where he bought 7 hectares of land. Here he began to grow fruit and vegetables following the simple rules of nature: a choice that led him ten years later to give birth to the organic farming association, Naturland.
In 1984 LaSelva became the first Naturland-certified business beyond German borders.

In Maremma

Cantina LaSelva is located 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.

More info?
Take a look at their website