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Issue 670 - February 26th - March 1st 2024 - Expressly created for 4701 wine lovers,
professionals and opinion leaders from all over the world | |
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| | | For the “Top 100 Most Searched-For Wines & Spirits” by the Wine-Searcher portal, the most sought-after bottles are those of Petrus, ahead of those of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Dom Perignon and Chateau Lafite, followed by M2 Magic Moments Premium Grain Vodka. Then the first of the Italian wines, at position No. 6, namely Tenuta San Guido’s Sassicaia. Rounding out the world top 10 are Chateau Margaux at No. 7, Chateau Latour at No. 8 and Domaine de la RomaneeConti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru at No. 10. At No. 9 is the Signature Rare Aged Whisky. After Sassicaia, in the Italian top 10,Tignanello, Masseto, Ornellaia, Solaia, Monfortino, Flaccianello della Pieve, Argiano, Bartolo Mascarello and Gaja. | |
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| | If wine wants to lead the revolution in agriculture, the declared aim of the “Slow Wine Coalition” and its Manifesto, and of the “Slow Wine Fair” (which went on stage in recent days at BolognaFiere, and which from 2025, from February 23 to 25, will be simultaneously with Sana Food, the part dedicated to food of the International Organic and Natural Exhibition, by strategic choice of BolognaFiere) with more than 1,000 producers from all over the world, with stories that to wine, often, mix projects of social inclusion, of real, environmental and social sustainability - wine, like agriculture, needs the awareness that everything starts from the soil. A message relaunched by, among others, Barbara Nappini, president of Slow Food Italy, and Maria Grazia Mammuccini, president of FederBio, and by Lydia and Claude Bourguignon, two of the most celebrated agronomic consultants in France and the world. An awareness that pushes toward an “alternative” and possible agriculture, as told by “these winemakers who have long since made a precise choice”, says Giancarlo Gariglio, coordinator of the Slow Wine Coalition and editor of the Slow Wine guide, “that goes in the direction of the drastic reduction or total elimination of synthetic chemistry. Moreover, they use environmental resources in a conscious and sustainable way, they mirror the terroir they come from, whose biodiversity they preserve, and they are engines of social growth in their respective communities”. But it is necessary to invest in independent scientific research that will help those who want to do sustainable agriculture: “These days”, adds Francesco Sottile, professor at the University of Palermo and Slow Food biodiversity scientific referee, “talking about sustainability and pesticide reduction is as complex as ever, in a general framework polluted by an instrumentalization that has set agriculture and the environment in opposition. This is the wrong path, because if environmental protection and agricultural production do not become allies, we cannot trigger the ecological conversion that is imperative today. If we really want to recognize and support the fragility of our winemakers, we must give them the tools to get on the right side, countering the climate crisis with models of true agroecology”. | |
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| | The top lot, two double magnums of Le Pin 2011 and 2015 with a lunch-tasting for eight guests at the Château in Bordeaux, fetched 75,000 euros, well above estimates (45,000-65,000 euros), and, for Italy, Bolgheri icons, a double magnum of Sassicaia 1995 and an Imperial of Guidalberto 2020 with a visit-tasting for six at Tenuta San Guido fetched 10,625 euros, still above estimates (4,000-8. 000 euros), and a double magnum of Ornellaia 1998 with private dinner for six at Tenuta dell’Ornellaia (Frescobaldi Group) fetched 10,625 euros, above estimates (3,000-6,000 euros): these are the “dream” adjudications, among the 60 lots donated by major wineries from around the world, which were auctioned in recent days in Sotheby’s online auction that raised 337,000 euros for the Fondation pour la culture et les civilisations du vin at the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux. | |
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| | | “If you are an extraordinarily beautiful place like Tuscany designing a winery means taking a step back: the architect must have an attitude of great humility and understand that he or she must work to contemplate what is around. We in Tuscany, and in Montalcino in particular, must not attract, but cast our gazes toward the landscape.”: architect Marco Casamonti of Studio Casamonti & Partners, a full professor at the Faculty of Architecture in Genoa, who signs the design of the new winery in Poggio Antico, in the Brunello territory (after having designed the award-winning one of “Antinori in Chianti Classico”, which, in 2022, was awarded the title of “most beautiful winery in the world” by the World’s Best Vineyards Competition), tells WineNews. “The architect has to enhance the context in which he works, and sometimes, if the context is of extraordinary beauty, the more he stands on tiptoe, the better”, Casamonti continues. “Making a signature winery actually means making simple projects: here the landscape is already highly complex and rich in biodiversity, among cypresses, olive trees, holm oaks and vineyards, so you cannot challenge complexity. You have to take a step back and work with the utmost rigor, leaving nature this extraordinary explosion of colors with which you cannot compete”. | |
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| | | Marco Caprai of Arnaldo Caprai took the helm of the company in 1988, bringing Sagrantino to the world with a strong commitment also on a social level, so much so that, since 2016, the company has begun a path of collaboration with Caritas of Foligno for the integration of migrants into the world of work. This commitment deeply touched the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, who awarded Marco Caprai the honor for ethical entrepreneurship. | |
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| | The role of the Protection Consortiums has become stronger, and several prerogatives have been strengthened, such as the extension from 3 to 6 years for supply regulation plans; more protection, both online, through Euipo, but also on the label; these are some of the novelties introduced by the new EU Regulation of Geographical Indication products, approved on February 28, 2024 by the EU Parliament in plenary session. A reform that affects 3,410 PDO and PGI products at the EU level between food, wine and spirits (of which 890 are Italian), with a production value of 80 billion euros (of which 20.2 made in Italy). | |
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| | From Bibi Graetz’s Colore 2021 to Masseto 2020, from Parusso’s Barolo Mariondino 2019 to Marchesi Antinori’s Solaia 2019, and again, Poggio di Sotto’s Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 and Bibi Graetz’s Igt Testamatta 2021, through Allegrini’s Fieramonte Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva 2016, to Caiarossa 2020, and again, Orma 2021 and Tenute Cisa Asinari Marchesi di Gresy’s Barbaresco Camp Gros Martinenga 2018. Here are the seven excellences from Tuscany, two from Piedmont and one from Veneto, which embellish the 40 best tastings of “Le Figaro”. | |
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