Rhône

One of the demanded red wine regions in France is the Rhône, a valley that starts due south of Lyon and continues along the Rhône River until Provence.

Due to its notable length, it has varying soils, expositions, micro-climates and varieties. The north is home to appellations such as Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, St-Joseph, Cornas and features Syrah as its sole red grape. Its whites include Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier.

In its southern half of the Rhône, the wines are notably different. The vineyards are hotter, flatter and composed of different soils and varieties, such as Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Carignan as well as the ubiquitous Syrah. The resulting wines such as Châteauneuf du Pape, are rich and robust with lots of character and warmth.

Château de Beaucastel

Château de Beaucastel is 110 hectares, with one single plot in an exceptional terroir at the Northern limit of Châteauneuf du Pape.

The terroir is archetypal of the best terroirs in Châteauneuf: rolled pebbles on the surface, sand, clay and limestone deeper down.

The vines are old and have been organically grown for 50 years, which has allowed the roots to grow exceptionally deep.

They were one of the first converts to organic and biodynamic farming in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which they adopted in 1950 and 1974 respectively.

Piedmont

Located, as its name suggests, at the foot of the Alps bordering France and Switzerland, Piedmont is the second largest of Italy’s 20 regions, after Sicily.

Recognized for its industry like Fiat in Turin, Piedmont is also one of the greatest regions in the world in terms of cuisine (don’t forget the white truffles from Alba!) and wine!

With 46 DOC and 4 DOCG, Piedmont has more wine appellations than any other Italian region.

Braida

Braida has been created in 1961 by Giacomo Bologna. He has been recognized as the first winemaker to raise the quality from a traditional table Barbera to a fine wine.

In 1982, Braida launched Bricco dell’ Uccellone, a “Super Barbera”.

The wines were aged in small, French oak barrels in order to compensate for Barbera’s lack of tannins. The result was a deeply flavourful, complex wine out of a variety normally considered to be an acidic filler.

Now, the children, Raffaella and Giuseppe, run the wine estate. They have made Braida one of the most respected wineries in Piedmont.

Piedmont

Located, as its name suggests, at the foot of the Alps bordering France and Switzerland, Piedmont is the second largest of Italy’s 20 regions, after Sicily.

Recognized for its industry like Fiat in Turin, Piedmont is also one of the greatest regions in the world in terms of cuisine (don’t forget the white truffles from Alba!) and wine!

With 46 DOC and 4 DOCG, Piedmont has more wine appellations than any other Italian region.

Massolino

The history of the Massolinos. became entwined with the history of Serralunga d’Alba in 1896, when Giovanni founded the estate.

Giovanni was the very first person to bring electricity to the village.

The first wine cellar was built by Giuseppe, son of the founder Giovanni, who, together with his sister Angela, extended his estate into the best soils.

At that time, Giuseppe had six children. Three of them followed in their father’s footsteps, expanding the estate.

They purchased Margheria, Parafada and Vigna Rionda, cru vineyards which are authentic jewels.

In the 1990’s Franco and Roberto, both oenologists, joined the family estate and put Massolino as one of the best Barolo producers.

Piedmont

Located, as its name suggests, at the foot of the Alps bordering France and Switzerland, Piedmont is the second largest of Italy’s 20 regions, after Sicily.

Recognized for its industry like Fiat in Turin, Piedmont is also one of the greatest regions in the world in terms of cuisine (don’t forget the white truffles from Alba!) and wine!

With 46 DOC and 4 DOCG, Piedmont has more wine appellations than any other Italian region.

Massolino

The history of the Massolinos. became entwined with the history of Serralunga d’Alba in 1896, when Giovanni founded the estate.

Giovanni was the very first person to bring electricity to the village.

The first wine cellar was built by Giuseppe, son of the founder Giovanni, who, together with his sister Angela, extended his estate into the best soils.

At that time, Giuseppe had six children. Three of them followed in their father’s footsteps, expanding the estate.

They purchased Margheria, Parafada and Vigna Rionda, cru vineyards which are authentic jewels.

In the 1990’s Franco and Roberto, both oenologists, joined the family estate and put Massolino as one of the best Barolo producers.

Piedmont

Located, as its name suggests, at the foot of the Alps bordering France and Switzerland, Piedmont is the second largest of Italy’s 20 regions, after Sicily.

Recognized for its industry like Fiat in Turin, Piedmont is also one of the greatest regions in the world in terms of cuisine (don’t forget the white truffles from Alba!) and wine!

With 46 DOC and 4 DOCG, Piedmont has more wine appellations than any other Italian region.

Massolino

The history of the Massolinos. became entwined with the history of Serralunga d’Alba in 1896, when Giovanni founded the estate.

Giovanni was the very first person to bring electricity to the village.

The first wine cellar was built by Giuseppe, son of the founder Giovanni, who, together with his sister Angela, extended his estate into the best soils.

At that time, Giuseppe had six children. Three of them followed in their father’s footsteps, expanding the estate.

They purchased Margheria, Parafada and Vigna Rionda, cru vineyards which are authentic jewels.

In the 1990’s Franco and Roberto, both oenologists, joined the family estate and put Massolino as one of the best Barolo producers.

Douro

Famous as the source of port wine, the Douro is now also renowned for its fine, rich unfortified wines, both red and white.
This is one of the wildest, most mountainous and rugged wine regions of Portugal, cut through in deep twists and turns by the River Douro. Defying gravity on the steep slopes along the banks of the river and its tributaries, the vines are planted in poor, schistous soils.
The Douro region is divided into three sub-regions: from west to east the Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior.
Port and DOC Douro wines are made only with native grape varieties. The most widely-used ones are Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Tinta Roriz & the most widely planted variety Touriga Franca.

Romaneira

One of the historic & largest Quintas of the Douro Valley, with 412 hectares and 3 kilometres of river frontage on the Douro River.
The vineyard has 86 hectares planted, principally with the noble Douro grape varieties of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão, but also a small proportion of white grapes (Gouveio and Malvasia-Fina), and a few experimental hectares of “exotic” grape varieties such as Syrah and Petit Verdot.
Since 2004, the company is managed by Christian Seely, bringing his experience in Douro Valley at Quinta do Noval but also in Bordeaux at Chateaux Pichon Longueville and Petit Village, as Managing Director of Axa Millesimes.

Trentino

Trentino is renowned for its mountains, such as the Dolomites, which are part of the Alps.

The region is not so industrialized, and agriculture remains important. The most important produce comprises apples (50% of national production, together with South Tyrol) and other fruits, vegetables and grape.

At the opposite of South Tyrol, Trentino counts on a large number of growers who joined into large wine cooperatives.

In addition to a few native grapes only, Trentino is producing well known international grape varieties.

San Leonardo

Founded in 1724, San Leonardo has since remained in the same family. The estate is in Vallagarina in the extreme south of Trentino and extends over 300 hectares, 25 of which are planted with vine.
The rows, some dating from the late 19th century, are lined with cabernet sauvignon, carmenere and merlot, varieties the Guerrieri Gonzaga’s have always relied on to make wines that stand out with balance and elegance.
Today, it is owned by a direct descendant, Marchesi Carlo Guerrieri Gonzaga, previously wine-maker in Sassicaia. His knowledge and collaboration since 1984 with Giacomo Tachis, creator of the “Super Tuscans”, have given these wines a unique style that has gained the attention of the world.