Carmignano: small appellation, Great wines

Carmignano: small appellation, Great wines

The production of Carmignano goes back to  the Etruscan times.
It was established in 1716 by the proclamation “Above the Declaration of the Borders of the four Regions of Chianti, Pomino, Carmignano and Val d’Arno di Sopra” issued by Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici in which the boundaries of the wine-growing areas were set.

In 1975, thanks to the initiative of the winemakers of Carmignano, it obtained the DOC and in 1990 the DOCG.

Carmignano wine is obtained largely from the Sangiovese grape variety combined with Canaiolo Nero (max. 20%), Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon (10-20%) and a possible addition of white grapes (max. 10%) of the Trebbiano Toscano, Canaiolo Bianco and Malvasia del Chianti grape varieties. 

The windy climate and the high temperature ranges, the well-distributed rainfall even in the summer period make the Carmignano area particularly suitable for growing vines, favoring the ripening of the grapes. The resulting wine is structured with a fine and intense bouquet, which lends itself well to aging (according to the regulations, 10 months of aging in oak and/or chestnut barrels are mandatory, and 12 months for the Carmignano Riserva DOCG).

logo fattoria ambra

We are glad to inform you that Fattoria Ambra‘s Carmignano Montalbiolo Riserva 2020 is among the best Carmignano, according to Gambero Rosso.

“The wine has richness and structure, maintaining a dynamic, taut and wide-ranging sip, accompanied by an intense and well-focused aromatic baggage.

Fattoria Ambra has belonged to the Romei Rigoli family since the end of the nineteenth century. And today it is run by Giuseppe Rigoli, together with his wife Susan and his nephew Fabio Marzotti. The vineyards, cultivated mainly with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo, are located in some of the most significant areas of the Carmignano denomination: Montalbiolo, Elzana, Santa Cristina in Pilli, Montefortini and Podere Lombarda and are managed organically.”

source: gamberorosso.it

Learn more about Fattoria Ambra and their precious wines…

…take a look at their website.

fattoriaambra.it

New Rosso delle Rose

New Rosso delle Rose: Masseria del Feudo presents the new of the Rosso delle Rose Sicilia DOC

SICILIA DOC ROSSO DELLE ROSE 2023

Vineyard: Young vineyard at 480 mts a.s.l.

Soil: Medium-textured clay.

Farming system: Guyot.

Grapes: Hand-harvested Nerello Mascalese and Frappato.

Vinification: Destemming and crushing, fermentation with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks for 20 days at 24°C, followed by 12 months of aging in 25 hl oak barrels and 6 months in bottle.

Colour: light ruby red

Aroma: The bouquet reflects its land of origin—enveloping yet fresh and lively.

Taste: Elegant and Mediterranean in character, it finishes with silky and well-balanced tannins. A wine that marks a new beginning, emphasising the territorial identity and the pleasantness of these two noble Sicilian grape varieties.

Logo Masseria del Feudo

“Masseria del Feudo is not just a company”

Its history is a family history, whose values and ideals are powered from Francesco and Carolina, fourth generation of agriculture entrepreneurs.
Tradition and innovation are the driving forces of Francesco and Carolina Cucurullo of the Sicilian estate Massaria del Feudo.
The estate owns around 110 hectares of grain, fruit and olives 

The vineyards:

15 hectares of organic certified vineyards planted with Nero d’Avola, Syrah, Grillo, Frappato and  Nerello Mascalese.
The hilly location of the vineyards guarantees a good temperature range between day and night, which favors the optimal ripening of the berries and the concentration of the juices.

20 hectares of orchards: 13 different varieties of peaches and nectarine, 3 of plums and 2 apricots.

3 hectares of olive clovers of Nocellara and Carolea

 

The company is 100% organic certified

Masseria del Feudo cellar

More info may be found on their website 

masseriadelfeudo.it

Awards for Pertinace

logo pertinace

Awards for Pertinace: Winescritic.com rated the Barbaresco 2021 with 90 Points.

Review:

“slightly muted on the sensory profile, it reveals notes of black plums, black tea leaves, juniper berries, sandalwood, cumin, and nutmeg. Medium-bodied, with soft tannins and a pleasantly long finish”🍷“

– Raffaele Vecchione –
Winescritic.com 

THE WINE
Denomination: Barbaresco DOCG
Exposure: South, South-East, South-West
Grapes: Nebbiolo
Vinification: 40-60 days in steel tanks with submerged cap. Temperature controlled

 
Tasting notes:
Garnet red with ruby reflex colour, intense aroma with pepper, chocolate and liquorice; Harmonious and velvety taste with soft tannins.
Suggested with savoury dishes, grilled meats and cheese.
 
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THE PRODUCER
Pertinace is a coop.
20 business partners and friends who work together to produce high quality wines with a pop soul since 1973. We are masters in the vinification of Barbaresco. Why do we do it? Because in our roots wine has always been a symbol of friendship, laughs and good memories. Making you feel at home is our added value from the first sip.

The winery is located in Località Pertinace, in Treiso, in the heart of the Langhe hills. This area is also known as the birthplace of Publio Elvio Pertinace, roman emperor, historically recognized as leader of great moral and value and as a honest man. The values of the emperor inspired Mario Barbero and his friends/partners, in 1973, to establish the winery and give it such an important name recognized today internationally.

The focus of the production is mainly Nebbiolo based, ideal for the production of the famous Barbaresco.

Over the years, production and sales have recorded notable growth, leading us to significantly expand the structure: the cellar, the wine-shop and the packaging department have been extended to accomodate the growing demand, guaranteeing the same quality that has distinguished us from the beginning.

Pertinace, originally with 13 members all coming from the Treiso area, today is a cooperative with 20 members. The goal is the cultivation of superior quality vineyards, to offer labels of great prestige and elegance to the market.

discover more on their webbsite

New line for Cabert

new line Cabert

Discover the new bottles of Cabert‘s wines.
Since 2025 has Cabert a new logo.

This new symbol pays homage to tradition with a contemporary vision.
 
An updated design reflects Cabert‘s brand’s evolution, combining respect for tradition and a look to the future.
The horse, now in motion, represents progress and innovation, while the more geometric and minimal lines convey elegance and dynamism. 
The new logo is even on the cork. 
Cabert has chosen cork as timeless symbol of tradition, quality and sustainability.
new logo Cabert 2025
new logo Cabert 2025

source: cabert

NEW LINE CABERT

Fancy more info?
Take a look at their website

cabert.it

Zenato: awards by WEINWIRTSCHAFT

Zenato awards by WEINWIRTSCHAFT, the magazine for all professionally responsible buyers and sellers of wine in Germany.

We are proud to announce an important international recognition for Zenato‘s wines: the prestigious German magazine “Weinwirtschaft” has ranked the Ripassa, Valpolicella Ripasso DOC Superiore, as the 3rd best Italian red wine and the 6th best red in the world.

The Lugana DOC S. Cristina, on the other hand, ranked 37 in the list of the best whites in the world.
weinwirtschaft awards 2025: zenato
weinwirtschaft awards 2025: zenato
Wine Spectator awarded Zenato's Lugana and Amarone

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

“Sergio Zenato manicured the morainic hills for years, from the most strategic observation point on Lake Garda in Peschiera. His reflection was cast over the largest body of blue in Italy. And since the 1960s, he saw in Trebbiano di Lugana something that few others had intuited: that the color, aromas, and favors of the white wine it produced could travel the world.”

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.

Cantina di Santadi: a new label for Villa Solais

Cantina di Santadi: a new label for Villa Solais.

NEW LOOK, SAME SOUL!

“Villa Solais is getting a makeover! 
Since 1982, our Vermentino di Sardegna has been synonymous with tradition and quality, a wine that tells the unique perfumes and flavors of our land. Santadi presents the new bottle of Villa Solais: a restyling that unites past and future to offer you an even more special experience.
Renewed form with an elegant and modern design and a label that pays homage to our origins, with a reminder of the historical image that made Villa Solais iconic, now reinterpreted in a colourful, fresh and cheerful style.”
– Cantina Santadi- 

NEW

OLD

VERMENTINO DI SARDEGNA VILLA SOLAIS DOC

PLACE OF ORIGIN: From vineyards located in 5 municipalities of the lower Sulcis district, with counter-espalier training, on different types of soils.

SOIL COMPOSITION: Medium mixture, tending to sandy or clayey.

GRAPE VARIETIES: Vermentino 85%, Nuragus 15%.

CLIMATE: Hot and dry summers, mild winters.

VINICATION AND DEVELOPMENT: The hand-picked grapes are soft-pressed, and the must obtained is fermented in stainless steel tanks under controlled temperature, so as to preserve its fragrance and aromas. The wine is then left in contact with its lees for several months before being bottled.

TASTING NOTES:  Brilliant straw yellow, with green and golden tinges. Fresh and pleasant on the nose. On the palate delivers a nice fresh finish  together with an attractive mineral note.

MATCHINGS: Its favourite matches are seafood first courses and white meat. Especially pleasant when served very cool, also as an aperitif.

Silver for Santadi's Rocca Rubia

Cantina di Santadi is located in the Sulcis area, in South-western Sardinia, just a few miles as the crow flies from the dazzling beaches and white sand dunes of Porto Pino. It was established in 1960, and after some start-up difficulties, a new management gave it a decisive boost, driven by strong determination which fanned enthusiasm and passion.
The winery embarked on an ambitious programme, adopting new strategies and clear targets, streamlining its operations and issuing coherent guidelines to its member grape growers.

cantinadisantadi.it

Happy Pizza Day

happy world pizza day

Happy Pizza Day

World pizza day is quite a new observance.

It was established in 2017 when Pizza received the title of Unesco World Heritage.

In many countries they celebrate Pizza Day on February 9th (U.S. National Pizza Day) but in Italy it is celebrated on January 17th.

happy pizza day

Cascina Garitina: the name of the company is due to the great-grandmother Margherita, whose diminutive “Margheritina” in dialect is precisely Garitina.

NIZZA DOCG

MARGHERITA

This Nizza MARGHERITA comes from the first vineyard that great-grandmother Margherita started working in the distant 1900s.

Falstaff Trophy Nizza Cascina Garitina

Grape variety: Barbera 100%.

Harvest: by hand into small crates.

Vineyards: Margherita vineyard was planted in 2002.

Exposure: mainly south-west. Altitude: 310 m above sea level.

Training System: low Guyot with 5,500 vines per hectare.

Soil: medium consistency with a tendency towards lime with plenty of organic substance.

Climate: Mediterranean with the occasional continental current, especially in winter; from spring to autumn, the habitual presence of the south wind, known as the “Marin”, is important as it cools the hottest days.

nizza 900 margherita

VINIFICATION

Stemming and crushing, cold maceration prior to fermentation (12- 13°C) for 4 days. This is followed by heating to 27°C for one day and alcoholic fermentation at 24°C for one week. Alcoholic fermentation is completed in steel where the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation too. Then the wine is racked into wood in March.

Filtration: no.

Blending of the cuvée: 6 months before bottling.

Minimum bottle maturing: 24 months.

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