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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

Although wine can be made from any type of grape, wine grapes are in a class of their own if you’re looking to produce a rich and complex wine. They’re smaller, full of seeds, and have thicker skins, and while they may not be as tasty as table grapes when eaten fresh, they also have a higher sugar and juice content, making them ideal for turning into wine. Growing Wine Grapes: A Quick Snapshot When to Sow – Feb-Apr When to Plant – Apr-Jun When to Harvest – Aug-Oct Average Yield per Plant – 0.5kg/year Spacing – 90-180cm Depth – 30cm How to Grow Wine Grapes… read more

At the Fattoria Montemaggio, we have often talked in our blog about the Chianti Classico area and obviously about the Chianti Classico Consortium, explaining its origin, its function, and talking specifically about the various sub-zones within this area.We tried to explain how important it is to emphasize the typicality of each area, and how each product was unique because of the peculiarities of the various "terroirs" of all these sub-areas.This is why we are so happy to inform you that several changes have taken place within the Chianti Classico disciplinary. A new law was voted and approved, which will protect… read more

It is now well known that for many kind of wines it is required to use different types of  wine glasses. Therefore we have different glasses designed in order to allow the drinker to appreciate the whole range of flavors and aromas. Studies show that the shape of a wine glass can have an important effect on the nose and on the finish of wine. Wine's aroma is significant during the tasting. The various aromatic components perceived by nose, give you a clue about what will also be the perceived taste of the wine you were served even before tasting… read more

The Chianti Classico Collection 2021 event turned into a Chianti Classico Connection just as the consortium underlined. In line with the Covid-19 restrictions, the consortium had this year modified the yearly preview event to be able to organize it despite the restrictions still in vigor. This gave rise to some interesting new initiatives that surely could be an idea to integrate also when the pandemic will blow away. Fattoria di Montemaggio was present with their newly released Chianti Classico vintages, of course. Chianti Classico Annata 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva 2014 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2013 Chianti Classico Connection - A… read more

One of the methods that certainly distinguishes an organic-biological approach from the traditional one is the use of expedients and compounds one hundred percent natural to fertilize the soil. The cover crops, sometimes also called green manure, is certainly a highly proven method to rely on in order to fertilize the soil. But let's first of all understand what it is, what it entails and certainly when it is the best way to use this agricultural "expedient" in our vineyards. What is green manure? Green manure or cover crop is nothing more than a technique that is used to fertilize… read more

Biodiversity is a term we hear a lot lately, but it is probably necessary to clarify what is meant by biodiversity and, above all, why this biodiversity is so fundamental for the vineyard and, in general, for the ecosystem of a winery. It is therefore necessary to understand the relationship between ecosystem and choices from the point of view of viticultural approach. These two elements we have just mentioned certainly have very strong points of conjunction. Moreover there is also a direct relation with what will be the quality of our final product: wine. Every single choice made in terms… read more

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 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

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