Category: Montemaggio

How Your Scary Halloween Candy Can Pair Excellently With Wine

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

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

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

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
Professional figures in the wine industry

Professional figures in the wine industry

March 14, 2023

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

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?

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
The Pyramid of Quality for Italian Wines.

The Pyramid of Quality for Italian Wines.

December 30, 2022

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
How Yeast Is Essential For The End-Result of Wine

How Yeast Is Essential For The End-Result of Wine

August 31, 2022

Wild or cultured yeast. What is the deal with the type of yeast used for the fermentation of grapes? Is wild fermentation just a risky business or is the use of cultured yeast too standardized? Is there a difference in the end result? Some say there is not while others claim that wild yeast is the only way. Today, the discussion is more alive than ever with the concepts of organic, biodynamic, regenerative viticulture, low-intervention winemaking, and what else, not to use the over-hyped word “natural”. Let us take a closer look at yeast strains and their importance for winemaking.… read more
Chianti vs Chianti Classico DOCG: Everything you need to know in a nutshell

Chianti vs Chianti Classico DOCG: Everything you need to know in a nutshell

July 8, 2022

How many times at our favorite Wine Shop have we paused to read labels looking for the perfect Sangiovese straight from our beloved Tuscany and utter confusion has taken over us? Sangiovese is the main grape of Chianti and its subregions.   Where everything started Native to central Italy (specifically the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines), this red grape combines high acidity with medium tannins, as well as balanced flavors and aromas of red cherries, earthy notes and blood. It is grown in areas with a native soil mainly called galestro (similar to stony marl and schist), where the climate offers cool nights… read more