Can Health, Culture, and Legislation Together Improve the Future of Wine?
Should wine be gathered in the same category as tobacco? Well, that is the main point on the agenda lately after Ireland’s plan to put serious health warnings on bottles of spirits, beer, as well as wine. This has been met with anger and rage from the three main countries in the EU producing wine followed by several other supporting member states. These member states, especially Italy, France, and Spain, are arguing that wine is not only a consumer product but part of their Mediterranean history and culture. However, the EU commission did not object to Ireland’s proposal last year… read more
Professional figures in the wine industry
Professional figures in the wine industry Have you ever wondered about the professional figures in the world and the differences between them? Women and men who work every day in the service of their passion, we tell below about their tasks and duties. Agronomist "The technical agronomist of vineyard plant evaluation and design. This is the figure who, in addition to coordinating the evaluation and design phases of vineyard plantings, is responsible for its management with particular reference to the pre-planting phase, which determines and conditions the entire production process by preparing the "roots." The management of this initial phase… read more
The Gallo Nero Hits the Big Screen at Chianti Classico Collection 2023
This year was the 30th edition of the Chianti Classico Collection which saw the participation of 206 Chianti Classico producers. There were 750 Chianti Classico wine labels to taste of which 34 were tank samples of the 2022 vintage, 161 were Chianti Classico Riserva, and 136 were Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. The rest were Chianti Classico Annata. The attendance of national and international wine professionals was back to the levels of pre-pandemic. Fattoria di Montemaggio was present with the vintages Chianti Classico Annata 2019, Chianti Classico Riserva 2015, and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2015. This was the second year that… read more
Can We Get A Sustainable Recovery of Travel and Tourism?
The concept of travel has gone through a fundamental change due to the last few years of the pandemic. We are talking before and after the pandemic a bit like BC and AC. 2019 feels like an eternity ago when things were totally different compared to now. The pandemic has indeed had an out-of-the-ordinary impact on travel reaching the lowest point in over 25 years in 2020. In fact, we have to go back to WWII to find a similar unsteady situation for the travel industry. Last year saw a steady recovery for travel and tourism, reaching almost 60% of… read more
The Pyramid of Quality for Italian Wines.
Let's face it, it is never easy to navigate the world of wine with labels. The various traditional mentions that characterize wines are organized in such a way as to constitute a veritable "Pyramid of Quality." "Since 2008, this has been overlaid with the European Classification, with the aim of harmonizing national classifications and those relating to different commodities into a rationally homogeneous system." (cit. quattrocalici.it) Table Wines (TDCs). At the base of the pyramid we then find the Table Wines (VdT). On the label the production lot, the volume of the container, the bottler's data, the place of bottling… read more
Very Unusual and Fascinating Ways To Age Wine
Wine is a fascinating beverage but even more so when it is connected to a captivating story about its aging process. In general, wine is matured and aged in a winery or wine cellar where the environment is silent, without vibrations, and is set to a constant temperature. Well, some wine producers stress that music can heighten aging conditions. But what about other environments for the aging of wine? In recent years, several wine producers have started to experiment with aging their wines in the sea, in the lake, in the mountains, or, more historically, on the roof. Is it a… read more
Sounds and Wine tasting. The Experience 360°
The 360-degree experience Tasting Rooms around the world are increasingly becoming opportunities for experimentation and emotional involvement. Of vital importance is role of the sound experience. Music in fact has the ability to stimulate the parts of the brain responsible for the release of dopamine, which plays a key role in generating a sense of well-being. In fact, other types of sounds, foremost among them white noise, can also promote relaxation and total immersion in the product. What is White Noise and why use it in Blind Tasting? "White noise contains all frequencies of the audible sound spectrum, equally: for… read more
How Long Does Unopened Red Wine Last? | Monte Maggio
How Long Does Red Wine Last Unopened? Some things in life, such as wine, cheese, and even people, get better with age—even if the expiry dates vary. Although an unopened bottle of wine can still be good to drink after the expiry date, it won’t last forever. This begs the question how long does red wine last unopened? You wouldn’t be the first person to wonder whether that dusty old bottle of red at the back of your cellar or wine cupboard is still OK to drink. And you certainly won’t be the last. Find out how long you can… read more
Personal Chef Elena Morlacchi Creates A Very Special Recipe for Thanksgiving
There is less than a week to Thanksgiving which is one of the most - if not the most - important holidays in the US. This year, it is predicted to be a Thanksgiving like no other after more than two years of the pandemic that restricted the possibility for families to meet up and celebrate. In Italy, where there are a lot of American ex-pats, Thanksgiving is also celebrated widely. We asked the personal chef Elena Morlacchi, who was one of the contestants in Masterchef 11 in Italy, to create a Thanksgiving recipe for us. We will then do… read more
The Harvest of 2022 Has Exceeded the Expectations Despite Climate Adversity
The harvest of 2022 has been named a vintage beyond expectations by the Italian producers themselves. The reports from Alto Adige in the north to Sicily in the south all say the same things, i.e. that the climate crisis has not affected the quality of the grapes too much. However, we are now in an era where we have to get used to extreme weather conditions and learn how to navigate them. At Fattoria di Montemaggio, the harvest is still going on and we are going to look closer at the conditions and results so far. We will also make… read more