‘Vinoè 2018’ , Florence

‘Vinoè 2018’ , Florence

“One should always be drunk. That’s all that matters…But with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you chose. But get drunk.”
Charles Baudelaire

“Vinoè 2018” , a stunning wine exihibition in Florence

“Vinoè 2018” is an event in Florence, which is  dedicated to Italian and international wine wxcellence . Now it is in its third edition and is  organized by FISAR’ (‘Italian Federation of Hotel and Catering Sommeliers’). There are not only exihibitors with their best bottles of white, sparkling, rosé and red wines, but also cooking shows .

15 reasons to go to “Vinoè 2018”,  in Florence

“Vinoè 2018” is a meeting point for wine lovers and expetrs.  It is possible in 3 days  to discover:

  1. 800 wine labels, among the famous and less famous wineries;
  2. 140 tasting counters, chaired by winemakers, providing a special glimpse of  national  and international  wine making tradition;
  3. Wine roducers from all over Italy, from the North to the South; in particular there will be a wide representation of Tuscany with its Brunello di Montalcino. This is a red DOCG Italian wine produced in the vineyards surrounding the town of Montalcino , which is located about 80 km South of Florence in the Tuscany Wine region;
  4. The great  ine excellence from beyond the Alps;
  5. An interesting debate about reduction and replacement of sulphites in wine launched by  Carlos Veloso dos Santos , CEO of “Amorim”
  6. The art of asting chocolate, grapes & distillates with a special workshop presented by Paolo Bini, whois a distillate expert;
  7. The secrets of winemaking in anfora from ancient to modern time with a seminar dedicated on this issue , a meeting whose speaker is the oenologist Francesco Bartoletti;
  8.  The terroir of Burgundy with the vertical tasting of Vosne Romanée Clos des Réas 1er Cru” (Pinot Noir in purity produced between 2011 and 2015);
  9. A masterclass dedicated to champagne vintages led by Cristina Willemsen of  “Fier Ce Fit”;
  10. A vertical tasting of Lauro Costa Toscana IGT Podere la Regola”,  and of Brunello Montalcino Castello Banfi” ;
  11. Food and wine culture of eastern countries, the origins and rituals of  Sakè (a Japanese drink that is made by fermenting rice) told by Giovanni Baldini of “Firenze Sakè” and by Arimitsu Sake Brewery” ;
  12. A professional talk about the physico-chemical composition or the organoleptic  characteristics of the wine by Monica Picchi, teacher at “Agrarian Faculty of the University of Florence”
  13. A journey around the world of the women entrepreneurs in the field of wine making moderated by the sommelier  Genni Setteducati;
  14. Emanuele Costantini, the best FISAR” , who earned a nomination for best sommelier  2018;
  15. Cooking classes with a pool of experts: Michelangelo Masoni, who is  a famous butcher of ViareggioSimone Alessio Sparacino, who is the chef at the starred  “CumQuibus” of San Gimignano; Francesco Secci, who is a member of the “Prato Deak Team”; the partners of ” Consorzio di Tutela del Vitellone Bianco dell’Appennino Centrale”, which is an Italian consortium for the protecion of native breeds, such as the Chianina  and the white veal from thecentral Apennines.

8 great Italian vines at “Vinoè 2018” 

“Vinoè 2018” is a really beautiful and inspiring experience. There are lots of visitors and I have the fantastic opportunity to taste high quality wine such as:
  1. “Tintilia (66)”, Claudio Cipressi, Molise;
  2. Bianco di Mariagrazia”,Tenuta Benedetta Etna Bianco,  Sicily;
  3. “Tommaso Stellino”, Sicily;
  4. “Scalunera Etna Bianco”, Torre Mora/Piccini, Sicily/Tuscany;
  5. “Eleuteria”, Nerello Mascalese, Tenuta del Travale, Calabria;
  6. “Barolo”, Bruna Grimaldi, Piedmont;
  7. “Erbaluce”, Cieck, Piedmont;
  8. “Alta Langa”, Borgo Moncalvo, Piedmont.

3 great Italian wineries at “Vinoè 2018” 

Of course there are lot of wineries which deserve lot of attention, but I have selected three of them . They are located in the South of Italy .  The wines ofItaly’s southern wine districts are bold, full-bodied, and satisfying.

Southern Italy has been producing wine for over 4000 years. The wine business here was already booming in 2000 B.C. when the Phoenicians arrived. The Greeks dubbed southern Italy “The Land of Wine” and the Romans delighted in the wines of the Campania region.

In modern times, however, wine production in southern Italy has languished, and a large portion of wine produced there was sold to France and Germany as a blending wine. All that is changing!

Give a lokk to the rich and fine wine production of these wineries here above which are situated in Molise, Sicily, and Calabria. Have fun!

1. “Claudio Cipressi Winery”, Molise

Claudio Cipressi Winery”, is located in San Felice del Molise, Campobasso. Since 2014 it has become officially certified as organic .  Moliseis a beautiful region with a unique landscape. It is largely uncontaminated and the vineyards have great potential, which is why Claudio Cipressi cultivates 16 hectares with enthusiasm. Claudio Cipressi has reintroduced the Tintilia a native white grape variety.

2. “Tenuta Mora Winery”, Sicily

“Tenuta Mora Winery is owned by the historic Tuscan producer Tenute Piccini”, one of the most popular brand of Chianti, Chianti Classico, and Brunello Wines in Italy and the world. “Tenuta Mora Winery is a boutique winery located on the Etna volcano, a black mountain looking at a blue shining sea, a unique place able to craft hidden wine gems.

The two vineyards of “Tenuta Mora are located at about 650-700m in Contrada Rovittello, in the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia and Contrada Torre, in the municipality of Linguaglossa. The philosophy of “Tenuta Mora Winery is one grape, one territory. Their main grapes are Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. The average age of vines sits at around 15 years old .

Vineyards on the Etna feature extremely fertile volcanic soils at an altitude of 650-700 meters above sea level (2100-2300 ft), with important temperature variations between day and night considerably influencing the quality of the grapes. Other properties under the Piccini umbrella are Valiano in Chianti ClassicoVilla al Cortille in Montalcino, Tenuta Moraia in the Maremma Toscana, and Regio Cantinain the Aglianico del Vulture DOC zone of Basilicata.  They are passionate about Winemaking!

3. “Tenuta del Travale”, Cosenza

Tenuta del Travale”  is located in Rovito, Cosenza, a thirty minute drive from the spectacular blue sea of the Tyrrhenian coast in Calabria. Calabria is a wine region waiting to be discovered. Calabrian Wine has not received the recognition it deserves, even though the region of Calabria has a very long history of vine cultivation. The territory is gorgeous, but the economic problems of the region have prevented it from achieving its full potential.

A goal that was pursued with determination by the owners of “Tenuta del Travale” , Raffaella Ciardullo and his husband Nicola Piluso. Today they run this stunning  estate revitalising the old territory.  They carry on the intent of defending the ancient Calabrian origin of Nerello Mascalese with one single label “Eleuteria” (there is  some evidence that Nerello Mascalese may be related to Mantonico Bianco, an ancientCalabrian grape). “Tenuta del Travale” covers two hectares of hilly terrain. Founded in 1993, the estate cultivates today only 2 varieties of vines, Nerello Mescalese and Nerello Cappuccio, from which are produced Red Wines with the IGP recognition.

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What is “Vinoè 2018”

“Vinoè 2018”  is not only a sensorial experience. It’s the perfect place where you can understand why the story behind each wine in your glass matters. There’s the value of work according to human passion and effort. An example of authentic life to follow in the caos of these times!

“Vinoè 2018”   is a way to travel in the world of wine, which is one of the best attractive in Florence. The capital of Tuscany  has remarkable wines, most notably the deep red wine Chianti Classico,  which is made with perfect purple Sangiovese grapes grown in the golden sunlight of the Tuscan hills. You’ll also find fine wines like the Brunello di Montalcino, Pomino Vin Santo and other Trebiano white wines, and Moscadello varieties for sweet wines! It takes a long time to speak about wine in Tuscany, so it’s better for you to come and taste them! Have a nice trip!

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Stefania

 

Cantina Benanti: un viaggio nel cuore dell’Etna. II Parte

Cantina Benanti: un viaggio nel cuore dell’Etna. II Parte

“La Sicilia è il paese delle arance, del suolo fiorito la cui aria, in primavera, è tutto un profumo… Ma quel che ne fa una terra necessaria a vedersi e unica al mondo, è il fatto che da un’estremità all’altra, essa si può definire uno strano e divino museo di architettura.”

“Cantina Benanti” , carattere etneo dal 1734

Il sogno di visitare la Cantina Benanti” a Viagrande in Sicilia, si realizza per il mio compleanno l’08 Ottobre 2018.  Io e la mai amica Anna arriviamo in tarda serata all’aeroporto di Catania e noleggiamo una  Fiat Cinquecento e ci avviamo in albergo.

Sistemiamo le valigie e ci dirigiamo in un ristorante nei pressi del “Castel Ursino”, vicino il centro storico di Catania. L’ aria è ancora estiva, e c’è tanta gente seduta fuori ai tavoli dei locali che rallegrano l’ atmosfera . Per cena ordiniamo vino rosso e carne di cavallo alla griglia, specialità di queste parti.

Io e Anna facciamo un giro per le strade illuminate di  via Etnea,  boulevard di Catania, e parliamo dei  ricordi legati alla nostra isola e di come è difficile starle lontani. E per questo motivo voglio condividere questa visita alla Cantina Benanti” , per suggerirvi un posto unico per le vostre prossime vacanze!

La visita alla “Cantina Benanti”, Rovitello, Catania

All’indomani del nostro arrivo in terra patria, la prima tappa è la colazione da Saiva”,  storica pasticceria e tavola calda di Catania. Ci concediamo caffè nero bollente e due dolci enormi tipici della gastronomia siciliana.

Cariche di energia dopo circa 20 minuti da Catania   facciamo finalmente tappa alla  Cantina Benanti”,  a Viagrande. Si apre un cancello in ferro battuto e vediamo un lungo viale alberato, ci incamminiamo ed è come essere entrati in un altro mondo.

Lascito  il caos di Catania è come entrare in un’ altra dimensione:  un parco privato con un vulcano in mezzo,  dove ogni cosa sembra essere messa al posto giusto.

Davanti a noi c’è un grande palazzo a due piani in pietra lavica e  un parco adiacente, dove Giuseppe Bennati  ci aspetta con il suo inseparabile  Jo, un pastore tedesco affabile e cordiale.

L’antico palmento

Giuseppe accoglie me e  Anna nella sua straordinaria azienda con un magnifico sorriso e una magnum di “Noblesse”, bollicine di puro Carricante. Successivamente entriamo insieme nel vecchio palmento, antiche vasche scavate nella roccia e collegate da un canale, in cui avveniva la pigiatura dell’uva per produrre il mosto.

Giuseppe spiega con un rigore quasi scientifico l’importanza di quel vecchio palmento e la sua funzione per la produzione del vino. E con una nota di melanconia ricorda i profumi del mosto di quando è piccolo, quando il nonno lo porta a “pistare la racina ” (“pestare l’uva”). Il cvaliere cita anche in dialetto catanese i versi dei canti dei contadini di un tempo , che accompagnavano le fatiche e le gioie dei campi.

Il palmento è rimasto integro, e da lì attraverso una porta a vetri si va al salone delle feste. Questo è infinito  con il suo  pianoforte a coda,  e adornato da mobili di prestigio ,   specchi antichi e quadri di valore.

“Noblesse”, bollicine di puro Carricante. Un successo programmato!

Giuseppe ama, cura e celebra l’arte e la bellezza in tutte le sue forme.  Che siano  le sue vigne alle pendici dell’Etna o le tele secolari,  i cui personaggi enigmatici sono oggi alcune delle etichette dei suoi vini. Come quella che adorna il “Noblesse 2003”, primo metodo classico di Carricante dell’ Etna  Si tratta del ritratto di un nobile misterioso, che Giuseppe trova  e rispolvera a  Palermo, che si fa risalire al periodo in cui Antoon Van Dick vise  in Sicilia.

La hall delle degustazione della “Cantina Benanti”

Altre parti interessanti della cantina sono:

  • L’ala dedicata alla degustazione: questa è molto  luminosa. Ci sono tavoli e sedie di prestigio. Spicca una gigantografia colorata che ha come soggetto l’Etna, proprio come tutti i libri cartonati da collezione sparpagliati ovunque;
  • La cella dove dorme il vino, pieno di barrique e tonneau, che stanno lì ad aspettare di finire il loro lavoro;
  • Una magnifica piscina da cui si vede il Monteserra.

“Cantina Benanti”, un giardino di natura e d’arte alle falde dell’Etna

Il brontolio dello stomaco ci suggerisce che è ora pranzo, ci allontaniamo io, Anna e il cavaliere  iper pranzare alla “Trattoria Scalo Grande”, a Santa Maria La Scala. Ci deliziamo con gamberoni freschi e  linguine alla vongole.

Siamo seduti con di fronte un panorama mozzafiato: un mare blu cobalto, delle barche che ondeggiano e dei gabbiani , che virando nell’aria sembrano quasi darci il benvenuto.

Vini Benanti , vini d’autore

Tornati in cantina  Giuseppe ci inizia alla magnifica degustazione dei vini Benanti, e fornisce dei dettagli sulla Cantina Benanti”, sui vigneti, e in particolare sull’importante contributo di tutto lo staff aziendale. In particolare  quello dei due figli , Antonio e Salvino, a cui oggi è affidata la direzione.

La storia della  famiglia Benanti

L’origine della famiglia Benanti è bolognese e va indietro nel lontano 1734. A quel tempo si chiamano “Benati”. Poi grazie a un provvedimento regale, si chiede a un loro antenato di spostarsi in Sicilia e fare fiorire un ramo e al tempo stesso di cambiare il nome da “Benati” a “Benanti”.

Sono da generazioni proprietari terrieri, dediti alla viticultura dell’Etna. Successivamente diventano anche imprenditori nel campo della farmaceutica,  fondando nel 1935 a  Catania   la  Sifi, una delle più importanti imprese in campo oftalmologico.

Giuseppe Benanti e le origini della cantina

Il vino è una passione di famiglia trasformato da  Giuseppe Benanti, anche lui imprenditore farmaceutico, nella Cantina Benanti”  nel 1988 a Viagrande, versante Est dell’Etna.

Tutto comincia quando Giuseppe è a pranzo con l’amico medico Francesco Micale al pranzo al ” Picciolo”, Castiglione di Sicilia. Lui desidera un gran vino rosso dell’Etna, ma non trova  niente di simile sul menù ! Giuseppe sceglie di valorizzare il territorio Etneo, da sempre comunque votato alla viticultura, ma non vuole solo la qualità, vuole l’eccellenza.

Francia e Piemonte come modello per la rinascita del vino etneo

Ed ecco che Giuseppe inizia un progetto portato avanti in collaborazione con  numi dell’enologia, tra questi:

  • Salvo Fot:  il più importante agronomo ed enologo siciliano;
  • Rocco Di Stefano,   professore dell’ “Istituto Sperimentale per l’Enologia di Asti” ;
  • Jean Siegrist professore dell’ ’ “INRA” di Beaune.

Da quel momento in poi si pongono le basi per produrre grandi vini sull’ Etna e si dà inizio “rivoluzione dei vini etnei”.

Le vigne acquistate o gestite nei comuni di Castiglione di Sicilia (Etna nord) e Milo (Etna est), sono già impiantate o vengono coltivate a Nerello Mascalese (Castiglione di Sicilia) e Carricante (Milo), i vitigni autoctoni del vulcano.

A metà degli anni novanta Giuseppe scommette da  subito e  con decisione su tali varietà. Effettua circa 150 prove di micro vinificazione, e valorizza sia i tradizionali assemblaggi tipici dellaDOC Etna Rosso” (Nerello Mascalese e  Nerello Cappuccio) che i monovitigni, all’epoca una vera rarità!

Le vigne  della “Cantina Benanti”

Giuseppe collabora con coltivatori di Santa Maria di Licodia (Etna sudovest), mentre nel 1998,  dieci anni dopo la  creazione  della sua cantina,  l’azienda si espande anche sul Monte Serra a Viagrande (Etna sudest).

Un lavoro pionieristico quello di Giuseppe , che vuole da sempre portare in un calice tutto il terroir dell’Etna.

Il risultato :

La rivoluzione della famiglia Benanti con il vino dell’Etna

Grazie alla passione e al genio di Giuseppe Benanti, l’Etna fa parlare  di “rinascita” e successo. L’Etna diventa un nuovo distretto vinicolo d’eccellenza. Inoltre attira altri produttori ella “muntagna”, ispirati dai traguardi ottenuti dalla Cantina Benanti” negli anni ‘9o nella lavorazione del Carricante, del Nerello Mascalese e del Nerello Cappuccio.

Nel 2005 Cantina Benanti”   avvia una lunga ed importantissima sperimentazione che porta nel 2010 alla selezione ed all’ottenimento del brevetto di quattro lieviti autoctoni. Ancora oggi, esempio unico sull’Etna.

Antonio e Salvino Benanti

Nel 2012 i gemelli Antonio e Salvino, classe 1974, reduci da esperienze accademiche e lavorative di diversi anni all’estero e poi in Italia, accompagnano il padre Giuseppe Benanti in questa splendida avventura imprenditoriale.

Antonio e Salvino portano energia e innovazione nella Cantina Benanti, mantenendo intatte la filosofia aziendale, cioè la valorizzazione dei vitigni Autoctoni Etnei. I fratelli Benanti si  formano alla “International School di Ginevra” ed in seguito alla “European Business School” ed all’ “Imperial College di Londra”.

Un ricco percorso accademico, seguito da altre importanti esperienze lavorative formative nel campo della finanza anglosassone.

Un ricambio generazionale vincente

L’idea di Antonio e Salvino è quella di portare i vini Benanti in giro per l’Italia e il mondo, vini di alto livello pensati per tutti. E non solo per esperti e palati sofisticati. Una tattica vincente che conferma il grande successo dei vini Benanti nel mercato nazionale e internazionale.

Antonio e Salvino portano avanti strategie molto chiare e pienamente condivise, ed agiscono da subito con grande decisione facendo scelte importanti, come quelle di seguito riportate:

  •  Dal 2004 attribuzione del ruolo di enologo, responsabile tecnico di  vigna e  cantina ad Enzo Calì;
  • Dismissione di alcune proprietà ed alcuni vigneti e terreni considerati non strategici, con conseguente abbandono dei vini ad essi collegati;
  • Acquisto di ulteriori tevigneti, in parte anche da conferitori storici, ubicati in sotto zone di eccellenza sull’Etna a Rovittello e a Milo;
  • Avvio formale della certificazione biologica per i vini.

8 modernità della “Cantina Benanti”

Con i fratelli Benanti la parola d’ordine è investimenti, e tra quelli più importanti che sono stati fatti , ricordiamo:

  1. Nuovi sistemi di controllo delle temperature;
  2. Nuova strumentazione di laboratorio,;
  3. Una nuova pressa pneumatica;
  4. Botti grandi in sostituzione di legni più piccoli;
  5. Impianti di produzione di energia da fonti rinnovabili;
  6. Allestimento di nuovi e moderni spazi sia per lo stoccaggio e la movimentazione (circa 250 posti pallet) che per il lungo affinamento (circa 200 posti pallet) del vino imbottigliato, con impianti di condizionamento all’ avanguardia;
  7. Sviluppo di un’attività di accoglienza e degustazioni in cantina;
  8. Ampliamento, rinnovamento e consolidamento della rete commerciale, composta da distributori e importatori specializzati in vini di eccellenza, oggi in grado di coprire circa quaranta mercati in circa trenta paesi nel mondo.

Antonio e Salvino portano a termine il  passaggio generazionale, ma il core business   rimane sempre  loro padre  Giuseppe Benanti !

Quali sono le zone dell’Etna più vocate per la “Cantina Benanti”?

La Cantina Benanti” si estende per 20 ha, nei comuni di:

Quali sono i migliori vini della “Cantina Benanti”?

La produzione, altamente specializzata, oggi ammonta a circa 160.000 bottiglie (obiettivo nel medio periodo 190.000-200.000).  I vini Benanti prodotti sono:

Spumanti:

Classici:
Monovitigni:

I vini Benanti nel mondo

I vini Benanti sono esportati in importanti mercati esteri, tra i quali spiccano :

  • gli Stati Uniti, il Canada, la Gran Bretagna, la Francia, la Scandinavia, la Svizzera, il Belgio, la Russia, l’Austria, Singapore, Hong Kong, la Cina continentale, il Giappone, l’Australia e la Nuova Zelanda.

I vini Benanti ricevonoapprezzamenti convinti ed unanimi e creando consenso tra gli appassionati e tra i professionisti.

6 riconoscimenti dei vini Benanti

Fra i principali riconoscimenti ottenuti risaltano quello di “Cantina Italiana dell’Anno”:

Una Sicilia dall’anima nobile

La Cantina Benanti” è diventata un’azienda di nicchia specializzata nella produzione di vini dell’Etna, votata all’eccellenza qualitativa.

I Vini Benanti esprimono appieno  il Terroir Etneo,  sono vini autentici, fatti per durare nel tempo ed accompagnare i piatti delle migliori cucine. Non sono vini alla moda, né puntano ad esserlo. Essi ambiscono invece ad entrare nell’élite dei grandi vini d’Europa.

Il vino non è un business è una passione! Ed ecco il mio regalo per il mio compleanno,  un giorno  con la mia amica Anna e il cavaliere Benanti.  Un’esperienza che non dimenticherò mai, insieme al profumo, al  sapore dei vni Benanti.  Un articolo che è un omaggio alla bellezza e allo splendore dell’ Etna, che vi invitio a vederre presto!

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Vinitaly 2018

Vinitaly 2018

There is no world without Verona walls, But purgatory, torture, hell itself.

Hence “banishèd” is banished from the world, And world’s exile is death

Shakespeare (Act III, Scene III)

“Vinitaly 2018”, a reason to go to Verona 

There are thousands of reasons to visit  Verona . Not only for  Juliet’s balcony’, but also for ‘Vinitaly 2018′ ! This  is the biggest exhibition about wine in Italy and for sure one of the biggest in the world .

Thousands of producers and distributors from all 20 regions of Italy  and from  all over the world present their wines at Verona Expo’, the trade fair of Verona. During the ‘Vinitaly 2018′ I spent a weekend in Verona by friends of mine .

Of course,  I realized that  this ‘City of Lovers’ has much to offer travellers beyond the famous, dramatic love story between ‘Romeo and Juliet . Follow my tips about discovering this stunning Italian city and the best wineries in Italy .

 

What is ‘Vinitaly 2018’?

Vinitaly 2018′ is the world’s largest wine and oenology fair, which takes  takes place every spring in Verona:

  • 4,600 exhibitors from 35 countries.
  • 100,000 square metres of exhibition space.
  • 125,000 visitors from 145 nations.

Not only wine!

Vinitaly 2018′  takes place inside the Verona Expo’ , which is a huge area south of the city, near the main  railway station. Inside there are 20  large pavilions, which are divided by regions . Participating wineries set up the stands for wine presentations and tastings.

In addition to wine, there are sections dedicated to wine technology and equipment, olive oil, spirits, beer, gastronomy. This wine  exhibition  is absolutely  a journey into the world of wine!

My favourite  Sicilian wineries at ‘Vinitaly 2018’

For wine lovers, this is an experience not to be missed! Prior to 2018, I had always heard of ‘Vinitaly 2018′ , but I had never experienced the wonder myself. I attended  ‘Vinitaly 2018′ in April,  and I have to admit I liked  what I saw. It’s an event of international importance, and it is very big  in terms of products, distributers, and actual surface area.

I walked a lot  in one day from one hall to the next . Actually, it required not only  a strong passion for wine, but even research , planning and money! Being an immense area, I  realized I couldn’t  scratch the surface of ‘Vinitaly 2018′ – above all if attending in only  1 day!

I would have flown into a couple regions of Italian wine, but I was able only to  try  3  Sicilian wineries , the ones I would have visited since a lot of time. Here below  my wine  tour in Sicily, my wonderful homeland!

1. ‘Castellaro Winery’, Lipari 

As fate would have it, my first stop was Tenuta di Castellaro winery  of Lipari.  The estate of Castellaro has its headquarters in Quattropiani’, the highest village on the island of Lipari. The owner of the estate is Massimo Lentsch, entrepreneur from Bergamo (Milan area), who fell in love with Sicily and Sicilian wine.

Massimo Lentsch was already producing wine in Dubrovnik, but after a holiday in Lipari,  realized the high potential of this terroir and created this new company. The estate consists of several plots scattered all over the island of Lipari: ‘Vigna’ , ‘Maggiore’, ‘Lisca’, ‘Lisca Alta’, ‘Caolino’ and ‘Gelso’ are the main. The greater area is located in ‘Castellaro’ and from this vineyard is after named the estate.

Massimo Lentsch and Salvo Foti

A very important event was the meeting between Massimo Lentsch and the winemaker Salvo Foti, founder of the Consortium of Vigneri’, who has put his great experience to produce wine in the Eolie islands in the service of the new winery. The goal of the Consortium of Vigneri is to produce wines of excellence, in full respect of the nature and island traditions.

The grapes of Lipari island

In 2013, after four years of work, in Lipari was inaugurated the cellar of the estate, with a solemn ceremony in which, in addition to local authorities, was attended by a delegation of Japanese operators.

This is the largest winery of the Aeolian  Islands, modern with very low environmental impact, all geared to the natural production of wine, where the wine making process takes place by gravity, without the use of pumps, where the musts are fermented on indigenous yeasts.

In volcanic soils rich in pumice and obsidian have found an exceptionally habitat grapes varieties such as:

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2. ‘Benanti Winery’, Mount Etna

Last summer I wanted to go to Mount Etna to visit the ‘Benanti Winery’, but I couldn’t for several reasons .  I promised myself to find a way to do it once in my life! It’s easy to imagine I dashed for this unique winery at Vinitaly 2018′, which  gave me the possibility to meet the producers in person.

First thing, I was impressed was for their elegance: their manners, their way of thinking, their personality and their kindness to tell me the story of their family.

The grapes of Etna

Antonio Benanti  , a charming Sicilian entrepreneur, started talking about their top red and white wines. I tasted them and they are stunning. These wines are unique, because they are produced from three local noble grapes variety you can’t find nowhere in the world:

They are so special, because they are located in Mount Etna that is an insane place to produce wine: volcanic soil, wildly unpredictable weather and steep slopes. This  is the reason why Etna has become one of Italy’s most exciting wine regions, creating wines with intense minerality and effusive flavours.

I asked Antonio the secret of their success and he answered simply : “passion, hard job and professionality”. Antonio with his brother Salvino belongs to the new generation of ambitious winemakers that are pioneering the potential’s of Etna vineyards focusing on what it does best.

Benanti family

Twin brothers Salvino and Antonio Benanti, 42,  spent their lives side by side: growing up in Sicily, studying at business school, working banking jobs in London and then returning to Sicily to take over the family winery.  In 2012 their father, Giuseppe Benanti, handed them the ‘Benanti Winery’ .

Giuseppe Benanti, now 73, is a third-generation Catania pharmacist who built a successful international ophthalmological products company.  In the late 1980s Giuseppe began investing in a dream of making great wines in Mount Etna reviving a family old passion with an extensive and selective study of the Etnean soils. But it was with the twins that there was a qualitative leap. In the past  ‘Benanti Winery’  had lost some of its identity, producing too many wines of varying quality.

The brothers knew what they wanted to do and wasted no time:  the day after Giuseppe transferred ownership to his sons, they started a revolution!  The brothers sold off vineyards in south eastern Sicily along with mediocre performers on Mount Etna, dramatically slashed the number of bottlings from more than 20 to 8,  and eliminated use of international varieties. Their idea was to invest in their core wines.

‘Benanti wines’

Those that ‘Benanti Winery’  does best are its elegant, single-vineyard  Etna flagships including:

Today the ‘Benanti Winery’  farms about 30 acres, producing close to 13,000 cases annually. Benanti Wines’—which five years ago were exported only to Japan, Norway and one U.S. state—now ship to 30 countries. American distribution has expanded from New York only to 11 other states.  Today ‘Benanti Winery’  is  prestigious and its wines are some of the most awarded in Sicily.

3. ‘Fina Winery’, Marsala

Fill your glass with ‘Kikè’ (white,  Traminer and Sauvignon Blanc)  of ‘Fina Winery’ once in your life  ! Can you imagine ?  During a starring summer evening in front of the sea, while having a cosy fish meal somewhere in the Mediterranean!

It happened to me and finally at the Vinitaly 2018′ I met Bruno Fina, the gentle owner of this beautiful and modern winery in Marsala,  who dedicated a little time to me for tasting his gorgeous wines. ‘Fina’s wines’ are the result of a land in the territory of Marsala that is loved and fought for, they have the taste of the passion and of that grapes that have been wisely turned into wine, thanks to the dedication of the work in the vineyard.

The harmony of a winery 

They have the familiar warmth and the experience of who has always done wine and has always know how to narrate it. This is how you transmit the hereditary character of the territory and the harmony of the men that search for excellence on a daily basis.

Those are the fundamental element of ‘Fina Winery’ and for this reason Bruno Fina considers his wines as part of his family. Aiming to get the best from the surrounding territory ‘Fina Winery’  has a modern and efficient structure transferring all the passion in rational organization of spaces and processes, in the maximum respect for the integrity of the grapes.

 

Tips for your upcoming ‘Vinitaly’

Finally some useful tips, if you decide to go to Vinitaly’ next year:

  1. Book Vinitaly tickets in advance on line: they were € 80 per person for a 1 day pass and €145 for all 4 days. If you are affiliated with a wine-related trade (sommelier, restaurant owner, shop owner, blogger, etc.), it is possible to have a discount. If you know someone  who is somehow involved in the wine business, they can sign up for a free entrance.  The reason why  Vinitaly 2018′ is so expensive was because of issues with drunk people in the past.  Lastly, if you are  a journalist, a blogger  and so on, you can request a free 4-days pass to Vinitaly 2018′;
  2. Stay Overnight in Verona: If you have the chance to stay in Verona during the festival, do it! The city comes alive with all sorts of dining and wine events. But make sure you make reservations for any dinners in advance, as most restaurants are sure to fill up;
  3. Stay longer than 1 day:  and figure out a plan;
  4. Go on one of the last two days: If you have to pick a day, pick one of the last two days of the festival. By then, the crowds have died down;
  5. Spend time on  the website of  ‘Vinitaly Website’:  that offers a plethora of useful information about the philosophy, logistics, and wineries at the festival,  conducting some preliminary research for your visit;
  6. Get the Vinitaly App’: it lists every single vendor by country, region, and type of wine. the ‘Vinitaly App’ also has a map of the event and a location capability that can help you find saved wineries once you arrive;
  7. If you want to get to Vinitaly’ consider public transport: if you’re coming from outside of Verona. I  caught a train to Verona Porta Nuova’ (main train station), then immediately hopped on the Vinitaly 2018′  free shuttle bus. It dropped us off right in front of the event, and it took only 3-4 minutes to drive. There are multiple free shuttles running all over the city. See the Vinitaly website’ for more info;
  8. Go early: plan to arrive right at 9:30 when the doors open. Your chances of peacefully enjoying some wine are much higher earlier in the day;
  9. Wear comfortable shoes: I’d recommend choosing somewhere in between from casual to formal dress , but please  comfortable shoes for walking around the event itself!
  10. Be smart: this event is huge and there are thousands of wines you can try.  You don’t have to try every single wine from every winery. Another strategy? Sip and spit. Really. You can try way more wine if you can manage spitting out much of the wine. That’s literally what the dump buckets are there for. No one will look at you weird!;
  11. Bring lots of business cards: If you are in a wine-related business in any way, bring lots of business cards. This event is a wonderful opportunity for networking and getting to know people;
  12. Food brought from home:  there are multiple places you can eat at the event, that means an endless queue and an additional cost . Anyway, there are lots of  cafes around the event in case you need something strong to awake your self from sleep!

What to see in  Verona

Verona is a beautiful town with great history, and  most of the sights are very close to each other.  So it was possible for me to stroll trough almost all of the town’s must-see places.
The best way to start exploring Verona was to go to the Piazza Bra’, where you can find many restaurants to have lunch or dinner, and then towards  the famous  Arena of Verona’, which resembles theColosseum’  in Rome. Nowadays thisArena of Verona’ is used like a concert hall.

3 things to do in Verona 

A further must-see step was Piazza delle Erbe’ with the Madonna Verona Fountain’ in the heart of the square a market square surrounded by elegant buildings:
  1. The Torre dei Lamberti, which is the old town hall;
  2. The Palazzo Maffei’;
  3. The Casa dei Mercanti’ .
It is the central and most beautiful square in Verona, so there are always a lot of tourists drinking coffee in cafes and buying souvenirs, vegetables, and fresh fruits at the market. I  went on crossing the bridge Ponte Pietra’ through the Adige River . Then I reached the top and stopped in the little garden near the castle ‘Castel San Pietro’. From here the right side of Adige River, with the historic centre of Verona, is clearly visible. Here you can enjoy one of the best panoramic views of the town!

vinitaly-2018-verona-wine-travel-blog-weloveitalyeu

‘Vinitaly 2018’  is always a good idea! 

‘Vinitaly’ is the wine-education experience of a life time, because you can get an amazing wine education experience at Vinitaly’.  If it’s your first (second or third!) Verona  travel adventure, take some time to explore the city. Here below some useful links to discover the city:

Verona  could be a great place where to go for your upcoming holidays!

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