Wine Culture

Arles, Basilea, Berlino Cannes, Forte dei Marmi, Greve in Chianti, Londra, Milano, Monza, Monaco, Montreux, Mosca, New York, ParIgi, Rio de Janeiro, Torino, Venezia, Washington

Cannes Film Festival

Cannes - France

Possibly the best known cinema festival in the world, Cannes manages to attract huge crowds of film lovers every year, offering the chance to spot the big movie stars and directors in the beautiful scenario of the French Côte d’Azure. The red carpets bring their share of old style glamour, while a jury of artists and experts selects the winner of the prestigious Palme D’Or, the film industry’s most coveted award.

May 11~22

Berlino DMY
International Design Festival

Berlin – Germany

DMY, the International Design Festival takes place in Berlin between June 2nd and 5th. The event brings together young designers and established creatives featuring the latest innovations, creating an effective network within the design world. The Festival has established itself as a workshop for creativity and new technologies through its organization of special exhibitions and planning of projects that stimulate the exchange between countries. The DMY is an important gathering for dialogue and cultural exchanges between design on a worldwide scale and the city of Berlin.

June 2~5

Solo Italiano

Moscow – Russia

Once again Moscow and Saint Petersburg will play host to Solo Italiano Grandi Vini Russia Tour. The success of last year’s edition, which saw the participation of 92 Italian wineries, has brought the best Italian wine labels to the attention of Russia’s growing market, thanks to an exciting program of workshops, walk-around tastings and events.

June 7

Art Basel

Basel – Switzerland

Art Basel, active since 1970, is one of the leading global gatherings of the art world. With the passing of time it has established itself not only as an unmissable international event for the art market, but also as a fundamental scene for the research and experimentation in the field of art. It takes place every June in Basel, Switzerland, and every December in Miami Beach with an exhibition ad hoc for the United States.

June 16~19

Munich Film Festival

Munich – Germany

The Munich Film Festival is the largest summer film event, attracting over 75,000 visitors each year. Retrospectives, homages and tributes but also innovation and discovery, the festival presents a range of German premieres and many European and world premieres every year, establishing itself as an important event to look out for new talent. Among the nominees for this year’s Documentary category we have Asif Kapadia’s release, AMY, first shown in the 2015 edition where it has won several awards.

June 23 – July 2

Wimbledon 2016

London – England

The oldest and most prestigious tennis event, Wimbledon is the third Grand Slam tournament in chronological order and the only one to be played on a grass court. The expectations for this year are high after last year’s Novak Djokovic’s spectacular win over Roger Federer and Serena William’s win over Garbine Muguruza.

June 27 – July 10

Montreux Jazz Festival

Montreux – Switzerland 

The Montreux Jazz Festival is the largest music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe. It takes place in early July of each year, in Montreux, on the banks of Lake Geneva. Since 1967 the Montreux Jazz has evolved from being a classic festival in which performances by Keith Jarrett, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Miles Davis, have taken place over the years, to a place where you can encounter the best of the contemporary music scene. Today it could be defined as 'jazz beyond jazz.'

July 1~16 

Arles 2016

Arles – France 

Founded in 1970, Les Rencontres d’Arles is a photography exhibition showcasing unseen work only, a choice that has made it one of the most important and popular photography festivals in the world. Certain Arles locations are only open to the public during the event, and in 2015, more than 93,000 visitors attended the show.

July 6~12

The Olympics in Rio

Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

The XXXI edition of the Olympic games this year will see the participation of 10,500 athletes and 206 national Olympic committees, including, for the first time in history, Kosovo and South Sudan. In the dazzling setting of Rio de Janeiro, the first South American city to host the games, the world’s best athletes will compete in 306 events and a total of 28 sports (there are two new entries this year: Rugby and Golf). The Rio Olympics follow the 2012 London games and precede Tokyo 2020.

August 5~21

Society of Wine Educators

Washington – U.S.A.

The glamorous Mayflower Renaissance Hotel in Washington DC welcomes the 40th annual conference dedicated to the world of wine. With more than 60 events dedicated to a variety of themes and winemakers from Italy, France, South America and California, the event offers workshops exploring the realities of emerging wine regions, latest trends and business opportunities.

August 11-13 

Maison&Objet Paris

Paris – France

For twenty years an unmissable event for all professionals of interior design: 3,000 exhibitors show their latest creations in an exhibition space of over 130,000 square meters and the most talented emerging designers present their work within a dedicated themed exhibition space.

 September 2~6 

73° Venice Film Festival

Venice – Italy

One of the oldest film festivals in the world but also a platform for young talent. For this year’s edition the organisers have confirmed the 4 projects shortlisted for the College-Cinema Biennale, an award introduced in 2012 which offers young film-makers the possibility of making their feature film in collaboration with some of Cinema’s greatest masters. In addition to the three projects traditionally chosen from an international long-list of 12, this year the Bienniale has for the first time selected an Italian project as well.

August 31 – September 10 

Celebrity Fight Night
(Andrea Bocelli Foundation)

Forte dei Marmi – Italy

Celebrity Fight Night offers the opportunity to fly to Italy and enjoy five full days with the legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli. He will take you to the most magical places around Florence and Venice, including a special night at his home featuring star-studded entertainment on the Italian coast.

September 7-13 

Expo del Chianti Classico

Greve in Chianti – Italy

The 46th edition of the Expo Chianti Classico is held this year between September 8th and 11th in Greve, Chianti. The event is a worthy tribute to Tuscan excellence, a must for all fans of the famous red. The Expo takes place between wine tasting stands and direct sale of Chianti Classico from wine producers, as well as art exhibitions, music and dance performances and workshops. It is also an opportunity to visit an area which is rich in art, culture and traditions.

September 8-11 

73° Open d’Italia

Monza – Italy

Keen to replicate the extraordinary success of last year’s edition – 16,000 spectators who attended the last lap and a total of 48,000 in the four days of the event, an absolute record in the history of the tournament – the 73rd Italian Golf Open is back in the magnificent scenery of the Golf Club Milano Monza, one of the oldest and most prestigious Italian clubs.

September 15~18 

New York Wine & Food Festival

New York – U.S.A.

Famous chefs, bartenders, households names of international cuisine, winemakers and food lovers, all gather at the New York City Wine and Food Festival from October 13th to 16th. The NYCWFF was born in 2007 as a one-night event called ‘Sweet’; it then developed the following year, when founder and director of the Festival, Lee Brian Schrager, launched what is now the New York City Wine and Food Festival, which quickly gained notoriety and acclaim establishing itself as one of the most successful festivals about food. The Festival is organizing a series of activities and workshops through which you can deepen your passion for cooking by learning new methods and techniques.

October 13-16 

Artissima

Turin – Italy

Artissima is an important contemporary art fair held annually in Turin. The event, curated by a subsidiary company part of the Fondazione Torino Musei, will be held between November 4th and 6th at the Oval: a glass pavilion built for the Olympic Winter Games in the industrial archeology complex of the Lingotto district in Turin. Every year nearly two hundred galleries from around the world participate at the fair.

November 4-6 

Milano Moda Donna

Milan – Italy

Attracting enthusiasts and professionals from all over the world, twice a year Milano Moda Donna hosts over 170 fashion shows, promoting Italian designers and supporting the new talents that make the fashion industry a constantly evolving and expanding business. Established in 1958, the Milan Fashion Week is one of the most important fashion events in the world, along with Paris, London and New York.
September 21-27

Long smooth and ribbed blown-glass Dudù carafe by Paola C, designer Matteo Cibic
Blown-glass and handmade Bugnato Green Bottle, by Segno Italiano
Black Line Color Glass, HAY collection, by Scholten & Baijings, sold at la Rinascente

Wines: Metodo Classico Brut Rosé Athesis Alto Adige DOC and Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

Sunrise carafe by Ichendorf Milano, designer MIST-O
Rings glass by Ichendorf Milano, designer Corrado Dotti

Wine: Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

S 32 chair by Thonet GmbH, designer Marcel Breuer, artistic copyright Mart Stam, 1929/30
Basic Wine Stopper bronze by Normann Copenhagen, designer Simon Legald
In Bottle wine carafe by Ichendorf Milano, designers Fabiana Mastropaolo and Bianca Scarfatti
VOLARE curtain by Dedar, composition 100% PES FR

Wine: Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut

Plum Ice Bucket by Tom Dixon, sold at la Rinascente
Arc Bottle Opener by Tom Dixon, sold at la Rinascente
Blown-glass and handmade Bugnato Amber glass by Segno Italiano
Mateglacé Vacuum Bottle Stand by Alessi, designer Marta Sansoni, sold at la Rinascente
Basic Foil Cutter bronze by Normann Copenhagen, designer Simon Legald
Flut Tutù by Ichendorf Milano, designer MIST-O

Wine: Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

S 33 N Thonet All Seasons chair, by Thonet GmbH, artistic copyright Mart Stam
Wine & Bar Winestopper by Normann Copenhagen, designer Aurelien Barby
Gold Line Color Glass, HAY collection, designer Scholten & Baijings, sold at la Rinascente

Wine: Metodo Classico Brut Rosé Athesis Alto Adige DOC

Blown-glass Però vase by Paola C, designer Matteo Cibic
Tutù glass by Ichendorf Milano, designer MIST-O

Wine: Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

Blown-glass Piggy carafe by Paola C, designer Aldo Cibic
Table knife by Sambonet

Wine: Metodo Classico Brut Rosé Athesis Alto Adige DOC

Tulip goblet by Paola C, designer Aldo Cibic
Marbelous Wine Holder by Aparentment, sold at la Rinascente
Wine & Bar Winestopper by Normann Copenhagen, designer Aurelien Barby
Amber Tuscan Flask by Segno Italiano
Anna G. corkscrew by Alessi, designer Alessandro Mendini, sold at la Rinascente
Primitive Wave rug by CC TAPIS, designer Chiara Andreatti

  Wine: Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC

Photography – Bea De Giacomo
Set Design – Dimitra Louana Marlanti

Words – Mattia Carzaniga
Photography – Diego Mayon

Chianti Classico Lamole di Lamole is born from the vineyards that climb up Tuscany's rolling hills and is made special by a unique combination of nature and expertise. Visitors travel from all corners of the world to discover the history of this splendid wine estate.

The Chianti region has always been is defined as follows: “From Spedaluzzo to Greve, enclosing Panzano and all of the Podesteria di Radda, which is made of three thirds, Radda, Gajole and Castellina, coming right up against the boarder with Siena.” Thus wrote the Archduke Cosimo III de’ Medici in 1716 in his Dichiarazione dei confini delle quattro regioni, establishing the first official definition of the Chianti district: as a region, but also as an area destined to become Tuscany’s most celebrated wine producer. On the road connecting Greve and Panzano we find Lamole, one of Chianti’s beating hearts. Lamole is Chianti Classico at its best, so much that it is known as Lamole di Lamole. The wine gives this land its identity, and it is considered the gem in the crown of Santa Margherita's Tuscan wine estates.

The village of Lamole features a central church and square overlooking the vineyards that stretch over the surrounding sloping hills. Today, it is home to 86 inhabitants, both natives and international artists that came here seeking the legendary charms of Chiantishire. Its history, however, is as ancient as its vineyards. The first written testimony of Chianti, the wine as well as Chianti, the district, dates back to 1250. The gallo nero, or the black cockerel, that became the symbol of the region as illustrated by Vasari three centuries later in Florence's Palazzo Vecchio, also made its first appearance in 1250. Lamole is a small island on the path between two rival cities, in the thirteenth century it saw the erection of a watchtower castle built to survey the road, a testament to the age-old hostility between Florence and Siena. The castle stands high on the ‘lamule’ that give the village its name, thin strips of land that are the result of geological erosion. The stone that results from this erosion, and is typical of the region, plays a role in imparting a certain character to the wine, even today. The Lamole di Lamole winery stretches over 173 hectares, 57 of which are vineyards and 4 are olive groves. The singularity in Chianti Classico can be discerned through observation: “These are not ‘pretty’ vines,” jokes Andrea Daldin, who has worked as an oenologist with Lamole di Lamole for twenty years. It is true, they are not ‘pretty’: the plants cling to the hillside pushing their way through the rocky terrain, reaching for the sun. Lamole di Lamole’s Chianti Classico is the product of this combination: “the altitude, between 400 and 650 meters, is the first specific element that defines our territory,” Daldin explains. “Then comes the climate: the average temperatures here never exceed 33°C. From May to the second half of September we have thermal inversion; between September and vintage time we have diurnal temperature variations (this is the most delicate phase as it coincides with the plants’ veraison stage, during which the aromas fully develop). Lastly, there is the terrain, which is unique: the foundation is made up of sandstone, with splits of Galestro clay that gradually break it up until it becomes sand.” All this affects the flavor of the wine. “It is intense, deep. As it ages, Chianti Classico develops spicy, balsamic notes.”
The rest of the story lies in its history. In the seventeenth century the village was home to one thousand people, and wine exports began in earnest. A century later, in 1716, it became the first official wine region in the world. Chianti began to cross borders, in England it boomed. Gradually the wine was perfected and underwent transformations. At first, it was only 100% Sangiovese, but by the nineteenth century the Baron Ricasoli decreed: 80% Sangiovese and 20% a mix of other varieties. Sangiovese, however remains the chief and principal ingredient, giving Chianti those properties that make it unique. It is a grape that, more than any other, changes and acquires complexity depending on the soil. Only certain areas of Tuscany are able to bring out those sweet flowery and fruity notes that are essential to this wine. By the turn of the twentieth century, the demand for Chianti expanded uncontrollably, making it necessary to create a consortium to protect the wine's identity. In 1924, there were 32 licensed producers and eight years later the denomination 'Classico' was created to distinguish it from the largely unregulated wine production of the neighboring areas. This history helps us understand the Lamole di Lamole we drink today, the direct result of this long process. “In 2004 we began to rediscover these typical benchland cultivars,” our wine expert explains. “the Campolungo, that gives its name to our Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, is the biggest, with ten hectares. In 2009, we decided to renew and restore the terraces and we were able to accomplish this by understanding the geological nature of the terrain, the way in which plants need to reach deep into the ground, the importance of intense sun exposure: just as it has been since the beginning.” Today, Lamole di Lamole is staffed by ten people who work in the vineyards and in the cellar. Among them we find faces that have made the company’s history: the head-farmer has worked here since 1978. “They make the wine, not us oenologists. Social entrepreneurship and the promotion of a local cultural heritage is achieved by giving work to people who have represented the soul of this land for decades and by rediscovering age-old farming methods and local cultivars,” says Daldin. “The estate gives work to young locals: they feel a personal connection and responsibility toward the wine and the place that produces it.”

 
‘Organic’ here is not just a buzzword, but the result of a bond with this valley. “We will be certified organic next year, but it is not just a fancy word we’re adding to our label because it is trendy to do so. Organic farming is a means and not an end, it is a way of working: most of all, it means ‘do less’ or, rather, let nature do the work. Advanced technology is important: for many years now we have been carrying out a study on induced crop resistance, the improvement of a plant’s capacity to protect itself by developing those antioxidants which will make the use of copper and zinc unnecessary. Sustainability, however, is not a recent discovery here: Lamole di Lamole has never lost sight of environmental welfare, it has always aimed at working with nature rather than against it. That is why production volume has always been contained – we are talking 230,000 Chianti Classico bottles produced each year – it is our philosophy: take from the land what it can give you, and always give something in return.”
Today Lamole di Lamole is an internationally recognized area of wine excellence. “And to think several scholars and experts of Tuscan wine have long sustained that the clone of the Sangiovese grosso of Montalcino derives from Lamole di Lamole.” Today there is a more open dialogue with guides and specialized media and consumers are more knowledgeable and aware. “When the Gambero Rosso Wine Guide awards you three glasses for your yearly vintage, and not just your special reserve bottles, it is proof enough that your product is good. Not everyone can say the same.” Lamole di Lamole ages in oak barrels, under the medieval vaults of the cellar, preserved as it has always been. “Our wines do very little barrique, fortunately that particular trend has come to pass and we were proved right in the end: this too, is what we mean by working with nature, let the wine speak for itself.”
Today, Lamole di Lamole also means hospitality and a direct relationship with visitors to the area. The wine estate is open for tours and wine-tasting sessions. “To understand Lamole di Lamole you have to start from the vineyards, make the entire journey, from the grape to the wineglass,” in the words of hospitality manager Sebastiano Pedani. He grew up not far from here and has worked for years on the estate, you can tell that for him this journey is, first and foremost, a personal one. “Until you experience what it feels like to walk through a vineyard, you cannot understand.” Today the winery attracts Italian and international visitors alike, the same who seek out Lamole di Lamole wine everywhere in the world. “The Americans make up by far the largest contingent, they are also the most open-minded and curious, Northern Europe is a novelty, together with markets such as China, Germany and Japan. And there’s the French, of course, but only the ones who are not exceedingly patriotic,” he jokes. The tour moves from the historic vineyard to the cellars, and then through to the Vin Santo cellar (Vin Santo, the Tuscan traditional dessert wine is another of the company’s signature products), and finally ends in the Lamole di Lamole Salotto, as is it commonly referred to, where you can sample the wines and discover local food. “Tour operators are constantly looking for new ways of bringing tourists to truly experience local culture. In the warmer months, from April to October, which are also the most important months in wine making, we host two tours each day. The young, in particular, are much more aware. It is uncomfortable for us Italians to admit it, but in the last 15-20 years this country had lost its wine culture. Today’s new generations are rediscovering the importance of locally sourced products and they make more informed choices. Effective communication, in this industry, is all about teaching people how to drink better, and responsibly.” While we chat, a Spanish couple climbs out of a car, like in a movie about a picturesque holiday under the Tuscan sun. “Can we find out more about your estate and your wines?” And just like that, a perfect example of what Lamole di Lamole is all about, an unexpected detour on an Italian holiday, a chance to take home one more precious memory.
From the road you can admire the hills, the rolling vineyards and the faces of Lamole’s residents as they go about their daily business, the workmen pruning off the dry branches and the lady who lives in the main square, practically a local institution. Legend has it that the best answer to the question “What makes this wine so special?” was given by one of Lamole’s oldest residents: “Che dire: l’è bòno!” (What is there to say? It’s good!)