Category: Montemaggio
And.. It's Finally Carnival
February 25, 2022
Thursday February 24, 2022, in other words Fat Thursday. First day of Carnival, first day of big celebrations all over Italy. People of all ages pouring into the streets. The buzz of the people mixes with the music in the streets creating a unique and unrepeatable symphony. The smell of sweets and fried food is strong in the air. Normality is not so far away. As we said Carnival is a festival loved by young and old, and the spirit of it is strong in the spirit of Italians and not! Let's see then to understand where this recurrence comes… read more
Express Your Love With Poems and Wine on Valentine's Day
February 13, 2022
We are approaching the 14th of February and it is time for Valentine’s Day. After two years of the pandemic, many are probably looking forward to Valentine’s Day as a way to finally be able to celebrate something while others may find it a tad bit superficial after what the world has gone through. Be that as it may, Valentine’s Day is an occasion to be a bit more romantic than usual. People, in general, try to express their feelings with chocolate, flowers, romantic cards, and candlelight dinners, to name a few possibilities. However, what about expressing one's feelings with… read more
How to age wine at your place
February 6, 2022
Valentine's Day, of course, represents one of those holidays where we can pamper ourselves and, most of all, pamper the person we love with small and great gifts that can also last over time. Obviously wines are the best suited to be chosen as gifts that can last for years. We already explained in the past, however, that not all wines can age. When a wine can age? In case we wanted to sum up the characteristics a wine must have in order to age, we could simply say:" a wine that can age is first of all a great… read more
Wine's Flavor
January 30, 2022
After the first article dedicated to color and aromas we could not miss part number two where we analyze the main components of wine's taste In the taste of wine are summed up all the gustatory and olfactory sensations (defined as taste-olfactory) as well as tactile sensations. In wines it is possible to appreciate hardness, smoothness, aggressiveness and delicacy. These types of sensations are related to substances which are present in macroscopic quantities. We are therefore talking about ethyl alcohol, acids and glycerol. Dry Wines As for dry wines, in most of cases there are no residual sugars or, when… read more
How Dry January Becomes Wet In A Pandemic
January 13, 2022
Dry January is a way to stay off the alcohol for a month after the holiday season with a lot of overindulgences. In January, we need to lose some weight, get healthy, and try to get back on track. However, where does Dry January come from? What does it mean more specifically? Last but not least, is Dry January something we even consider when being in the midst of a pandemic? Let us find out more. What is Dry January? Dry January was started in 2012 by the British charity Alcohol Change UK as a way to help people moderate… read more
How Old Traditions Matter at Christmas in Tuscany
December 24, 2021
We are just but a day from Christmas in Tuscany and all over the world and last-minute shopping and preparations are at their height. Even though the Omicron is running fast, we probably all have the same pre-holiday stress all over the world but the Christmas traditions vary a bit from country to country and region to region. In Tuscany, the Christmas traditions center around food, of course, but also some other ancient traditions we will take a closer look at. We have also asked Ilaria and Francesco here at Fattoria di Montemaggio about their Christmas traditions in Chianti. Christmas… read more
How Beautiful Grapes Bring Happiness To Our Winery
November 25, 2021
The harvest of 2021 bore signs of climatic turbulences in Europe during the past year but at Fattoria di Montemaggio the quality of the grapes brought happiness. Regarding the challenges this year, it went from the frost in April that struck mainly France, but also parts of Italy and Spain and continued to the flooding in Germany, and a very warm and dry summer overall. It has been a difficult year for vinegrowers all over Europe. How did it affect the harvest generally? Why is Fattoria di Montemaggio so happy about this vintage? Let us find out below. The Consequences… read more
Top Wine Vintages in Chianti Classico in Tuscany
October 8, 2021
Wine is all about vintages, that is that every vintage differs from the next and gives rise to unique wines. When we say that every vintage is different, we more specifically refer to the weather conditions during the vines' vegetative year. This influences a wine’s aromas, flavors, and quality which is referred to as “vintage variation”. The weather also has a considerable impact on the harvest and the yield. There are some vintages that turn out much better than others and result in compelling and sensational wines. We will look into some vintages that Ilaria, our Estate Manager, considers to… read more
Does Wine Contain Gluten?
September 10, 2021
Gluten is a severe problem for many who are allergic, intolerant or struggle with celiac disease. But can wine contain gluten? Is wine gluten-free? Or, does wine pose a risk for people who suffer from gluten intolerance? In the recent article The Truth About Gluten-Free Wine in The Drop, the online magazine of Pix Wine, Felicity Carter delves deeper into the issue of whether gluten in wine exists and whether it can be a problem. This was as a way to bring clarity to what it means when wine producers declare their wines as “gluten-free”. What is Gluten? The Celiac… read more
How Bees Can Contribute to Amazing Biodiversity in the Vineyard
August 3, 2021
There is a buzz in the vineyard figuratively as well as literally at Fattoria di Montemaggio. Well, not in the vineyard only but all over the estate. We have recently become beekeepers by setting up a beehive. This is not only making wonders for biodiversity and the ecosystem but we also hope to soon be able to produce honey to share with you all. But how and why are bees so important for the ecosystem at large? Let us dig a bit deeper into the fascinating world of bees. What is the Role of Bees? The keeping of honeybees promotes… read more