Dinner in the vineyard, aperitifs at sunset, hot air balloon experiences and vertical tastings: from 13 to 15 September, a rich program of events on the occasion of the Franciacorta in Cantina Festival.

“Emozione” is the Franciacorta symbol of Villa Franciacorta, released for the first year in 1978, and today embodies the warmth of the welcome of Roberta Bianchi and Paolo Pizziol, at the helm of the family business, supported by their sons Alessio and Matteo.

And the experiences designed by the winery for the Franciacorta in Cantina Festival, scheduled from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th September, will be full of “emotions”.

The world of Franciacorta Millesimato will be central, that is, produced with grapes exclusively from a single harvest that, since the first vintage, that distant 1978, has distinguished the Villa Franciacorta philosophy. The historic cellar , immersed in the sixteenth-century village recovered by the Bianchi family in the Sixties, will come alive with tastings, visits and themed events.

For lovers of original experiences, it will be possible to go up in a hot air balloon to admire Franciacorta from above (Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm every 15 minutes) or dine in the organic vineyard, where the dishes of Andrea Marenzi, chef of Ela Osteria in Villa will be paired with Franciacorta Millesimati selected for the occasion (Friday at 7:00 pm). For those who prefer an informal experience, “ Tramonto in Vigna” will combine a guided tour of the winery with a picnic at the Casa dell’Eremita in the famous Gradoni vineyard (Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5:30 pm).

There will be no shortage of opportunities to learn more about Franciacorta Millesimato, with the guided tastings “Emozione in Verticale” (Sunday at 5.30 pm) dedicated to Franciacorta Emozione proposed in the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 vintages, and the experience “Viaggio con le Riserve da Collezione” (Saturday at 5.30 pm) with Emozione Unica 2017, grapes from old vines and hillside Crus that rest for 5 years on the lees (The Wine Hunter Award Gold) , Emozione 40 years Riserva, 100 months on the lees and 7.5 years from disgorgement (Decanter World Wine Award Gold) and RNA Riserva Nobile Alessandro Bianchi 2007 Riserva , 15 years on the lees (The Wine Hunter Award Gold).

The 14th edition, scheduled at the “Arrigo Pedrollo” Conservatory, opens the sale of tickets for tastings and tasting stands.

On Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October 2024 at the “Arrigo Pedrollo” Conservatory of Music in Vicenza, Gustus – Vini e Sapori di Vicenza 2024 will highlight two local excellences: the contemporaneity of Tai Rosso and the effervescent interpretations of Gambellara will be the protagonists of the WineLabs organized by the event. The wine-cultural event that celebrates the DOCs of Colli Berici, Vicenza and Gambellara also opens the sale of tickets for the two tastings and for the tasting stands , accessible to the public from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Saturday and from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Sunday . More than 30 wineries will participate in the event and will offer a selection of over 100 labels .

Tai Rosso, contemporary harmony is the first WineLab of the event scheduled for Saturday 5 October at 18:00 . The tasting led by Simon Staffler , editorial manager for Italy of the magazine Falstaff , will be dedicated to the most modern and interesting interpretations of Tai Rosso. Sunday 6 October at 18:00 will be the turn of Effervescences volcanic of Gambellara: from mosso to Metodo Classico , the WineLab led by Massimo Zanichelli , professional taster, wine writer and documentary maker. Here the participants will experience a real journey to discover the lesser-known expressions of Garganega.

During the two days, guests will be able to learn more about the stories, philosophy and style of each producer , appreciating the wines offered by the three denominations. The protagonists will be native vines such as Tai Rosso and Garganega and the great Bordeaux wines based on Cabernet, Merlot and Carménère. To make the experience even more enjoyable, there will be musical accompaniment performed by students of the Conservatory.

Gustus again this year confirms its charitable commitment : part of the proceeds will go towards the restoration of “The Crucifixion”, a fresco by the Vicenza painter Giovanni Vajenti Speranza kept by the “Arrigo Pedrollo” Conservatory.

Tickets are already available for pre-sale at a cost of 20 euros on the dedicated website . Tickets can also be purchased on site at a price of 25 euros . All Ais, Onav, Fisar, Fis and Slow Food members will benefit from a 5 euro discount on admission. The ticket includes a glass, free tastings and a plate of gastronomic specialties.

Visitors who wish to attend fine wine tastings can book a place at the WineLab, at a cost of 15 euros each .

INFO IN BRIEF | Gustus – Wines and Flavours of Vicenza ​When: Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October 2024 ​Where: Conservatory of Music “Arrigo Pedrollo” in Contra’ San Domenico 33, Vicenza ​Times: Saturday from 5pm to 10pm and Sunday from 5pm to 9pm ​Tickets: €20 in advance, €25 on site and reduced €20 for AIS, Onav, Fis, Slow Food, Fisar members. WineLab entrance: €15

The Asolo Prosecco e Vini del Montello Consortium is preparing to face the 2024 harvest with confidence, despite the challenges imposed by the difficult weather conditions of the months of May, June and July.

The dedication of the winemakers, supported by professional figures with a technical profile, has allowed the vineyards to be preserved: the first signs indicate a quality harvest, with grapes ready to enhance the distinctive characteristics of the territory.

The weather conditions of the year were characterized by excessive rainfall in May and June , while the second half of July was hot and dry , with temperatures often above 30 °C. However, the rains recorded between the end of July and the beginning of August , although intense, helped restore the water balance of the plants , which in some areas had been put to the test by the high temperatures of the last ten days. Preliminary estimates indicate that the production for the three denominations – Asolo Prosecco Docg, Montello Docg and Montello Asolo Doc – is in line with the average in terms of both quality and quantity and, given the market trend for Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOGC (data at the end of July confirm a 15% increase on an annual basis), the Consortium has decided to request the harvest reserve , a measure that will allow it to respond to any increased demand for product from the market and to pursue, in terms of value, the stability of prices that allows the entire supply chain to have sustainable costs and manage planning carefully.

“I consider this year – explains the president of the Consortium Michele Noal – a period of transition for the Asolo Prosecco denomination : on the basis of the latest available data, by autumn we will be called upon to decide whether to activate different and stable measures, which on the one hand allow a strategy of valorization of the product and on the other are a guarantee for all the actors in the supply chain”.

The Castagneto Carducci company celebrates its history by projecting itself into the future, with new winemaking projects, an international outlook and high-level hospitality.

Argentiera celebrates 25 years, confirming its commitment to giving new life and prestige to the DOC Bolgheri, which turns thirty in 2024.

A strategy that is expressed in a winemaking research and innovation program – which includes the newly created Scenario Bolgheri Bianco DOC – with the aim of increasingly raising the bar of production quality , strengthening international markets and investing in an excellent wine tourism proposal .

Founded in 1999 within the historic Tenuta Donoratico, since 2016 Argentiera has been owned by Stanislaus Turnauer , an Austrian entrepreneur driven by a genuine passion for Tuscany and a far-sighted strategic vision. He is joined by CEO Federico Zileri Dal Verme, one of the initiators of the winemaking project, and a team of professionals with profound knowledge of the Bolgheri area.

Growth numbers

Over the past ten years, Argentiera has achieved an increase in economic performance as a result of effective planning and a repositioning of the offer. “With the arrival of Stanislaus Turnauer, turnover has doubled and profitability has reached a level that places the estate among the companies producing high-end wines,” explains Leonardo Raspini , general manager of Argentiera. “In terms of markets, if until 2016 the company saw a significant imbalance in favor of the Italian context, we have subsequently reached a balance, with 50% of sales on the domestic market and 50% destined for export, in particular the United States, Switzerland and Central Europe.”

The primary asset for Argentiera’s strategy, at the center of important investments, is the wine tourism offer : since 2021 the company has increased its business value by 15% year on year , demonstrating the fact that the Tour & Tasting offer exerts a great attraction for the area and sees Argentiera among the protagonists. In 2023 alone, 3,400 visitors were recorded.

The evolution of the winemaking project

The company’s growth plan began in the vineyard, with geopedological studies to get the most out of the individual plots and a thoughtful expansion program: “To date, there are 84 hectares of vineyards on a total surface area of 169,” Raspini continues. “In the next six years, the goal is to reach 100 hectares of vineyards , through the enhancement of the precious land owned and the acquisition of some neighboring plots.” The new plants will confirm the Bolgheri vocation, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon representing the production core and a greater presence of Cabernet Franc to strengthen the Ventaglio project. first single vineyard of the estate strongly desired by the current ownership. The white varieties will be at the center of continuous research relating to their ability to adapt to specific soils over the long term, also in response to climate change, in order to produce wines of great freshness, body and longevity.

Novelty and awards

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, the company presents Scenario Bolgheri Bianco DOC , the fruit of a matured awareness and important corporate know-how which translates into research on the versatility and adaptability of Vermentino to the soils of Argentiera.

“The winemaking objective focuses on identifying a more evolved state of the vine and its aging capacity,” explains winemaker Nicolò Carrara . “We experimented with different combinations of vinification and maturation over three distinct vintages, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Specifically, a small portion of the debut vintage, 2022, spent about 9 months in 320-liter steam-bent, untoasted wooden barrels, while the remainder fermented and aged in 400-liter Clayver ceramic containers. For both containers, we ensured that the processes were carried out delicately to guarantee the fragrance, freshness and varietal recognizability, expressions of the identity of our territory.”

The desire to enclose the talent of the terroir in liquid form, operating with full respect for nature , is a fixed point for Argentiera: the estate is the closest to the Tyrrhenian coast and, at the same time, it is the one that reaches one of the highest altitudes in the whole of Bolgheri, up to 200 metres above sea level, a distinctive feature that forges the company’s most representative wines.

This production approach has led to several awards over the years, both nationally and internationally .

The 2020 vintage of Ventaglio has just won 99 points from James Suckling : according to the American critic, the Cabernet Franc – an expression of Argentiera’s production peak in terms of position, soil and climate characteristics and grape quality – has the ability to define a new standard for single-vineyard monovarietals.

Also particularly appreciated and awarded by critics is Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore DOC , the estate’s symbolic wine, crowned Runner-up Italian Wine of the Year by Suckling in 2018, and which became a point of reference for contemporary winemaking with the 2015 vintage.