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News from Casato Prime Donne and Fattoria del Colle, territory, comments on the world of wine, events and wine personalities

Italian extra virgin olive oil from Trequanda is a super-oil

The Trequanda area, where Fattoria del Colle is found, has always been renowned for its exceptional extra-virgin olive oil and the 2012 produce is very good

 Olives 2012 Fattoria Del Colle

Olives 2012 Fattoria Del Colle

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

The quality of the oil depends 50% from the soil and microclimate of the olive grove, a mix of permanent elements such as ex position to the sun and some variable elements such as amount of rainfall and temperatures. Connected to the production area is also the presence of the malevolent oleic fly, who lays its eggs inside the olives in so ruining the quality, or obligating the farmers to use pesticides. Trequanda does not have this problem; its olives are sound by nature because the fly does not arrive as far as this region 404 metres above sea level 25% of the quality of the oil come s from the “cultivar” (variety of the olive trees) and from the cultivation, in other words choices made by the farmers. It is very important when and how the olives are picked, and that they be transported to the mill the same day that they are picked without being squashed.

Brunello wins the China Award together with Juventus and Pasotti

Two awards in one week for the Montalcino producers; here they get recognition as an Italian excellence with the award given by the “Fondazione Italia Cina e Milano Finanza”

Donatella Cinelli Colombini_China Awards

Donatella Cinelli Colombini_China Awards

Palazzo Clerici, one of the most beautiful buildings in Milan, with its frescoed halls with lots of golden stucco decorations, is the frame for the China Awards organized by Milano Finanza and by the Fondazione Italia Cina with Cesare Romiti as President. The award giving took place during a charity dinner to collect funds for a hospital on tracks –Life Line Express – which travels through the remotest regions in Asia curing those who suffer from cataracts, about 400.000 people suffer from this condition every year.

So, a very important evening, with all of Milan’s high society present, the Mayor Giuliano Pisapia included. Among the awarded there were 26 Italians, and 3 Chinese societies, divided into seven categories. The Brunello wine was the first to be awarded in a section created this year and which regards those who represent Italian excellence in China.
<<For the last seven years the China Awards are the occasion to give recognition to the successes achieved by Italian companies>> said Cesare Romiti in his introductive speech. In fact the list of winners was really impressive, with societies who told stories of vast expansion with great business figures and fantastic production centres. There were even those who had the entire managing staff come over from China to take part in the ceremony. Consequently the event was a big one and Brunello was among the main protagonists also thanks to its brand fame.
In the same section as the Montalcino wine prizes went to Cucinelli, the Fratelli Rossetti and to Vincenzi Group.

Real and virtual Christmas shopping at Toscana Lovers

The best Tuscan handicraft boutique in the centre of SienaToscana Lovers” has a new web site and many new hands made objects on sale

ToscanaLovers_Christmas shopping

ToscanaLovers_Christmas shopping

Would you like to buy an exclusive present such as a collector’s knife created by the knife makers in Scarperia, or a hand woven tablecloth decorated with Renaissance designs, but also soap obtained through the use of bronze mould and aromatized with iris and violet…….you can do it from your home! Important objects and the classical small gifts as Christmas presents.

In the new “Toscana lovers” web site there are 180 sheets with detailed descriptions regarding every object.
The buzz you get from shopping in a real shop is in fact stronger, but even in the virtual shop.

There is practically everything that Carlo Gardini (my husband) and Chiara Nesi have found during the three years of research among the best Tuscan handicraft laboratories.
Starting from the life style dinner service with its shake rims and relief decorations for a royal welcoming, to the towels with honeycomb design with hemstitch finishing that make them resembles those from our grandmother’s bottom drawer, including pepper

Would you like to relax? Come to Fattoria del Colle in Tuscany

Regenerate with massages, Jacuzzi tub with a view, great wines, and traditional recipes for a candlelit dinner….at Fattoria del Colle for the wellness weekend

 Relaxation room Fattoria Del Colle

Relaxation room Fattoria Del Colle

In the wellness centre at Fattoria del Colle the massage rooms are ready. The cabin is intimate, but comfortable and re-proposes the exclusive character of the whole structure with its stone walls, designs with floral tiles, windows with a breathtaking view….The futon for the shiatsu massages is in the warm shady area of the relaxation room.

Carry out the experience made up of water, warmth, panoramas and if you want a toast with great wines in the Jacuzzi.
These are our massages beginning with an experience composed of massages, regenerating essences and aromatherapy <<la natura ti fa bella>> Nature makes you beautiful created especially for our guests.

La natura ti fa bella -shower with essential oils, such as rosemary which gives elasticity and invigorates the skin, followed by a face and body treatment with olive oil, with its antioxidant and nourishing effect, finally, with 4 essences from the Tuscan countryside, a draining massage, purifying, calming and soothing. This treatment is particularly apt for those who require a relaxing approach for wellness. Lasts 2 hours € 180

Face Mousse with poliphenols from grapes to rejuvenate and give back elasticity to the face. Lasts 40 minutes € 70.

Barolo made with a home winemaking kit

Amazon wine proposes boxes of “make your own” Barolo, Valpolicella, Italian Chardonnay … with the instructions on how to vinify, bottle and label

 Kit with powdered Barolo

Kit with powdered Barolo

One might think that it’s a joke, but its not: go and see for yourselves! Typing Amazon wine and then writing Barolo in the search window a page opens up, with in first position – up top on the right- the box with all that is necessary to produce at home 9 bottles of Barolo, together with the instructions. The procedure takes 4 weeks and costs 44,58 $ with a discount if you order 3 boxes. For the benefit of ecologically aware the advert says: all the grapes are 100% OGM free. Just is case it was that that harms you!

Reading down the page there are very prestigious bottles such as Marchesi di Barolo, Mascarello, Pio Cesare, Conterno … unawares that they are in the prime positions together with Barolo in powder. This Piemontese denomination is the most loved in USA among the Italian wines, so it is not surprising that it has been chosen to launch the “make your own” system and that soon they will continue with Brunello, Chianti and Amarone.

The European Commissioni s fighting against the incorrect use of the names of Italian de nomination and surely will succeed in its intent, but in the meantime we must listen to this alarm bell. On the one side it is worrying to see freeze-dried wine a sit it were powdered soup. Wine treated as if it were something that can be manipulated chemically with no damage for the consumer, in fact with a definite cost saving.

Brunello wins the Foreign Press award in Italy

Donatella Cinelli Colombini on the Gambero Rosso stage receives the award from Foreign Press and tells of Brunello magic

   Donatella Cinelli Colombini receives the prize awarded to Brunello

Donatella Cinelli Colombini receives the prize awarded to Brunello

The “Gruppo del gusto”, born in 2002 reunites 118 journalists from 30 foreign nations and interested in wine & food, chooses every year 4 excellencies and the award living takes place during a gala dinner that this year took place at the Città del Gusto in Rome. This is an exceptional year, because of the conjuncture of the Foreign Press centenary and the decennial celebration of the “Gruppo del Gusto” coordinated by Alfredo Tesio.

So this event was such a success, as never before, with the public of journalists also standing in every area of the theatre.
Even though it seems incredible this is the first award given to the Consorzio del Brunello in 45 years of activity so receiving it was enormously exciting, as was going on stage of the Teatro del Gusto del Gambero Rosso. A mythical place! These were the winners: for production Pastificio Luca from Corte Croera (BL) the highest in Italy at 1450 metres above sea level in Cadore.

The giants'rating in the wine world

The new rating of the big names is monopolized by the new world and must make us reflect on the fragility of the Italian production system

Gallo winery

Gallo winery

A recent article on the English magazine “The drink business” proposes a new rating of the best worldwide wineries and puts the Gallo Winery on the throne, followed immediately by Concha y Toro. The number of bottles produced make you dizzy with a billion pieces the first and 81 million the tenth of the world top 10. Among them no Italian producer, practically all USA and Australia.

The rating regarding income made a few months ago by Mediobanca showed a more diversified panorama with French, Chinese, South African Chilean, German and even Italian groups like GIV Cantine Riunite in seventh position. At the top of the Costellation Brand (USA) in a dominant position and at a great distance from the others tank to its annual sales of 2.494.000.000 €. Straight after with its 1.664 million in business, is the very prestigious multinational luxury company LVMH belonging to Bernard Arnault. Two societies which seem to have disappeared according to the English rating.

New Year's Eve 2013 in Italy in the tuscan counrtyside

Fattoria del Colle – farmhouse in Tuscany-  suggest a special program for New Year’s Eve with games, wine tasting of Brunello, cookery school and more

Fattoria-del-Colle-albero-di-Natale-dell'agriturismo-

Fattoria-del-Colle-albero-di-Natale-dell'agriturismo-

New years festivities at Fattoria del Colle together with friends and relatives, having fun with games from the farming tradition, cookery lessons, wine tastings, treks and good luck rites from the Tuscan countryside. Every day an aperitif with a different theme, every dinner dedicated to a local dish. The New Year’s Eve dinner with the Trequanda winter flavours revisited in a more modern way, followed by a party in the historical cellar.

We will begin the New Year with a big bonfire to dispose of the old year because 2013 be a year of rebirth from the ashes. A jump into the past in our two wineries Fattoria del Colle and Casato Prime Donne, the only ones in Italy with an entirely female staff, to taste the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and the Cenerentola Orcia DOC.

Our offers from Decembre 29th 2012 to January 2nd 2013:

Packet for three days and two nights – Euro 110.00 per person includes:
Two nights in double room with bathroom
Buffet breakfast
Aperitif with a theme
The bonfire to dispose of the old year on January 1st and all of the activities foreseen by the program

bonfire_Fattoria del Colle

Guided tour of the estate with a tasting of wine matched with local products.

Toscana tourism and wine tourism are superstars

Tuscany is the region most sold by USA tour operators and the second most sold region by European, Canadian, Japanese and Australian tour operators

Santa_Maria_della_Scala_Siena

Santa_Maria_della_Scala_Siena

In other words Tuscany, Dante and Michelangelo’s land, once again confirms that it is rich in appeal for foreign visitors coming to Italy and that most of all it is able to satisfy their interests which, looking at the statistics, are in order of importance, art cities, itineraries and wine and food. Three sectors where Tuscany is well ahead.

If we concentrate our attention on the attractiveness of wines, and food we notice that the most interested are the Americans with 34% of preferences, followed straight away by the Australians (33%) and then by the Japanese (12%) the same nationalities of the most numerous tour operators active in commercializing Tuscany. The fame and rich offer of the wine districts in Tuscany – Chianti and Brunello above all – plays a decisive role in this game and creates a “ shop window effect” which also helps the exporting of wines.

It’s worth remembering that Tuscany is the first among wine and food tourist destinations Tripadvisor 2012. To prove the enormous power of this region on the foodies touristic destinations both Censis (44% of preferences) and the web survey by WineNews del 2012 put Tuscany at the top of the main wine tourism destinations.

Kindness used as a marketing instrument for tourism

The mayor of NY imposes it by law, Harvard organizes course on kindness and we here in Italy, a tourist destination, can we do without?

dog with temper

dog with temper

This fact is more important than it might seem initially. In fact every year a world wide day for Kindness is organized. To be cared for, to receive kind words and to be surrounded by attentions betters our state of mind and makes us happier people. For this reason the ex-minister Brunetta wanted to force all public employees to be kind to the citizens.

                                                                       
Cinelli Colombini
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