Vines and wines

Go to Cambridge to become a wine loving scientist

CambridgeUniversity, a myth for research, didactics ….. and for wine: there 3 million pounds in wine are consumed every year an our enthusiasm is sky high   [caption id="attachment_8978" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Annual-Dinner-2007-with-Château-Mouton-Rothschild"][/caption] Read for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini If we consult the QS World University Rankings, we see that the most prestigious study centre on her majesties territory is always among the first universities in the world together with MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology and theUniversityofHarvard.   Easily done!!! Not only does it prepare the best mathematical and technological minds, but there is fun to be had too! 7,9 million pounds spent on wine in...

10 wine makers who have changed the world

The drinks business, very famous English magazine analyzes trends and the wine market; gives a list of the most influential wine makers in the world [caption id="attachment_8964" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Jacques-e-Eric-Boissenot"][/caption] Read for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini Each of these 10 has, according to the drinks business, changed the character of wine more than any other brand or winery. They are to be recognized as the “wine artists” those who have created the new style of appellations, types and territories. One regret: no women in this list, and only one Italian. Shame The starting point is obviously Emile Peynaud, the man who has given e...

London, a city full of youngsters who desire great wines

Here wine means wine market at an International level, Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, sommeliers, wine writers, bloggers, wine shops, luxury restaurants

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

My husband Carlo Gardini and I are in London for the wine tasting of our importer Ellis of Richmond and this gives us the opportunity to discover many things which we will now share with you.
We go into one of the buildings of the new economy, One Canada Square, the 4th highest skyscraper in London. Beautiful receptionists in the lobby, a security system similar to the Bank of England and in the offices where we meet the owners of Humble Grape- a situation which you might expert at Apple or Microsoft: open space offices, common areas where young people communicate via iPad. Someone explains that this is one of the spaces that the Government has given for start ups that use new

technologies.

Cost of vineyards around the world, with or without a villa

Knight Frank‘s quotations for villas with vineyard in the most famous wine making regions around the world and those by Assoenologi for vineyards in Italy

read for you By Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Knight Frank is the largest independent estate agents in the world with 330 offices and 12.000 properties on sale. But most of all it is a formidable consulting and information office. They like vineyards and wineries very much. That type of business Knight Frank keeps a constant eye on, and is summarized in a report published on January 7th last:
•Vineyards are considered a good investment all over the world
• Mendoza and Tuscany have had the major increases in value in 2013 with 25% and 20% (music to my ears)
• The Spanish vineyards have registered the major decrease with 20% since 2000, the Italians with 15,3% and the French with 11,8%
• The extension of vineyards in New Zealand and China has increased by 164 % and by 90 % during the last 12 years.
In December Knight Frank published its “Global Vineyard Index 2013” a type of report regarding the value of wineries with a surface of less than 5 hectares. Its estimates, brought to us by WineNews, are very very interesting.
The highest prices are in Bordeaux for vineyards of Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon and Semillon in properties with traditional stone buildings, which have been renovated and with swimming pools. The values varies between 20.500 to 2.500.000 dollars per hectare and has decreased by 4% since last year.
Studying the report one understands how these most sought after properties are those where together with the vineyards there is also a historic building to be used as a holiday home. Evidently the attraction for wine is entwined with the desire of a lifestyle where there is contact with nature, where many friends can come and visit.

Gambero rosso conquers the Vikings

The assault of importers on Copenhagen and the super trendy hall in the snow in Oslo. Come with me to see the Gambero Rosso tastings in Scandinavia [caption id="attachment_8846" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Oslo, the Gambero Rosso tasting hall before it all began"][/caption] by Donatella Cinelli Colombini Denmark is Lego land, and it is well visible, even the houses seem to be made with little bricks. Copenhagen is less monumental than Stockholm but maybe livelier. Everywhere in Scandinavia, few cars, public transport works wonderfully so everyone uses it. The Gambero Rosso tasting with 32 wineries from the Guida vini d’Italia is held in a beautiful...

Donatella’s first time abroad with the Gambero Rosso

Sweden, a cold nation with a warm heart and, a nation of gluttons. Producers from all over Italy with Gambero Rosso in a 18th century dancing hall with 500 buyers

Seen for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

We arrive in Stockholm with this year’s first snowfall, for us its cold, for the locals it’s unusually mild. The city is beautiful with its immense buildings, all perfect and tidy. We are in the north, where Father Christmas lives and there are evident traces of the festivities just gone. There are still lots of lights in the roads, lots of pile of fir trees piled high in the squares and a few trolls with red hats on.
The food market is a Swedish version of Eataly with all sorts of salmon, shrimps and herrings. Karina Tholin takes us to the Sommelier Association office

where they are preparing two youngsters for a competition: in five minutes they must describe in English a white wine of which they do not know the origin and they manage it perfectly. These Swedes do not take things lightly; they have just positioned one of them on the podium as best Euopean sommelier. The wine safety vault-treasure chest, with its iron bars, is spectacular, it resembles a medieval prison.

Donatella’s red Il Drago wags its tail

After the success obtained by “Il Drago e le 8 Colombe" 2007, now the best vintage of the century is about to go on sale, 2010, and Donatella Cinelli Colombini expects a result with a bang Written by Donatella Cinelli Colombini [caption id="attachment_8800" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Drago-2010"][/caption] The 2010 harvest launches a new phase for the young estate belonging to Donatella. The vineyards become the protagonists and all the staff works for them trying to emphasize the specificity of the land and the climate. As if nature were to direct a melody and the grape growers together with the cellar staff were to play...

Should the 327 small denominations disappear?

76 denominations bottle 92% of the DOC-DOCG wines and there are those who ask for more effort in promoting these and on larger markets [caption id="attachment_8790" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Carlo-Flamini"][/caption] read for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini Carlo Flamini, director of the “Il Corriere vinicolo” newspaper by the Unione Italiana Vini, which is the largest confederation of the wine industrialists, proposes an article entitles “Tempo di scegliere” (Time to choose) where a harsh attack is made to the small denominations. The starting point is the report made by Valoritalia, the most important wine certification organ in Italy, regarding the 2012-13 activities. Transferred on a...

Donatella presents her super Brunello 2009

We have made only13.000 bottles of Brunello 2009. Less than 1/3 compared to the usual production. A brave decision which we hope our clients will appreciate.

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini

We chose to bottle as Brunello only the wine that, in our opinion, was worthy of being such a wine. We have used what normally becomes Prime Donne selection and Riserva, which in the 2009 vintage have not been produced.

The reasons behind these courageous decisions depend on the climate of that year.
In 2009 the winter and the spring were particularly rainy followed by a very hot summer. The grapes were on their way to a complete ripening when, at the beginning of September, thunderstorms brought a lot of rain and a rapid decrease in temperatures to 10°C. The grape skins contracted so as to keep shut in the precious tannins and anthocyans which are the true richness in red wines apt for long ageing, such as Brunello. Then the sunny days came back which “softened” the skins but the really good clusters were those picked for last, around the 9th of October. From those grapes we obtained our Brunello.

Donatella among the most powerful women in wine in the world

The English blog Humble Grape Wine lists the women who influence the worldwide wine industry and, surprise surprise, I’ve been included [caption id="attachment_8602" align="alignleft" width="259" caption="Juel-Mahoney"][/caption] Read for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini "Self praise is no recommendation” is a rough translation of a local saying but appreciation is always a pleasure to receive, especially if unannounced and disinterested, as in this case. Well, because the blog in question belongs to an independent wine importer and creator of events, who has in portfolio a Brunello from another winery. So let’s dress peacock feathers and go and take a look at the Humble Grape...

6 vintages of Cenerentola especially for you

Great opportunity for the most demanding of wine lovers, those who look for unique things to have in their cellars or to give as presents. The 6 vintages of Cenerentola Doc Orcia [caption id="attachment_8587" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Cenerentola DOC Orcia"][/caption] The Orcia Denomination was born in 2000 between the Brunello and Nobile di Montepulciano wine regions. It is in fact these two “sisters” older and more famous, who allow this wine to resemble the well known fairytale and give the wine its name “Cenerentola” The Cenerentolais produced in small quantities of about 5-10,000 bottles every year. They are all “sold out” except the 2010...