Once upon a time - The Etruscans
Have you ever wondered who the first wine-growing peoples in Italy were? Well, in this article we will try to understand how the vine first spread in our areas and how later a particular population made wine production one of its main businesses. New studies about our Past Recent studies show that the vine first spread to Thrace (although it most likely came directly from Armenia) and then, thanks to the Phoenicians, great explorers and navigators, it spread to Greece and Italy. Obviously, the Greeks initially established vine cultivation in the south of the peninsula in what was known… read more
Locus, loci... Terroir
Locus, loci... Terroir Ever since Roman times, an attempt has been made to frame and define at a terminological level all those areas in which there was a strong aptitude for the cultivation of vineyards. The Romans simply called it LOCUS. Literally translated this term simply means place, but in fact this Latin term was used indicate an area that gave a particular character to the wines produced there. In modern times, however, we have begun to use a French term, perhaps a little highfalutin, but which represents this concept well: Terroir. Often translated as - Territory - in reality… read more
Be Adventurous and Safe When You Travel to Italy This Summer
Things are looking up and it seems to be possible to travel to Italy for the summer of 2021. Europe is slowly opening up in general both in daily life and for travel. We are all looking forward to being able to go places again, see friends, and something as simple as enjoying a glass of good wine together. Right? Even though the pandemic is not over yet, we can take small steps to safely and in line with restrictions start having some fun again. After the Rain Comes Sunshine... There have been a lot of discussions and articles about… read more
How Frost Wreaked Massive Havoc on Vineyards in Europe
Spring is not only longer and warmer days and reawakening of nature, but the weather can also be unpredictable with frost damages in France and Italy last week. After an Easter week with wonderful weather, the night temperatures suddenly went decisively below zero resulting in frost damages in many vineyards. Why is Frost so Harmful to the Vines? During spring when the growing season is in its initial stage with bud breaking, the buds are specifically sensitive to colder weather. The frost can damage buds that are in the opening stage and the young shoots on the vines. It is… read more
How Regenerative Agriculture is the New Buzz Term in Viticulture
We have been talking about conventional, organic, and biodynamic viticulture and winemaking in the past, but what about regenerative agriculture? The new trend emerging in viticulture seems to be talking precisely about regenerative agriculture. In the Italian wine world, it is a concept or ‘buzzword’ that is not that much mentioned yet. So, what is regenerative agriculture? We will soon delve deeper into that but first, we will do a quick historical overview. Agriculture and its Effect on the Soil in a Historical Context Historically, there is nothing new about how to get the most out of the soil in… read more
Easter Traditions in Italy from North to South
Easter 2021 is just around the corner and we are all getting ready for this event. Especially in Italy Easter is something that we all look forward to. Something that is well rooted in our culture. A time of gathering, a time of sharing and of course a time to spend with your family and loved ones. The Bel Paese, our beloved Italy, is obviously rich of curious Easter traditions. Each region has its own customs and beliefs. The Italian culture is the result of the mixture of the customs of all populations that comes… read more
5 Best Travel Spots for an Affordable Wine Trip, Outside of Italy
Are you a lover of fine wine and an excellent travel experience? If your answer is yes, you would probably love the idea of taking a long wine trip to places that you have been dreaming of for a long time. Given a chance, most people would go on a vacation that involves them spending time relaxing and indulging in their favorite pastimes. For wine lovers, knowing which places to visit is a great start. While we would agree that Italy should/would be the top choice, we thought we would share wine vacations outside of Italy. However, should you be… read more
How Should We Age the Wine? Aging Red Wines
Aging Wine Making Wine also means learning to have patience. Understanding that a good wine is produced by respecting the right time and the right aging. It is necessary then, to wait for the wine to reach the best moment of its life. Let's analyze what is the aging of red wines. The nectar of gods will therefore find the perfect environment for aging and getting richer. Let's talk about what is called "elevation". This term is simply used to explain what is the aging in the barrels. What happens during this kind of aging? Simply, we will observe some… read more
Vine Life Cycle
One aspect that is of vital importance to both winegrowers and wine lovers is knowing the phases of the vineyard, also known as the phenological phases of the vine. In other words, the vineyard goes through different phases during the annual cycle. Obviously, different viticulturally techniques will be applied for each phenological phase. Let's discuss the Vine Life Cycle It is important to be careful and to understand that for every action there is a consequence. In the following, we will briefly try to analyze a whole year's cultivation of life. The 3 different life cycles It is therefore important to… read more
The Family of Sparkling wine
Sparkling Wines & Winemaking Sparkling wines or vino spumante are getting more and more attention such as Prosecco, Franciacorta, Trento doc, Champagne, and so on and so forth. Wine lovers from all over the world seem to have a sort of special attention for sparkling wines and it is also true that especially novices have difficulty in understanding the vast and complicated world of sparkling wines. Defining sparkling wines Sparkling wines are defined as those kinds of wine in which there is a quantity of dissolved carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide generates an internal pressure inside the bottle of 3.5… read more