NIZZA DOCG CELEBRATES TEN YEARS OF WINE EXCELLENCE.

July 1, 2024 represents a prestigious anniversary for the Nice Producers Association. On this memorable day, in fact, the tenth anniversary of the birth of the Nizza DOCG denomination will be celebrated during the annual event ” Born on the First of July “. This appointment, which has now become the symbol of the Association, recalls the day in 2016 when, in 2016, the 2014 Nizza DOCG harvest was introduced onto the market, officially marking the recognition of the denomination. Since then, the group which today has 90 members has met every year to celebrate this moment with a gala dinner, consolidating the ” Born on July First ” event as one of the most significant and eagerly awaited initiatives dedicated to the producers of the denomination. Stefano Chiarlo , President of the Association, comments: ” Every year, ‘Born on July 1st’ is a moment of celebration and reflection on the evolution of our DOCG, which continues to grow in dynamism and vitality, confirming its strong impact on the panorama national wine industry. It also represents a special opportunity for us to strengthen the union between the producers who now reach the number of 90, transmitting the teamwork philosophy that has always distinguished our Association bottles produced and sold, evidenced by a 27% increase between 2022 and November 2023 and culminating in 1,050,000 bottles in 2023 alone, the annual meeting becomes an occasion for celebration and reflection for the future. Furthermore, for the first time, the event will see the participation of around forty restaurateurs and wine merchants who will act as Ambassadors of the Nizza DOCG. ” This is an important step to continue to affirm and spread awareness of our denomination to the final consumer ” adds Chiarlo. These new ambassadors are a crucial piece in extending the reach and impact of Nizza DOCG, bringing our vision and our wines to a broader and more diverse audience. This year the gala dinner will be held at the Trattoria Losanna Di Masio in Borgo Roccanivo di Casalotto di Mombaruzzo (AT). The evening will be further enriched by the music of Michele Lazzarini, whose sax and vocal interpretations, with the piece “Midnight With You”, promise to transform the celebration into an unforgettable experience.

Nizza DOCG Produced with 100% Barbera grapes, Nizza DOCG is a wine born in the heart of Monferrato, between the Belbo stream and the Rio Nizza, in an area that includes 18 municipalities that represent excellence in the field of the vast production area of Barbera d’Asti. Since 2002, the NICE Producers Association has been committed to protecting and promoting this food and wine wealth.

An e-bike tour to discover the territory and the refined blends of the Ribarbella winery, on the Tuscan coast, which is biodynamic by nature.

Among breathtaking landscapes and rolling hills, the Caiarossa routes invite the visitor to cycle among the wonderful vineyards overlooking the sea. The E-bike tour offered to wine tourists of the Tuscan winery, starting from the end of June, leads to the discovery of Riparbella and its facets through anecdotes, stories and curiosities.

“During the tour, visitors will be able to admire the wonderful landscapes of our vineyards – says Emilio Mancini, Director of Caiarossa – pedaling immersed in the greenery. One of our main objectives is to cultivate a positive, more sustainable and inclusive relationship between nature and man. Upon arrival, the tasting of the new vintages of our three red wines, namely Pergolaia, Aria di Caiarossa and Caiarossa will make the experience complete through the discovery of our refined blends, an expression of research between experimentation and balance”. THE TOUR IN DETAIL

The e-bike tour starts from Caiarossa, with a passage inside the most historic vineyards of the company located in front of the cellar. The route will lead to the road that leads to Riparbella, where a local guide will lead you to discover the murals, the street art and the avenue of cypress trees in front of the historic cemetery where each tree bears the name of a war dead. The road will then lead towards the highest vineyards located on the hill called Poggio di Nocola. Here the breathtaking view will play a starring role. The guide will illustrate, in front of the Nocolino vineyards, all the particularities of biodynamic agriculture, which is the basis of the company philosophy. Caiarossa was in fact founded with the intention of creating a place where the production of high quality wines combined with the beauty of simplicity and respect for the environment. This objective was achieved through the application of the rules of biodynamics. “Producing a quality wine, in our opinion – explains Francesco Villa, Technical Director of Caiarossa – corresponds to making us an active part in the defense and respect of our planet. Since its foundation, the biodynamic approach has concretely aimed to preserve the entire ecosystem, ensuring at the same time the maximum environmental and social sustainability of these places”. The route will then continue along the wonderful paths of the Mediterranean scrub which will lead to San Martino, the last stop before returning to Caiarossa. On the panoramic terrace facing the vineyards, it will be time for tasting, accompanied by a selection of local organic and biodynamic products and the tasting of Caiarossa’s organic extra virgin olive oil.

Not just breakfast, breaks and post-lunch: the drink most loved by Italians also holds center stage at aperitif and after dinner times thanks to the spread of coffee cocktails, where its aromatic notes blend perfectly with spirits, soft drinks and fruit juices. The exclusive recipes of Francesco Sanapo, award-winning champion barista and taster, for Consorzio Promozione Caffè.

For a long time there were only and exclusively ceramic cups, then the more modern glass ones arrived. And today? Now coffee has conquered even the most elegant glasses, glasses and cocktail mugs thanks to “coffee mixology” , where it becomes an ingredient in innovative drinks with unexpected flavours. A trend which, from a niche passion, has become an increasingly well-known specialty also in Italy, where new cocktails are born every day in which the aroma of coffee combines with the notes of spirits, fruit juices and soft drinks , in alcoholic and Not. The success of these drinks is driving coffee towards new time slots such as aperitifs and after dinner , during which the demand for “coffeetails”, i.e. coffee cocktails, is growing strongly, especially among younger people and in a period like summer when temperatures can discourage the consumption of hot drinks.

“ Coffee continues to amaze us with its ability to renew itself through new ways of consumption, capable of attracting new generations, without however losing a strong connection with the concept of Italianness ,” declares Michele Monzini, President of Consorzio Promozione Caffè . “ As emerges from our research “If it’s Italian… you can feel it! – Italians and coffee” [1] , for 91.3% of Italians coffee is extraordinary because it combines the tradition of the oldest methods with the innovation of new ways of preparing and enjoying it, such as coffee-based drinks . Whether it is breakfast or an aperitif, coffee is always the protagonist, capable of igniting conviviality: it is no coincidence that 92.4% think that this drink, in its most varied forms, is a moment of meeting and that the 91.2% consider it a gesture of love or friendship for the people to whom we offer it”.

What laid the foundations for the success of coffee mixology is the fame of international cocktails such as the Irish Coffee and the Espresso Martini, which influenced bartenders to also use coffee in drink form. “ It is an ingredient that has an important impact on taste and therefore becomes the protagonist of the drink,” explains Francesco Sanapo , award-winning champion bartender and taster . “ It is therefore essential to use it wisely, first of all knowing the raw material: each coffee, in fact, is different from the other and can characterize the cocktail in a different way ”.

The extraction methods , in particular, can give a different “twist” to the cocktail, enhancing the aromatic notes of the spirits or fruit with which the coffee is paired. Espresso , for example, is perfect in a drink in which you want to bring out the strength and intensity of coffee in balance with spirits of character , such as vodka, whisky, tequila and triple sec, while cold brew and mocha are widely used in “mocktails” , the non-alcoholic variant of cocktails, to create a greater balance of taste with ingredients such as orange juice, tonic water or almond milk. And the fact that coffee is the protagonist of these alcohol-free drinks is not surprising: the cappuccino, which comes from mixing coffee and milk, is the first example of a mocktail in history.

The spread of coffee cocktails is especially favored by young people , who, in addition to being more inclined to experiment and enjoy coffee in innovative ways , live the coffee shop experience differently than other generations. If grandparents and parents, in fact, most of the time enter a bar to order an espresso at the counter which they will drink in a few sips, their children choose drinks that will accompany them over a much longer period of time, during which they can study, work and spend time with friends. Coffee drinks, particularly in their alcohol-free variant, thanks to a higher volume of liquids compared to more traditional proposals, are the perfect drink to accompany them in a complete and all-encompassing experience.

Mixed with an alcoholic or zero-degree cocktail, coffee must always maintain a balanced profile, avoiding covering the other flavors too much or unbalancing them towards unpleasant notes. For this reason, according to Francesco Sanapo, the ideal coffee to use in coffee mixology is medium roasted arabica : “ When you mix two ingredients, two flavors prevail: bitter and acidic. The first, if too strong, is associated with an unpleasant, negative flavour, which is why it is better to avoid a dark roast which would accentuate the bitter notes”, adds the expert. “In cocktails we can find various acidic notes, for example those of fruit, which can give the drink a more complex and interesting flavor profile if valorised correctly. Arabica coffee is ideal for this because it is characterized by a touch of acidity which can give greater sweetness to the drink”. In short, coffee looks to the future by continuing to surprise with its extraordinary versatility , so much so that it has become the secret ingredient of two innovative summer cocktails proposed by Francesco Sanapo: the Basilisco , where coffee meets the taste of basil and coconut milk , and a revisitation of the famous Negroni .

47 Italian and 14 foreign labels, evaluated by three commissions made up of oenologists, sommeliers and journalists.

The tasting panel of the 21st Müller Thurghau International Wine Competition took place in recent days, the results of which will be revealed on Saturday 29 June in Cembra, as part of the 37th edition of Müller Thurgau: Mountain Wine .

61 wines entered the competition , of which 23% were foreign . Specifically, among the Italians, 39 wines from Trentino, 5 from Alto Adige, one from Lombardy and two from Aosta Valley, while among the foreigners 12 Germans and two Czechs. 44 labels for 2023, 12 for 2022, three for 2021, one for 2019 and one for 2014.

Divided into three tasting commissions, each made up of 6 commissioners including oenologists, journalists and sommeliers, the judges carried out blind tests to analyze each label through four steps according to the Union Internationale des Oenologues Method: sight, smell, taste and taste-smell . Each wine was tasted by two commissions and, once the lowest and highest ratings were eliminated, the average for the final rating was determined.

From here the awarding of medals will be defined, with a limit of 30% of the winners out of the total number of participants and a maximum of 10% of Gold Medals.

Tasting and awarding of the winning wines will also be entrusted this year to the expertise and passion of Andrea Amadei , professional sommelier, speaker of Decanter, face of “È semper notte” on Rai 1 and curator of the contents of the magazine “The Art of Wine”.

Enthusiasm on the part of the commissioners involved who, at the end of the tasting, highlighted the high quality of the selected wines and the great potential of Müller Thurgau which, with its freshness and elegance presents the ideal characteristics to meet the tastes of the contemporary consumer, but also excellent evolutionary capabilities, as the non-vintage versions have demonstrated.