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.

Straccali

For generations of Americans, Chianti has served as an introduction to Italy’s red wines.

Founded by Giulio Straccali in 1925, the winery has been in the vanguard of progressive Chianti producers.

In 1978 the Zingarelli family of the Chianti estate of Rocca delle Macie began a long and fruitful relationship with Straccali that continues to this day.

Today Straccali offers very distinctive wines from Tuscany. Its reputation stands for outstanding quality, exceptional value wines that have earned accolades from wine critics worldwide.

Friuli Venezia Giulia

The region is situated in Italy’s northeast and borders Slovenia and Austria.

Friuli Venezia Giulia overlooks the Adriatic Sea and is surrounded by high mountains.

The cooking traditions are influenced by the Slavic, central European and Venetian cultures. The cuisine relies on simple recipes and genuine ingredients.

The most important typical product of the region is Prosciutto of San Daniele.

Other typical dishes of the area are polenta or “porcina”.

The dishes of the area are accompanied by red but mainly white wines. Can mention Refosco, Malvasia, Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Ribolla.

Puiatti

The winery was founded in 1967 by Vittorio Puiatti in the northeastern corner of Italy’s Friuli region.

Puiatti’s approach to producing wines accepts no compromises. It can be defined by what they do NOT accept:

Oak, to keep a pure taste of the variety,

Over-ripening, to have a Low alcohol Fresh,

Maceration, to show a clean character,

Commercial yeast, to get a Natural Wine,

Must oxidation, to preserve Fragrance & Freshness.

This simple approach in limiting intervention results in extraordinarily complex wines, which showcase variety, typicity and purity.

Friuli Venezia Giulia

The region is situated in Italy’s northeast and borders Slovenia and Austria.

Friuli Venezia Giulia overlooks the Adriatic Sea and is surrounded by high mountains, enclosing many different landscapes.

The cooking traditions are influenced by the Slavic, central European and Venetian cultures. The cuisine relies on simple recipes and genuine ingredients.

The most important typical product of the region is Prosciutto of San Daniele.

Other typical dishes of the area are polenta or “porcina”.

The dishes of the area are accompanied by red but mainly white wines. Can mention Refosco, Malvasia, Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Ribolla.

Venica & Venica

Venica & Venica has been established in 1930. It is still a family-owned estate with 28 hectares of vines in Collio, near the Slovenian border.

Today the winery is one of Friuli’s most famous and respected estates. It is well-known for making highly textural and aromatic whites that use little to no wood.

Venica & Venica’s vineyards are spread over 7 different hills. They are located from 300-400 meters above sea level — each with its own distinct micro-climate.

This great terroir provides unique characteristics to each of the vines and creates a wine of great complexity.

Aosta Valley

Surrounded by Piedmont in the south and east, French Alps in the west, Swiss Valais in the north, Aosta Valley is the smallest, least populous, and least densely populated region of Italy.
The region is renowned for the quality of its local salamis and meats giving rise to specialities such as carbonada, a dish composed of stewed meat wine, onions and spices. The cheeses are equally famous.
Home to Europe’s highest elevated vineyards, Valle d’Aosta is Italy’s smallest winemaking region both in terms of size and production.
Claiming an impressive list of autochthonous varieties, the region has also many grapes from France. Not surprisingly, wine labels are often written in Italian and French.

Les Crêtes

Founded in 1989 by Costantino Charrere, Les Cretes is one of only a few private wineries in the Valle D’Aosta. The winery is located in Aymavilles.

It currently manages 25 hectares of vineyards in six villages. The production is about 220,000 bottles per year.

Les Crêtes produces its wines in a very specific context, characterized by high mountains, sandy slopes and alpine temperatures.

Les Crêtes vineyards are planted in both indigenous vinifera varieties (Petite Arvine, Petit Rouge, Fumin), as well as the more traditional varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Muscat). Their Chardonnay has been awarded best white in Italy by Gambero Rosso in 2009.