Author: Ricasoli
Unwrapping the Layers of Thanksgiving Traditions Through Food And Wine
November 22, 2023
Thanksgiving is an important national holiday in the US and it is believed that it dates to the Mayflower and the first colonists that came over from England. The first Thanksgiving Day celebration was in November 1621 when the Plymouth colonists and the Native American Wampanoag people organized a harvest feast together. In the following centuries, Thanksgiving was celebrated sporadically in various colonies but it was only in 1863, after a decade-long push from the magazine editor and author Sarah Josepha Hale, that President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated on the last Thursday of November… read more
How Your Scary Halloween Candy Can Pair Excellently With Wine
October 31, 2023
It is that time of year again when people dress up in scary costumes to spook each other at parties or while going trick-and-treating with the kids. It is Halloween. But how did Halloween start? What does Halloween mean? Who invented the trick-and-treating? Let us take a closer look at the history of Halloween. The History of Halloween If we start with the name Halloween, the word Hallow comes from the Middle and Old English word for holy. Apparently, All Saints’ Day was called All Hallows’ Day in ancient times while the day before was All Hallows’ Eve. With time,… read more
Adapting to Uncertainty: Italian Winemakers Respond to Climate Variability in 2023
October 1, 2023
The weather conditions in Italy, as well as worldwide, have been quite challenging in 2023. There have been instances of rain, floods, hailstorms, heatwaves, wildfires, and more. All of these have had adverse effects on this year's vegetative cycle, leading to various diseases and a loss of production. This year's harvest has been a sad one for some, while quite acceptable for others. It's worth noting that there are differences between the northern and southern parts of Italy in terms of the harvest. According to the Observatory of Assoenologi, Ismea, and Unione Italiana Vini, the overall loss of quantity compared… read more
Sip and Savor: Perfect Wine Pairings to Elevate Your Ferragosto Celebration
August 14, 2023
Ferragosto, the equivalent of midsummer in Italy, is just around the corner. On the 15th of August, everything stops in Italy as they celebrate the major summer holiday that coincides with the Catholic celebration of the Assumption of Mary. However, what’s the story behind Ferragosto? How did it start? Let’s find out… The Origin of Ferragosto Ferragosto comes from the Latin word Feriae Augusti which means the "resting day" of Augustus. It was a holiday in the Roman era instituted by Augustus, known as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in AD 14, that was connected… read more
From Pixels to Pouring: Exploring the Fusion of the Metaverse, Virtual Reality, and NFTs in the Wine Industry
June 30, 2023
The wine world entered the phase of digital transformation more fully during the pandemic, and it has also started to dip its toes into the metaverse, NFTs, cryptocurrencies, ad much more. Many considered wine one of the last sectors that had not fully embraced digitalization, but during the last few years, things have started to change. A lot in the world has indeed changed with the pandemic, including the way we connect, conduct work, transport goods, our attitude to sustainability, and more. The younger generation, Gen Z, has a different world view and these kids have grown up as a… read more
Montemaggio Highlights Women in Wine in a Tasting at Vinitaly 2023
April 26, 2023
Vinitaly this year was back to its old state of glory after three years of no or limited organization. This year, Vinitaly focused very much on the incoming of international buyers to better favor the business side of the trade show. This is surely very positive for all types of wineries, especially smaller wineries such as Fattoria di Montemaggio. Furthermore, Fattoria di Montemaggio organized a mini-tasting called Women in Wine at their stand with wines from three other female producers other than Fattoria di Montemaggio. The idea was to showcase women in wine and two flagship Italian wine regions and… read more
Can Health, Culture, and Legislation Together Improve the Future of Wine?
March 21, 2023
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
The Gallo Nero Hits the Big Screen at Chianti Classico Collection 2023
February 22, 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?
January 13, 2023
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
Very Unusual and Fascinating Ways To Age Wine
December 19, 2022
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