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There is less than a week to Thanksgiving which is one of the most - if not the most - important holidays in the US. This year, it is predicted to be a Thanksgiving like no other after more than two years of the pandemic that restricted the possibility for families to meet up and celebrate. In Italy, where there are a lot of American ex-pats, Thanksgiving is also celebrated widely. We asked the personal chef Elena Morlacchi, who was one of the contestants in Masterchef 11 in Italy, to create a Thanksgiving recipe for us. We will then do… read more

The harvest of 2022 has been named a vintage beyond expectations by the Italian producers themselves. The reports from Alto Adige in the north to Sicily in the south all say the same things, i.e. that the climate crisis has not affected the quality of the grapes too much. However, we are now in an era where we have to get used to extreme weather conditions and learn how to navigate them. At Fattoria di Montemaggio, the harvest is still going on and we are going to look closer at the conditions and results so far. We will also make… read more

Wild or cultured yeast. What is the deal with the type of yeast used for the fermentation of grapes? Is wild fermentation just a risky business or is the use of cultured yeast too standardized? Is there a difference in the end result? Some say there is not while others claim that wild yeast is the only way. Today, the discussion is more alive than ever with the concepts of organic, biodynamic, regenerative viticulture, low-intervention winemaking, and what else, not to use the over-hyped word “natural”. Let us take a closer look at yeast strains and their importance for winemaking.… read more

Flavescenza dorata is wreaking havoc in many vineyards in Italy again. Even though climate change is not the only reason behind the return of this disease, the change in climate is affecting us all more and more leading to tropical-like weather with severe heat waves, drought followed by torrential rains, vine diseases, and much more. The “rules of winemaking” are changing, vineyards are being planted at high altitudes and in northern countries, and the European Union now allows the use of hybrid grapes to come to terms with climate change. (See the article Meet Four Women at the Forefront of… read more

How many times at our favorite Wine Shop have we paused to read labels looking for the perfect Sangiovese straight from our beloved Tuscany and utter confusion has taken over us? Sangiovese is the main grape of Chianti and its subregions.   Where everything started Native to central Italy (specifically the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines), this red grape combines high acidity with medium tannins, as well as balanced flavors and aromas of red cherries, earthy notes and blood. It is grown in areas with a native soil mainly called galestro (similar to stony marl and schist), where the climate offers cool nights… read more

This spring has been a sort of rebirth of life in the world in general, and in the wine world in particular. After two years of long periods of isolation due to the pandemic, the last few months have shown an eagerness to recuperate time lost as quickly as possible. In Italy, it started with the Chianti Classico Collection at the end of March (see further our article Chianti Classico Collection 2022 Gave Positive Vibes to the Wine World) and then continued then with Vinitaly, Anteprima Chiaretto, Anteprima Sagrantino, Cantine Aperte and Radda nel bicchiere, and many other events. There… read more

Tradition and Revolution in a few words rediscovering our Art Those of you who have known Montemaggio for a long time know very well how interested we are in the research and recovery of what are the traditions of the land of Chianti Classico, and how being faithful to a purely traditionalist approach (at least as far as our Chianti Classico wines are concerned) is of vital importance. This desire to always remain poised between tradition and revolution obviously led us to ask ourselves what we could do to differentiate ourselves by recovering an important slice of the past. A… read more

The 29th Edition of the Chianti Classico Collection just closed its doors the other week. The Chianti Classico Collection (#CCC22) is the yearly trade event that is organized to taste a preview of the wine vintages that have or will be released for the current year. It is two days of tastings and masterclasses to better get to know the area, the wines, and the producers of Chianti Classico. What was so special about Chianti Classico Collection 2022? Let’s find out more. Chianti Classico Collection 2022 - A Reset After the Pandemic The Chianti Classico Collection 2022 was a breath… read more

One of the questions we are most frequently asked during our educational tours or at our tastings is: "What is the age of your vineyards?" The question that immediately comes up obiviusosly is: " When is a vineyard considered old in order to produce? And in case, as for those producers who produce wines from "old vines", is it really worth?" Therefore, in this article we will try to shed some light on this subject. Uncork a good Sangiovese, pour yourself a glass and get comfortable, we are about to start.   Let's get started with the Old Vines Experience.… read more

It is not always easy to choose a good gift to give to the ones who love the world of wine That is why we decided to dedicate a blog post to this intricate subject once again. We are going to talk about the 5 perfect spring-summer gift ideas for Wine lovers. Pour yourself a glass of red, get comfortable and enjoy reading. There are obviously many choices when it comes to accessories for wine lovers, and certainly some are more mundane than others. Therefore we must always make a selection of what we can put in our list of… read more