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 Pesquié

Château Pesquié is a family estate located in the southern Rhône Valley, at the foot of the southern slopes of Mont Ventoux.

The management of Château Pesquié is now the responsibility of Alexandre and Frédéric Chaudière, the 3^rd generation of the family.

The vines occupy clay and limestone slopes and are among some of the last to produce fully ripened fruit in the southern Rhône Valley.

In 2003, the brothers have implemented organic viticultural methods at the estate. From 2015 they have farmed biodynamically.

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.

Domaine de La Solitude

La Solitude belongs to one of the oldest families of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Their history goes back to the XVth century. From generation to generation, the Estate is still a family affair and is now run by Florent Lançon.

La Solitude stretches over 37 hectares of the best terroirs in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The domain begins on “La Crau”, high terraces of the Rhône and then descends into the valley of la Solitude. It is a patchwork of terroirs ranging from sandy soils (safres) to clay and pebbles (galets roulés). Thirteen different grape varieties are cultivated there!

The vineyard has been practicing organic viticulture for a long time and will be officially certified from 2021 vintage and biodynamic from 2022.

Tuscany

Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history and artistic legacy. As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, the region has an incredible art and architecture heritage.

Tuscany is certainly the most famous of all Italian regions for its wines. Sangiovese reigns in all its forms in the vineyards of Chianti but also Montepulciano and Montalcino.

It is also the land of the Super Tuscan, the Bordeaux blend style that laid the foundation of some of the greatest Italian wines.

As a pairing with these wines, Tuscany cuisine is based on simplicity but high quality and certainly topped with Tuscan olive oil, recognized all over the world.

Rocca delle Macìe

Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973 by Italo Zingarelli, the film producer of the highly successful series of films starring Bud Spencer and Terence Hill.

At the time, he purchased “Le Macìe” estate – 93 hectares, of which only two are planted with vines – in order to establish a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico region.

Italo passed on his love and passion for the Tuscan land to his three children. In 1985, Sergio started working with his father.

In 1989, with the help of his wife Daniela, he took over the management of the company. Since then, Sergio, in collaboration with his sister Sandra, has consolidated and developed his father’s company.

Today, the winery has about 500 hectares. 200 are planted with vines and about 22 with olive trees, divided between six estates.

South West

The South West (or ‘Sud-Ouest’) is a relatively large territorial zone of France, incorporating the administrative regions of Aquitaine, Limousin and Midi-Pyrenees but excluding Bordeaux.
South West France is a rather heterogeneous region in terms of its wines and how they are marketed. It is rare to see wines being sold as Vins du Sud-Ouest. With Bordeaux brightly highlighted wines, the south-western wine regions have been struggling for centuries to get recognition for their diverse & unique appellations.
The region’s wine portfolio, meanwhile, includes sweet wines from Jurancon; tannic, full-blooded reds from Cahors and Madiran; sparkling wines from Gaillac; and dry whites produced from a wide range of different grape varieties.

Château Montus

Lying between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees Mountains, the spectacular hillside vineyard of Montus, overlooking the Adour Valley, is producing some of the finest Madiran.
Alain Brumont purchased Montus to create the wines of his dreams in 1989. Nicknamed the Petrus of the Southwest by several critics, the château is one of France’s most prestigious wine producers.

Tuscany

Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history and artistic legacy. As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, the region has an incredible art and architecture heritage.

Tuscany is certainly the most famous of all Italian regions for its wines. Sangiovese reigns in all its forms in the vineyards of Chianti but also Montepulciano and Montalcino.

It is also the land of the Super Tuscan, the Bordeaux blend style that laid the foundation of some of the greatest Italian wines.

As a pairing with these wines, Tuscany cuisine is based on simplicity but high quality and certainly topped with Tuscan olive oil, recognized all over the world.

Tua Rita

The estate was founded in 1984 by Rita Tua and her husband Virgilio. They started with a two-hectare plot at Notri, a small Tuscan city, on the coast south of Bolgheri.

The winery lies at just 100 meters above sea level. This has grown to cover 57 hectares of vineyards, which are farmed organically.

The winery released its first vintage in 1992, and soon began receiving accolades worldwide for its rich, full-bodied wines.

In a few years, its 100% Merlot had achieved cult-like status. Wine Advocate said the 1999 Redigaffi was “as close to perfection as a wine can get.” The following year, he gave the 2000 Redigaffi a perfect 100 score.

Lombardy

Lombardy is the most populous, richest and most productive region in the country. 16.2% of the national population (10 million people) live there and create 21% of the total GDP.

The region is an important producer of wines but not really well recognized except Franciacorta or Valtellina.

If Italy is known for its spaghettis, Rice is very popular in the region, often found in soups as well as risotti, such as “risotto alla milanese”, with saffron. Butter is used, no olive oil!

The region is famous for its historical figures such as Virgil, Caravaggio, Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Stradivari and popes John XXIII or Paul VI.

Arpepe

The “Pelizzatti” winery was born in 1860.

In 1973, after many trials and tribulations, both the trademark and the business were sold.

In 1984, Arturo Pelizzatti Perego, decided to make a comeback, using his own acronym, ArPePe.

Now, the family owns 13 hectares of vineyard. They are all standing in grass, in the heart of the Valtellina Superiore DOCG area, dotted around Sassella, Grumello and Inferno.

In 2018, Gambero Rosso awarded Best Italian Red Wine of the Year ARPEPE’s Sassella Riserva Rocce Rosse.

Tuscany

Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history and artistic legacy. As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, the region has an incredible art and architecture heritage.

Tuscany is certainly the most famous of all Italian regions for its wines. Sangiovese reigns in all its forms in the vineyards of Chianti but also Montepulciano and Montalcino.

It is also the land of the Super Tuscan, the Bordeaux blend style that laid the foundation of some of the greatest Italian wines.

As a pairing with these wines, Tuscany cuisine is based on simplicity but high quality and certainly topped with Tuscan olive oil, recognized all over the world.

Tenuta Luce

Located in the hills of southwest Montalcino, the site was launched by Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi in 1993.

Luce was the first winery in Montalcino to produce a wine blended from Merlot and Sangiovese.

Luce, translates to “light” in Italian, was inspired by the altar at Santo Spirito in Florence.  It is a landmark church built on land donated by the Frescobaldi family during the Renaissance.

The Frescobaldis took over full responsibility for the estate in 2004.

The estate today consists of 245 hectares of land, 85 of which are planted to vine.

Sangiovese is planted in the higher elevation parcels (up to 450 meters), which are rich in sandstone and limestone. The lower altitude clay plots are better suited to Merlot.

Tuscany

Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history and artistic legacy. As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, the region has an incredible art and architecture heritage.

Tuscany is certainly the most famous of all Italian regions for its wines. Sangiovese reigns in all its forms in the vineyards of Chianti but also Montepulciano and Montalcino.

It is also the land of the Super Tuscan, the Bordeaux blend style that laid the foundation of some of the greatest Italian wines.

As a pairing with these wines, Tuscany cuisine is based on simplicity but high quality and certainly topped with Tuscan olive oil, recognized all over the world.

Ornellaia

In 1981, Marchese Lodovico Antinori planted the first French vines in Bolgheri, which lies in the heart of Tuscany’s coastal region, Maremma.

The property is adjacent to Tenuta San Guido, producer of Sassicaia.

The estate yields some of the finest Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc in Tuscany.

In 2005, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi became the owner of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia.

Ornellaia established itself among the iconic wine estates in Italy is producing charming and opulent wines.

Champagne

Champagne, lying to the east of the Paris region, is one of the historic provinces of France.

Thanks to a sparkling wine to which the region has given its name, the word Champagne is known worldwide – even if many of those who know the drink do not know exactly where it comes from.

Champagne wine was first produced within its three main towns – Reims, its largest and home to the Montagne de Reims, famed for its Pinot Noir; Epernay, the capital of the Côte des Blancs, the area most renowned for its Chardonnay; and Ay, the town situated on the border of both the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs.

Founded in 1837 by Henri-Marc de Venoge, located in Epernay, Champagne de Venoge has been keeping its leadership:

• 1st House to release illustrated labels in 1838,
• Special Cuvée des Princes launched in honour of the Princes of Orange in 1858,
• One of the founders of the “Syndicat des Grandes Marques” in 1872,
• 1st “Maison de Champagne” to produce a Blanc de Noirs in 1988.

Tuscany

Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history and artistic legacy. As the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, the region has an incredible art and architecture heritage.

Tuscany is certainly the most famous of all Italian regions for its wines. Sangiovese reigns in all its forms in the vineyards of Chianti but also Montepulciano and Montalcino.

It is also the land of the Super Tuscan, the Bordeaux blend style that laid the foundation of some of the greatest Italian wines.

As a pairing with these wines, Tuscany cuisine is based on simplicity but high quality and certainly topped with Tuscan olive oil, recognized all over the world.

Castello di Querceto

The François family, which settled in Tuscany in the 18th century, has owned the Castello di Querceto estate since 1897.

In 1924, Castello di Querceto was one of the 33 founding members of the Chianti Classico Consortium.

The vineyards sit at 470 metres above sea level and extend over 190 hectares, of which 60 hectares are vineyards.

These 60 hectares are divided into 22 different lots, individually chosen for their specific micro-climatic characteristics.

Since 1978, the company has been directed by Alessandro François.