Category: Wine Education

Discover Noyan Tun Wine and Spirits Shop in Yerevan, Armenia

We stumbled upon this gem yesterday, just a short walk from our hotel, and were immediately impressed by its well-stocked, beautifully curated selection of wines and spirits. The shop offers an excellent variety of both Armenian and international wines.

Noyan Tun highlights Armenia’s diverse wine regions, featuring everything from the bold reds of Vayots Dzor to the unique varieties of the Ararat Valley.

For fellow Riedel collectors, Noyan Tun carries the exclusive Riedel Areni glass, specifically designed to enhance the aromas and flavors of Armenia’s signature Areni grape.

After my tastings this past week, I highly recommend using this glass when enjoying a 100% Areni varietal—it truly elevates the experience!

Conveniently located at Amiryan St., 12, in Yerevan’s vibrant Kentron district, Noyan Tun is a must-visit for wine lovers exploring the wonderful city.

Website: https://noyantunonline.am/en/

New study shows wine consumption does not increase cancer or mortality risk in healthy adults over 60

A study published this week in JAMA Network Open and conducted by researchers based at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Harvard and other institutions investigates the impact of alcohol consumption on mortality among older adults, particularly focusing on those with health-related or socioeconomic vulnerabilities. The findings reveal that even what is typically considered low-risk drinking can elevate mortality risks, especially for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This is particularly pronounced among those with existing health or financial challenges.

Interestingly, the study highlights a protective aspect for those who predominantly consume wine and drink only with meals. This pattern seems to reduce the negative effects of alcohol on mortality, suggesting that the slower absorption rate of alcohol or the beneficial components in wine might play a role. The research underscores the need to address health disparities related to alcohol consumption, especially in vulnerable populations, and calls for further exploration into the benefits of wine consumption in these groups.

By understanding the nuanced effects of different drinking patterns, particularly the potential benefits of wine, the wine trade can better communicate with consumers and contribute to public health discussions. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that wine, when consumed in moderation and within specific contexts, might offer a protective edge against some of the health risks associated with alcohol.

Link to full study

Source: JAMA Network

Chile Implements Regulatory Health Standards for Beverage Packaging

Chile’s Ministry of Health has recently enacted new regulations mandating that beverage manufacturers include warning labels about the risks of alcohol on products intended for the domestic market. This legislation became effective on July 7th of this year.

The new regulations specify that any beverage with an ABV above 0.5% that is intended for sale in Chile must feature a label that carries the following warnings concerning the consumption of alcohol:

• Do not drink when driving
• Risk to your baby
• Do not drink if under the age of 18

These warnings, complete with accompanying icons, must be featured either on the back or front label of a product. The minimum size for the warnings is 6.2cm by 3.5cm. For bottles that come in decorative boxes, the warnings cannot be featured on parts of the packaging that will be thrown away.

In addition to these regulations, alcoholic beverage packaging must now prominently display the caloric content, expressed in energy (kcal) per 100ml of liquid. This information must be clearly visible under the header “valor energético” or “energy value.”

Source: Wines of Chile, and Drinks Business

The Landscape of the Chianti Classico Farm Villas: A Step Toward UNESCO Status

The Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sangiuliano expressed “satisfaction” with the decision of the Board of Directors of the Italian National Commission for UNESCO to send the candidacy of “The landscape of the Chianti Classico villa-farm system to UNESCO”, for submission to a preliminary evaluation of the advisory bodies for the purposes of inscription on the World Heritage List. “It is a candidacy that enhances an identity landscape of our nation, which has the full support of the Ministry of Culture”, declared Sangiuliano.

The candidacy falls into the category of cultural landscapes and consists of an area that includes seven municipalities distributed across two provinces, Florence and Siena, and which occupies an area of approximately 54 thousand hectares. The proposal represents, through its integrity and beauty, an exceptional testimony to the renewal process which, started in the 16th century, gave rise to a new efficient and sustainable agricultural settlement system. The image of the historic territory is still outlined today by the rhythmic sequence of typologically differentiated buildings, but consistent with the unitary production organization of the villa-farm, by the wise choices of location of the buildings, which allow for a wide intervisibility, and by the continuity of the traditional connections between wooded areas and the areas intended for the main tree crops.

The preliminary evaluation of the advisory bodies of the World Heritage Committee is the first step of the new procedure established by UNESCO for the inscription of sites in the World Heritage List. It optimizes the work of the Convention States, providing an initial assessment of the application dossier and offering observations on which to concentrate efforts during the drafting of the application documentation.

The project, coordinated by the Ministry of Culture through the UNESCO Office of the General Secretariat, was promoted by the Tuscany Region and supported by the Foundation for the Protection of the Chianti Classico Territory. The exchange activities with UNESCO were assisted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Source: UNESCO and Gambero Rosso International

Campania Stories 2024 – A Memorable Experience

Campania Stories, one of the most significant wine events in southern Italy, took place this year in Sannio on the northern edge of Campania from May 21st to 25th. The 12th edition welcomed wine writers and other trade professionals.

This year was an incredible success with over 90 wineries who submitted their samples to a wide audience of international bloggers, journalists and wine critics. The setting could not be more beautiful as the event consists of a journey through the main wine areas of a region known by visitors for the beautiful Amalfi Coast and the vibrant city of Naples.

Sannio just north of the Naples, the town of Dugenta hosted the event at the luxury resort, Tenute del Gheppio. Producers had the opportunity to present their latest white wines along with their Riservas. Presentation of the 2023 vintage was led by Francesco Martusciello, one of the flying winemakers of the region, at Rocca dei Rettori di Benevento, in cooperation with Assoenologi. Francesco Martusciello emphasized the 2023 vintage trend which was an uneven year with limited production but of very high quality. The whites were a perfect example with their predominant fermentative aromas that will certainly dissipate with time to show the true character of the grape.

We also enjoyed an in-depth journey through Campania to see producers in their element visiting estates in Sannio and Irpinia where they discovered the landscapes of smooth hills, mainly of clay, with expansive vineyards divided by the main rivers of Calore in Irpinia, and Volturno in North Sannio. These visits were made possible in part by the close collaboration of Miriade & Partners headed by Diana Cataldo, Massimo Iannaccone and Serena Valerian.

This is an area known for is great viticulture, since the Roman times when it was known as Campania Felix. A place where Roman heritage is still evident with the discovery of several amphoras and tools for winemaking, but also marked by incredible buildings dating back the 18th century, such as the majestic Carolino aqueduct that dominates the valley as a Unesco Heritage site.

This beautiful corner of Campania shows history, art and culture that are only discovered by venturing off the beaten path, such as Vigna del Ventaglio near Caserta in San Leucio, another UNESCO World Heritage site. The place was already known in the past for high quality silk production, when the Bourbon King Ferdinando IV selected a vineyard in the shape of a fan and divided it into nine sectors, each cultivated with unique grape varieties he loved the most, like Piedimonte Rosso and Bianco, Procopio, Delfino Bianco and Siracusa Rosso, parental vines of the modern ones.

Modern winemaking equipment has been introduced in Campania. For instance, prominent estates have been using high -ech crushing machines and tanks with cooling jackets, and at the same time the wine estate are preserving certain traditional winemaking techniques like the use of amphoras where local grapes such as Greco, Fiano and also Coda di Volpe perform well.

The two-day tasting was a true pleasure for me, with sparkling, whites, reds and rosè from all over Campania, over 200 samples from 90 producers. I focused mostly on the sparkling wines which are showing interesting improvements. While at the beginning, most sparkling wine from Campania was Charmat method from some of the semi-aromatic grapes of the region, mainly Falanghina, but now several traditional method wines are becoming more and more popular with large improvements in terms of quality.

This was definitely a roadshow of the best expression of Campania viticulture and landscape. For a full immersion in this promising growing region, Campania Stories is wine not to be missed. And now I can only wait for the 2025 edition, which will be hosted by the Volcano Vesuvio.

Filippo Magnani