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.
From the first bottling of Tignanello back in the 1970s, Super Tuscan wines have played the part of the rebellious youths of the Italian wine industry, daring to step outside of conventional prescriptions of what Italian wine should be to deliver bold, powerful, unforgettable experiences. Born of necessity in the same region that sparked the Renaissance centuries before, Super Tuscan wines were created as part of an effort to revitalize Italy’s wine industry—and they continue to surprise and delight us to this day.
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: -2013 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo -2016 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo -2015 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto -2001 Alfredo & Giovanni Roagna Barbaresco Crichet Pajé -2000 Domenico Clerico Barolo Per Cristina -1990 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Riserva To those unfamiliar with them, Barbaresco wine and Barolo wine might…
The hotly anticipated release of 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is finally here, and many critics are already raving about the power and purity of these Tuscan wines. After the difficult 2014 vintage (a year that was plagued by cool, wet weather and under-ripe grapes), winemakers had an excellent 2015 season. Hot, dry weather resulted in quality wines that are lush, but not overly ripe, with plush tannins and relatively low acidity. This is a great vintage for Italian wine enthusiasts, especially those looking for exceptional young wines to drink over the next few years.