Tag: Italy

Experiencing The Palio di Santa Croce [Wine Barrel Rolling Race] in Suvereto – A Celebration of Wine, Heritage, and Human Endurance

On May 17th, 2025, the medieval village of Suvereto pulsed with energy, history, and the thunderous roll of wine barrels as it hosted the Palio di Santa Croce, the third qualifying stage of the prestigious Palio Nazionale delle Botti delle Città del Vino. As a wine journalist immersed in the cultural richness of Italy’s wine territories, I had the pleasure of experiencing the event firsthand alongside my esteemed colleagues Filippo Magnani (@filippomagnaniwine) and Giovanni Marotta.

This unique spectacle transformed the historic heart of Suvereto into a dynamic urban arena. Teams of “spingitori” (pushers), both men and women, competed by rolling 500-litre wooden wine barrels along a challenging route ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 meters. Far more than a physical contest, the Palio represents a vibrant fusion of athleticism, folklore, and enological identity—an ode to the enduring spirit of the Wine Cities of Italy!

The atmosphere was electric: flags waved, drums beat, and cheers echoed as teams from across the country tested their strength and strategy. The home crowd erupted with pride as Suvereto’s men’s team claimed first place, followed by Refrontolo and Castelnuovo Don Bosco. In the women’s category, San Gusmé triumphed, with Castelnuovo Don Bosco and Suvereto rounding out the podium.

This event is more than a race, it is a community celebration deeply rooted in local wine traditions, uniting generations through sport, heritage, and regional pride.  Events like these not only preserve the cultural fabric of small towns like Suvereto but also promote wine tourism in a way that is immersive, authentic, and unforgettable.

For anyone seeking a taste of Tuscany’s living history, the Palio Nazionale delle Botti delle Città del Vino is an unmissable experience, where wine barrels roll not just with speed, but with centuries of tradition.

Website for further details: https://cittadelvino.com/progetti/palio-nazionale-delle-botti-delle-citta-del-vino/

Uncovering Florence’s Wine Windows: A Journey into Florence’s Hidden Renaissance Rituals

After weeks of anticipation, I finally arrived in Florence, eager to delve into its storied wine culture, and particularly its legendary buchette del vino, or “wine windows.” These small arched openings, discreetly embedded in the façades of Renaissance-era palazzos, have long fascinated me. To experience them firsthand felt like stepping into a living fragment of wine history.

Dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, these wine windows allowed Florentine noble families to sell wine directly from their residences. The system was ingenious: it permitted private, tax-avoiding transactions and helped minimize public gatherings, an early model of socially distant commerce. These architectural curiosities reveal a narrative of ingenuity, adaptation, and an enduring passion for wine that remains central to the city’s identity.

As I wandered through Florence’s historic center, I came across several operational wine windows. At one, I was served a crisp glass of Vernaccia; at another, a bold Chianti Classico—each poured through the same arched portals that once served Florentines centuries ago. Strolling through the city and receiving wine through these charming windows was a delightful and unique experience. There’s magic in being served through a stone-framed portal once used by Medici-era merchants.

These buchette are far more than quaint historical relics. They stand as enduring emblems of Florence’s rich cultural and vinous heritage.

“Long live the Wine Windows!”

The Wine Windows Association

Founded in 2015, the Associazione Buchette del Vino (Wine Windows Association) is committed to preserving and promoting these historic features. Based in Florence, the association catalogues and maps remaining wine windows throughout the city and across Tuscany. It also supports restoration initiatives and offers educational programs through guided tours, exhibitions, and scholarly publications. Explore the map of wine windows here: https://buchettedelvino.org/home%2520eng/maps.html

A Night with Cecchini – Butcher, Philosopher, Legend

Last night’s dinner at CECCHINI IN CITTÀ @ 25hours Hotel Piazza San Paolino, was nothing short of theatrical, an unforgettable culinary performance by the legendary Dario Cecchini, right in the heart of Florence!

Between bold Chianti pours, perfectly seared “Cecchini Signature Cut”, and the energy of the room alive with conversation, every bite was a celebration of Tuscan passion and precision!

From the rustic soul of Panzano to this urban stage, Cecchini brings the Fire—and the Philosophy.

“Meat is life,” he says, and last night I believe him!

Liz Palmer

La Scolca Wines Take Center State at Italian-Themed Dinner Hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla

Last Friday, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted an Italian-themed dinner, at their Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, featuring an extraordinary guest list, including Helen Mirren, David and Victoria Beckham, Rod Stewart, Donatella Versace, Sienna Miller, the Italian Ambassador to the UK, Inigo Lambertini, Chiara Soldati, and the British Ambassador to Rome, Lord Edward Llewellyn. A key evening figure was Stanley Tucci, an American actor of Italian descent and an expert in Italian gastronomy. Tucci collaborated with Chef Francesco Mazzei, a long-time ambassador of Italian cuisine worldwide, to create the exclusive menu for the evening.

The reception and dinner menu, prepared by Calabrian chef Francesco Mazzei, featured Italian recipes with British ingredients and was accompanied by English sparkling wine and Italian wines.

This dinner comes ahead of the royal couple’s state visit to Italy in early April, in which there will be engagements in Rome and Ravenna, with exclusive meetings with Pope Francis and Italian political leaders.

King Charles states this as a “most splendid evening which brings together two things very dear to my heart – slow food and Italy”, and “A nation’s food culture is a priceless social and environmental asset, intimately bound up with its sense of identity and place.”

“To say that we are looking forward to it would be to engage in a little British understatement,” he joked to diners, including Stanley Tucci, who inspired the choice of food.

“To better emphasize the special friendship between the two countries,” Chef Mazzei commented, “Stanley and I thought of an Italian menu made almost entirely with products from the United Kingdom. I must say, I found some exceptional products that are in no way inferior to those from Italy. The only products I imported from Italy were extra virgin olive oil and wines.”

The Piedmontese winery La Scolca played a leading role, with its Gavi dei Gavi Black Label 2023 accompanied by two of the dishes. “It was an honor to represent Italy, my region, and my territory at such an important event,” said Chiara Soldati, CEO of La Scolca and Knight of Labour, “during which Italian lifestyle excellence was celebrated. Chef Mazzei did a wonderful job of creating a gastronomic bridge between the two countries, in a union that is not just metaphorical but between two cultures and two important traditions. Events like this provide an important opportunity to highlight the value of our gastronomic tradition and our craftsmanship, elements that make Made in Italy a globally recognized and appreciated model.”

Food + Wine Served

Reception
Rare and pasture salumi
Tuscan-style paté and coppa
Yorkshire pecorino cheese puffs
British vegetables caponata tartelletta

Wine: Highgrove sparkling wine

Dinner
Scottish crab panzanella
Westcombe ricotta and Highgrove fine herbs ravioli
Isle of Wight tomato passata
Suffolk Red porchetta
Pumpkin and sage mash, Tuscan kale

Wines: white wine Gavi dei Gavi La Scolca Black label 2023 and red wine Barbaresco Gaja 2021

Zuppa Inglese and biscotti

Wine: Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Zenato

Source:  La Scolca Wines

Exploring Irpinia: Italy’s Hidden Gem of Natural Beauty and Winemaking Excellence

Campania is the region of southern Italy that includes the magnificent active volcano Vesuvius, stunning seaside towns and villages like those of the sunny Amalfi coast, the unique city of Naples, fascinating ancient sites such as Pompeii and the crystal-clear blue waters of Capri and other islands. There is much more to this region – Inland Campania shows a different character with striking landscapes encompassing wooded hillsides, winding rivers, majestic mountains and cool breezes that contrast greatly with the warm coastal areas – this area is known as Irpinia.

WHERE IS IRPINIA?

Irpinia, from the local word hurpos, wolves, covers the entire province of Avellino, 60 km east of Naples. The origin of the word Irpinia says a lot about the area and its people. The people of Irpinia are not fishermen like those you find in Positano and other villages on the coast, but shepherds. They are strong, stubborn people, tied firmly to their roots and very different from the open personalities of those living by the sea.

The lands of Irpinia are highly varied and cover approximately 3,000 sq.km with the main city, Avellino, in the southwest. Nearby are the tuff quarries of Tufo, hill towns such as Montefalcione and Rocca San Felice, and the plateau of Ariano Irpino is further north. Irpinia shares borders with the Puglia region (which forms the heel of Italy’s boot) to the northeast, the province of Benevento to the northwest, Naples to the west and Salerno to the south, with the Vulture area, well-known for its Aglianico, to the east.

The mountains reach an altitude of 1800m asl, shelter the area from warm winds coming from the sea, creating a cool climate with steep day-night temperature swings that are ideal for viticulture.

WINE AREAS

Irpinia is the green heart of Campania, but above all it is a wine region, with an impressive concentration of excellence. In fact, three of the Campania region’s four DOCG wines are produced here, including the oldest DOCG of southern Italy: Taurasi which gained the denomination in 1993. Irpinia’s other two DOCGs are the whites Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo, both certified in 2003.

Another denomination, Irpinia DOC, which has been in place since 2005, covers an area including 118 towns, while the Campi Taurasini DOC area includes only 24 towns, 17 of which are also included in the red Taurasi DOCG area.

GRAPES & WINES

The Aglianico grape is Irpinia’s flagship red, although other red varieties are grown here too, such as Piedirosso and Sciascinoso. Aglianico is the main grape of the DOCG Taurasi denomination with a minimum 85% of the blend (although most of producers make 100% Aglianico wines) and a minimum of 12 months aging in wooden vessels.

Aglianico is a difficult grape to grow: it’s late ripening, its thin skin is prone to mildew and it can be challenging to harvest this grape with several vineyard passages required in order to pick healthy grapes. It’s a difficult variety to manage in terms of winemaking too: when young, it tends to be tannic, acidic, rather harsh and sometimes rustic. Aglianico is certainly one for patient drinkers and lovers of the variety who need to give the wine the time it deserves. It’s very much a food wine and pairs perfectly with the local food which has many pork-based dishes, tasty cheeses, mushrooms and hearty soups.

Fiano is a very versatile grape, one of Italy’s great whites with an excellent reputation among producers and critics, for its elegance, age-ability and the concentration of terpenes that make it a semi-aromatic variety. The Fiano di Avellino DOCG production zone covers 26 municipal areas in a wide area with a range of different soils, aspects and altitudes making for very different styles of wine.

Fiano is a grape that adapts easily to different conditions and recently it has even been planted outside Italy in areas including California and Australia.

Greco is the alter ego of Fiano. The two white grapes share some similarities, including a long history – both are very ancient grapes and both are the main varieties for the two DOCG whites of Irpinia, respectively Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino.

Greco however has completely different characteristics from Fiano. It’s grown in the territories of only eight towns in volcanic, yellow tuff soils. The wines are intensely coloured wine with great minerality, saltiness and complex depth.

IRPINIA – QUICK FACTS

Irpinia produces about 28% of the Campania region’s wines.

In 2005 Robert Parker said, “Aglianico is next big thing”.

There are several biotypes of Aglianico, including one for Taurasi and also Aglianico del Taburno and Aglianico del Vulture.

Aglianico, Fiano and Greco are among Italy’s most ancient grape varieties, brought over from Greece thousands of years ago.

Tenuta Cavalier Pepe in Irpinia was ranked 14th overall in the 2024 World’s Best Vineyards awards – the best in Italy.

A destination for wine connoisseurs and oenophiles to discover the secrets behind some of southern Italy’s finest micro-wineries.

The Irpinia wine region has developed rapidly in recent years, with the two major players, Mastroberardino and Feudi di San Gregorio, sharing the market with small niche wineries, some of them specializing in single-vineyard wines.

Although Irpinia is just an hour’s drive from Naples, it still plays second fiddle to the better-known destinations of the Campania region such as the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, Vesuvius, and so on, while at the same time having great potential flows of tourism.

For this reason, many family-run wineries, each with their own distinctive characters, have started to offer authentic wine experiences.

Thanks to this mix of visionary producers, independent family-run wineries, contemporary or traditional estates and revolutionary winemakers, Irpinia has become one of Italy’s most fascinating wine areas, particularly for its whites.

The local tourism scene is developing steadily through joint ventures and new openings of hotels and resorts. Wine therapy and wine spas are another aspect that’s growing in this hilly area, and both private investments and European funding are increasingly oriented towards boosting tourism in the area.

Along with the increasing success of Irpinia’s wine production, this patch of land has developed a genuine and positive attitude towards hospitality and there are numerous services on offer in terms of hospitality and incoming experiences. Visitors can choose to stay at a cosy B&B, a charming countryside farmhouse or a luxury resort and vineyard tours, lunch in the barrel room or meeting with the winemakers are among the most popular wine experiences offered by wineries.

Irpinia is a perfect destination both for visitors who want to immerse themselves in the authentic local culture and for those looking for an adventurous off-the-beaten-track experience.

WINERIES per la sezione hospitality

  • Feudi di San Gregorio
  • Mastroberardino
  • Tenuta Cavalier Pepe
  • Cantine di Marzo
  • Fonzone
  • Tenuta del Meriggio
  • Villa Raiano
  • Tenuta Scuotto
  • Di Meo===============
    Filippo Magnani,
    Wine Tourism Expert