Within hours of the devastating 1968 earthquake, locals of the village of Gibellina were offered the opportunity to obtain a passport and a one-way ticket out of Sicily. Some packed their belongings, others stayed and put the pieces of their lives together over the next 12 years. What they didn’t know was that their tragedy would become a canvas of creativity and renewal. During the town’s reconstruction, Gibellina’s mayor, Ludovico Corrao, decided to rebuild not just with bricks and mortar ..read more

Acclaimed wine writer and illustrator Marisa Finetti, creator of Marisa’s Wine Doodles, is excited to unveil her second book, Tiny Tales of Umbria – A Madrevite Story. This innovative book transcends the typical boundaries of wine literature, inviting readers to explore Italy’s “green heart” through an immersive storybook journey, rich with illustration and charm.  Commissioned by Madrevite winery, Tiny Tales of Umbria celebrates the spirit of Umbria with what Marisa calls a “sip trip” through local wines, offering a taste ..read more

In the early Miocene period, the Tuscan hills were submerged under sea level due to the Earth’s violent movement. This led to the creation of valleys, which were later flooded by seawater. When the seawater dried out, it left behind deposits of calcium carbonate from seashells, which underwent various processes such as recrystallization, compaction, uplift, exposure, and weathering. Source ..read more

: by Kirk Peterson and Marisa Finetti : Great wine is art that must be destroyed to be enjoyed. It is an anachronism, a vestige of another time and another way of living. Vines are fussed and fawned over, cajoled and supplicated to give up their fruit for wine to then be locked away from the world, aging and changing and developing at a rate entirely its own. It presents an opportunity to taste... Source ..read more

We’re talking about vintage as it pertains to something classic and enduring from the past, like the days of pre-industrial agriculture. In these fast-paced times, where technology is transforming the wine world, from augmented reality labels to AI-crafted wine blends, some things do remain – thank goodness. Contemporary innovations are paving the path, but the wine industry’. Source ..read more

The tri-colored Italian flag was established here. It’s the birthplace of a renowned educational philosophy, and the city where the young Kobe Bryant started dribbling the basketball. Reggio, as locals call it, is also the home of Luciano Pavarotti’s first operatic performance and the headquarters of Italy’s Max Mara fashion house. Amid its cobbled streets dotted with historical churches... Source ..read more

Even a seasoned traveler may skirt past the shores of Lake Trasimeno to discover the better-known wine regions of Umbria, like Montefalco (home to the Sagrantino grape) and Orvieto (known for their historic white blends). However, the land around Lake Trasimeno, located in the northwest pocket of the “green heart of Italy,” offers charming discoveries of a grape and wine curiously called Gamay del... Source ..read more

The long and picturesque row of towering trees that line the driveway at Biondi-Santi’s Tenuta Greppo estate is a welcome unlike any other. The slow approach down the drive provides time to ponder this moment, this month (June 2023), and to imagine what it must be like for wine producers of Montalcino. Certainly, it was atypical. Moderately warm, the summer was constantly mingling with the... Source ..read more

Chef Renato Giusti has established himself as an international culinary rock star with over 30+ years in the kitchen. From his start with Gualtiero Marchesi (the first Italian chef to ever receive three Michelin stars) after serving as Head Chef in one and two Michelin star restaurants in Montalcino and Rome, an opportunity took Renato to serve as the opening Executive Chef of the Restaurant &amp. Source ..read more

“We’re more focused on the richness of life,” says Sebastian Nasello, CEO and winemaker at Podere Le Ripi. Situated at the end of a long and gravely dirt road near the village of Castenuovo dell’Abate just south of Montalcino, Podere Le Ripi is more than a biodynamic winery and farm; it’s its own ecosystem. A thick row of lavender hosts dancing winged pollinators Source ..read more