Literally translated as "hot bath" this dipping sauce for vegetables often appears in many Italian homes as part of the Christmas Eve appetizers. It's a hot dish made from garlic and anchovies, originating in the South of Piedmont, during the 16th century. Traditionally it is a...
Winemaking differences of our three Chianti Classico (even, what happens before the bottle?) Let's start from the beginning. The harvest here at Castello Monterinaldi is between September and October. The perfectly ripe grapes are harvested by hand, de-stemmed, and then sent directly to our concrete tanks. Here, after a...
Tuscany, The Land of Winemaking Castles Have you ever dreamed of spending a weekend roaming around the beautiful region of Tuscany, famous for its luscious green hills, its castles, and its bold red wines? What if I tell you that you can fulfill your dreams all...
In Tuscany, Sunday would not be the same without “crostini di fegatini” (toasted bread slices and chicken liver patè), known as “crostini toscani” in other regions or “crostini neri” if you are from Tuscany! This a typical, authentic Tuscan recipe and every family has its...
2020 Harvest A vintage that came good in the end We can’t say this last 2020 has been all bad, it’s given us excellent grapes and so the vintage promises to be a good one...
Sangiovese and concrete: we love it! Concrete tanks: a bit of history Concrete tanks were common, especially in the 50s and 60s, in most Italy’s wineries. Small and large cellars almost always had a supply of concrete tanks, which were dedicated to both vinification and storage. The...
Olive Oil Differences Oil is at the base of a healthy and balanced diet and we have always been told that extra virgin olive oil is the best one...
2019 HARVEST A return to traditional times It is not true that the harvest this year was late, instead one could say that the harvest time fell within more traditional periods. The spring was cold, in fact, especially in May, with heavy rainfalls which slowed down the...
Tortellini in broth are a traditional first-course dish from Emilia Romagna consisting of filled pasta. Home-made tortellini, small parcels of egg pasta enclosing a delicious filling of meat, cured ham, mortadella and Parmigiano Reggiano, are a speciality of the Italian culinary tradition and are always...
In vino veritas: 15 interesting facts about wine. We thought we knew everything about the world of wine...