Malbec is one of the few grape varieties that enjoys a better reputation in a new location - in its case Argentina - than in its actual homeland (Bordeaux). The reason for this has less to do with its quality and more to do with the fact that it did not survive the freezing cold French spring of ...
The most traditional of all Argentinian cuvées. Malbec is the much better known part of it: The variety originally comes from Bordeaux, where it is now only found sporadically due to its sensitivity to climatic caprices. It is bottled somewhat more frequently in neighbouring Cahors. However, its ...
The Saignée is a clear reference to France, especially to Provence, where excellent rosé wines are still produced today using the (Saignée) method of the same name. Aldo has also done this for many years - but with the 2018 vintage, he is going one step further and building a finely woven, playfu...
The Guarini Coccinella is the result of Aldo Viola's passion for Syrah. Convinced that the variety could also produce excellent results in Sicily in well-ventilated and north-facing locations, he set out on a search a good two decades ago and found what he was looking for in Feudo Guarini, a micr...
Although Syrah plays a not insignificant role in Moretto, it shares this status equally with Perricone and Nerello mascalese. Thanks to the success story of the wines from Mount Etna, the latter has now become known beyond the borders. Perricone, on the other hand, is hardly known to anyone, whic...
The Guarini Plus is the result of Aldo Viola's passion for Syrah. Convinced that the variety could also produce excellent results in Sicily in well-ventilated and north-facing locations, he set out on a search a good two decades ago and found what he was looking for in Feudo Guarini, a microscopi...
Carmenère actually comes from Bordeaux. For a long time, the red grape variety challenged Cabernet Sauvignon for pole position there, before it disappeared completely from the vineyards of the French noble region as a consequence of the invasion of grapes and the difficulty of finding suitable r...
Filippo Gamba reliably produces top-class wines. His two interpretations of the Terreni Bianchi - from white, i.e. chalky soil - on the western foothills of the Colli Euganei are excellent examples of this. The white version is taut, straightforward and profound and the same can be said of the f...
In the Cerro Las Monjas vineyard of Barranco Oscuro in the Alpujarras - the southern part of the Sierra Nevada - Garnacha, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grow on a few hectares of vines. Despite the altitude, the vines produce perfectly ripe grapes every year, which is hardl...
The Valenzuelas are the undisputed pioneers of the increasingly prominent Spanish natural winegrowers: they rely on the natural defences of their vines and on a climate that dries up the little moisture (occasional clouds that cover the fields with dew in the morning) in a very short time throug...
The Alpujarras are a wild mountain region in the east of Andalusia. Characterized by steep valleys and a landscape that was crowded by rocks and Mediterranean bushes, their remote canyons and gorges in the 15th century were the last retreat of many Muslims that were driven out of Granada during ...
Around 30 grape varieties grow on the 10 hectares of vineyards at Barranco Oscuro. 31 is what Lorenzo Valenzuela once said a few years ago, but one or two may have been added in the meantime. The Valenzuelas try things out, see what suits their rather unique terroir best and have no fear of conta...
Data sheet
Grape variety: Malbo Gentile
Vineyard: Situated at 150-230 metres. South-east exposure. Gravel-interspersed soils on a subsoil characterised mainly by sandstone and gypsum
Harvest: by hand in 15 kg crates
Fermentation: spontaneous | wild yeasts, fermented on the skins
Ageing: over a y...
The intimate relationship between the Italian wine world and birds of all kinds would be worth an article. There are wineries that are named after birds (Aquila del Torre, Colomba ...), also a good dozen grape varieties (Corvina, Oseleta, Rondinella, Corvinone, Ucelut ...) and of course a few win...
Data sheet
Grape variety: Sgavetta
Vineyard: Situated at 150-230 metres. South-east exposure. Gravel-interspersed soils on a subsoil characterised mainly by sandstone and gypsum
Harvest: by hand in 15 kg crates
Fermentation: spontaneous | wild yeasts, fermented on the skins
Ageing: secondary fer...