Age-worthy yet terroir transparent, Barolo is a fascinating region. Its complex, varied terroir often draws comparisons with Burgundy. Here we delve into “the king of wines and wine of kings” – from its aristocratic beginnings to the villages, vineyards and producers to look out for Barolo remains the most important region in the world for…
In amongst the 18th century buildings and vineyards at Castello di Ama, you’ll discover striking modern sculpture. Disruptive and disarming, the art and wine of this Chianti Classico estate is at the cutting edge. Vinfolio’s Sophie Thorpe spoke to CEO Lorenza Sebasti and winemaker Marco Pallanti to find out more The constant tension in wine is…
For a long time, Tuscany was known merely for its squat jugs of rustic Chianti, almost inevitably in quaint straw baskets; thin, insipid wines that are a shadow of what the region has proven it can produce today. While Chianti had once been known for making fine wine – having been the first region to…
Along with Giuseppe Quintarelli, Dal Forno Romano makes the best wines in the Veneto. The history of this estate, however, is much shorter, and its rise to fame much faster. The Dal Forno family had long owned vines in Valpolicella, in Illasi – on the eastern side of the historical Classico zone. The fruit had,…
The 2018 vintage in Montalcino is certainly one to get excited about – particularly for those who love fresh, floral vintages packed with tension. Vintages like this are becoming ever rarer in today’s warming climate, and therefore all the more precious. Despite the pleasing results, the growing season was far from easy. A very wet…
Venissa is an estate like no other, crafting wine from the indigenous Dorona grape grown on islands in the Venice Lagoon. Sophie Thorpe spoke to Matteo Bisol about his family’s mission to preserve this unique Venetian tradition “I met Anselme Selosse when I was 13 and that really entered in my heart. He’s really a…
Cashmere king Brunello Cucinelli has just unveiled his new wine venture – and latest project from the Umbrian hamlet he’s been restoring over the last 30 years, Solomeo. Here’s everything you need to know about the fashion icon’s Castello di Solomeo About the producer Castello di Solomeo is fashion designer Brunello Cucinelli’s new wine project.…
As Brunello Cucinelli launches his new wine project – Castello di Solomeo – exclusively available from FINE+RARE, we dig into the philosophy of the designer behind Italy’s cashmere empire. Educator and business guru Germana di Falco sits down with the fashion icon to discuss his philosophy on business and life itself There are interviews, and…
Love them or loathe them, truffles are undoubtedly some of the most majestic ingredients on the planet. But, with a changing climate and an aging cohort of specialist truffle hunters, the future of this rare delicacy is uncertain. Sophie Thorpe explores Truffles: small, gnarly things. Equally ugly and alluring. Pungently intoxicating. Deliciously rare – and…
There is something majestic about a mist-veiled landscape—and about the grapes that thrive within it. The fog-steeped hills and castles of the Langhe wine region seem a more likely place for mystery than winemaking mastery, but this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the origin of some of Italy’s best and longest-lived wines.
It all began in 1971 with a passion and a purpose. Giovanni Neri, in search of the perfect vineyard, purchased a large estate in Montalcino. Seven years (and three additional land purchases) later, the first Brunello harvest marked the beginning of an era of excellence—one that is not expected to conclude anytime soon. Casanova de Neri swiftly built a reputation as one of the best wineries in the region—high praise indeed for vintners hailing from Tuscany.
All great sequels do two things: they maintain the high quality of the original, and they stand on their own as something unique, and perhaps something better. For wine enthusiasts, the release of the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino wines may just prove them to be the perfect sequel to the legendary 2015 vintages.