The highlight of Wine Link Italy’s Fall season was my participation in a fabulous Ponant cruise entitled “Epicurean Delights of Southern Italy and Sicily“. I had the wonderful opportunity of sailing on the gorgeous Le Jacques Cartier yacht and as the natural wine expert on board I was thrilled to introduce international passengers to this brave new world. The experience has provided me with an array of amazing memories which will last a lifetime.

Everything started in July of 2020 when I was contacted by Ponant’s Product development manager. They were looking for a wine expert to carry out a series of lectures on Italian wines and related tasting events on board. My name and reputation had reached them via the American journalist Nancy Harmon Jenkins whose work I have admired for more than 10 years.

Lastly I provided the guests with a list of growers associations complete with names of natural wine producers, the most important natural wine fairs in Italy and abroad and a practical contemporary app which can be used to find natural wines in restaurants and wine bars all over the world.

The cruise touched upon Campania, Calabria and Sicily so I prepared an overview of the relative regional wines, the most famous areas of production, their local grapes and the most renowned wines.

I focused on the fraction of Aorivola in the province of Caserta where a delicious variety of Falanghina is grown and then vinified in cement for 12 hours (with the added plus of skin maceration) by the wine producer named  I Cacciagalli. This was the natural wine I chose to introduce to Ponant guests; 100% Falanghina grapes from Campania.

Località Aorivola

When it came to Calabria, I selected the historic wine CIRO’: a name which is a beacon of Ionian Calabria and also one of the oldest wines on earth since, in antiquity, it was gifted to the victorious athletes who returned from the Athenian Olympic Games.

I chose the powerful Ciro’ made by wine producer Francesco Maria De Franco from the A’Vita wine cellar. Francesco is also the pioneer of the Ciro’ Revolution; a battle against the denomination DOC CIRO’ which was established in 2010. This Doc Ciro’ denomination allows the use of international grapes such as Merlot and Cabernet into the Cirò blend. This makes the wine softer and intensifies the color, for marketing purposes.

The 8 artisanal winemakers of the Cirò Revolution are, on the other hand, reviving ancient production methods and restoring status to local knowledge and territorial culture. Their wines are made from 100% Gaglioppo grapes.

 Francesco Maria De Franco

The Sicilian part of my speech focused on the wines from the Northern side of Mount Etna and I enjoyed introducing my audience to the red grape variety of Nerello Mascalese, as well as the Carricante white grape.

Nerello is undoubtedly the king of red grape varieties in this location and its particular elegance comes from the mineral and obsidian-rich soils or layers of lava that alternate on the slopes of Mount Etna. The illustrious Etna soil also gives birth to the Carricante -an ancient indigenous white grape – which when properly vinified produces wines of unexpected longevity characterized by a sophisticated level of acidity and a very fine mineral quality.

I decided that the best way to represent these Etna grapes was to showcase the SRC wine cellar located in Randazzo, Etna. I had been invited there on a field trip in 2018 and my colleagues and I had participated in the Contrade dell’Etna festival which is held there on a regular basis. Needless to say, it was a revelation that I wanted to share with Ponant.

Ponant’s excursion on Mount Etna

All the wines described were included in the Oct.20th Natural Wine Tasting on board the Le Jacques Cartier. I conducted the event with the professional support of my friend John Camacho Vidal who is an Italian wine Ambassador in the States and a wonderful Italian wine storyteller.

Here below are the details of said wines, in case you want to give them a try or relive the experience!

– Aorivola 2019 – I Cacciagalli
– Cirò 2017 – A’Vita
– Etna Bianco 2020 – SRC
– Alberello 2018 – SRC

What else can I say about this wondrous experience?

I will never forget the unique landscapes, colors, and lights that I was able to admire from the boat in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. One night the captain modified the route so that we could witness the eruption of the vulcano off the coast of Stromboli. On another occasion the vessel came to an unscheduled stop in front of Capri so that we could all enjoy the rising of the full moon for as long as possible. My attentive eyes basked in the glory of these incredible sceneries!

      The Island of Capri

Also, the flavors on board were so incredibly delicious. The Chef was French and fabulous dishes were expertly prepared for us at every meal. And, though the wines were not exclusively Italian, I must say the featured wine pairings and daily Italian proposals were often very interesting.

                 My Birthmonth is October and I found this surprise in my cabine

Last but not least I met some incredible people on board, and this certainly made the experience livelier, and fun filled. The sensations shared with my fellow passengers will make these memories even harder to forget.

Finally, I am very grateful to the Universe for this incredible and unique experience that life has given me. In all seriousness I can affirm that it has been a successful challenge and a marvelous way to share my passion for natural wines.

With love and wine,
Barbara

@clemocreative photo

@clemocreative photo

L'articolo Natural wine on board the Ponant Cruise. proviene da Wine Link Italy.

I made my way along the steep staircase of the site with a certain timidity and finally found myself within the evocative and theatrical cavea, ready to allow that sense of sacredness to sweep over me.

The Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia is a grandiose example of Hellenistic-Italic architecture inspired by Aegean prototypes and dating back to the Second Century BC. This place of wonder is located in Palestrina, the old Latin city of Praeneste in the Roman countryside, less than an hour southeast of Rome.

Why did the ancient Romans decide to build a temple dedicated to the Goddess of Fortuna Primigenia?

Prior to the advent of Christianity and its official recognition by the Roman Empire in the 4^th century AD the old traditional cults were based on the veneration of ancient divinities intended to celebrate civil and political values.

For a long time Christianity would be viewed as a mostly “urban religion” until it slowly spread to the rural, pagan populations where it would be initially fused with the remains of traditional cults and rites.

In the Classical Greco-Roman world temples were places of respect and veneration. Places which treasured something sacred, something of great meaning which beckoned homages and deference.   A pagan ritual was practiced in this temple. The pagans (literally from the Latin word pagus meaning “rural village”) were those people who lived in the countryside. Those who refused Christianity’s message “of salvation” and remained faithful to the ancient religion.

In pagan rituals the relationship was between the individual and God, while the soul was elevated towards a divinity invoked in times of need or in thanks for graces conceded. The rituals carried out in these temples expressed the feelings of the individual toward the divinity.

During the last phase of Roman civilization, Christianity interpreted this emotional connection as a relationship between God and the Christian community.

“Those higher powers to which we are attracted” captivated and soothed me for a few hours, rewarding me with moments of placidity and well-being as I contemplated the spectre of a Greco-Roman theatre. When the hour of my leave arrived, rationality diligently conducted me out of that sense of sacredness.

L'articolo That sense of sacredness. proviene da Wine Link Italy.

Lorenzo and Alice are the young owners of Nativa Agricola ??‍? a family-run agricultural business which is located just outside the city of Perugia, where I live.

Nativa Agricola was born out of a life changing experience the young couple had in the Mexican countryside. Here they worked side by side with the locals who produced genuine sustenance for the community in which they lived. This rural adventure became a source of inspiration for Lorenzo and Alice and four years ago they came back to Perugia to begin their own farming project on family land. 

Regularly I go visit them on the weekly harvest days and I sometimes enjoy helping, immersing myself within the fields, picking the ripe vegetables fruits of their labour. The day’s work often concludes happily with a shared meal. I will spare you a long description on the poetry of nature and how complete these outings make me feel but suffice it to say that the sensation I experience, is like coming home again. At moments like these I am grateful for my origins in the Roman countryside – for the landscapes of my adolescence and a soundtrack composed of the hum of the tractors, the chirping of the birds and the sound of silence.

This year, due to the forced halt in my own tourism related business, I can partake of the land more often. I feel to share the enthusiasm I feel for these simple but meaningful experiences. Moreover, I have discovered an extraordinary passion for the aesthetic qualities of some of the vegetables I pick and capturing some of the more bizarre shapes with my camera is proving to be a source of joy. Shapes and colors transform these fruits of the land in veritable art forms as you can see in the photo gallery below.

At this point in our history, I feel that supporting local produce – whatever this may be -vegetables, wine, olive oil, bread, meat, artisanal crafts- is an act of duty and love for our Mother Earth. May you all be inspired to act knowingly, to take part in civic and social behaviours which are destined to enrich our local communities. Join me in buying directly from the producers, through organized buying groups, at weekly farmers’ markets and/or in the small workshops of our cities.

“Changing our habits, renewing within ourselves those mechanisms which lead to a transformation of our VALUES ” Giovanna Melandri, politician

A revolution within our mentality is necessary and inevitable in the current epoch. We must also educate the young people to take part in these “socially constructive attitudes “, to eat and drink with sustainability. We must forge wholesome social bonds, not digital contacts. 

My wish for us all is that we may grow as a civically and spiritually minded community. A community capable of supporting the small business, the genuine produce.

I sincerely hope that we will all emerge from this pandemic with a HEIGHTENED AWARENESS. ??

With Love and Wine,
Barbara

Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages if you haven’t already, for updates and the occasional jaw-dropping or mouth-watering photo ?

L'articolo I buy from you because I am forging a bond with you.? proviene da Wine Link Italy.

In 2021 Wine Link Italy will celebrate its 10th anniversary! Ten wonderful years of tours, travels and, services devoted to incoming tourism in Italy. 

Throughout these years my goal was to introduce travelers to the local culture through its people and their products, through my unconditional love for the Italian territory. My role will continue to be that of a caring and passionate facilitator of the Italian experience.

I define myself as “a passionate and specialized cultural communicator” who organizes trips, services, and experiences for the curious explorer. I design the tours as I myself would like to experience them: filled with unusual locations, encounters with the locals and their traditions, visits to artisanal winemakers, authentic and sustainable cuisine, art and history. 

It has been an “annus horribilis” for the whole tourist sector and this damn virus has put an unbearable limit to all the things we love the most: travelling, meeting new people, passionately living for the moment. But we shall come back to this lifestyle, of this we must be sure. 

Wine has been my passion for the last twenty years but this year I have had the time to cultivate my passion for Art and I look forward to sharing more artistic discoveries in the future.

The new website is smarter and hopefully very intuitive. On offer, you will find a wide selection of artisanal wine tours, daylong excursions, activities, and events for private groups and b2b. 

There are genuine experiences to be enjoyed in Umbria, Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, and Lazio. Visits across Umbria and Tuscany-in the area of Chianti shire, Chianti Classico and the southern so named “Noble lands”. Tours of Northern Lazio for the discovery of winemakers around Lake Bolsena.

Two-day tours or more, with a minimum stay of 2 nights, will be organized in Tuscany in the company of the producers from Lucca Bio Dinamica but also in the much-loved regions of Emilia and Romagna.

You will also find two theme based culinary adventures organized in collaboration with an American travel agency: A spring “Porchetta Tour” and an olive oil extravaganza in conjunction with the “Olive Harvest Celebration”. Both tours are based on 4 nights and days of activities, food, landscape, local people and naturally the best possible wine you can dream of.

I think I have said it all folks! 

I can’t wait to see my old “friends of Wine Link Italy” again soon!

I also forward to making new acquaintances, so may our paths be joined in this lifetime.

With love and Wine,

Barbara

Let’s keep in touch on our social media channels at Barbara D’Agapiti and Wine Link Italy Tours

L'articolo Hear Hear! A brand-new website is now online! ? proviene da Wine Link Italy.

We hope that the same curiosity and endurance that, until recently, allowed you to pack your bags and leap into the unknown will guide you through this period as well.

We’re here to tell you that we’re postponing Porchetta Tour until we’ll once again be able to do the thing we love most in the world: explore and connect.

We’re keeping our heads high, and even if times are admittedly rough, we’re confident we’ll make it through this, and we’ll keep you updated along the way. 

We hope to see you soon.

Until then, stay strong, stay safe, and treat yourself with some good pasta and an amazing glass of artisanal wine.

L'articolo Porchetta Tour is postponed – but we’re still here ? proviene da Wine Link Italy.

Whether you’re just recovering from Thanksgiving dinners or already going through holiday gifts, plans and resolutions for 2020, this is one experience you don’t want to miss!Take Italy’s street food darling, sprinkle some genuinely good wine, intimate cooking, exciting gatherings and raised spirits and roll them all under Umbria‘s balmy spring sun. This 4 days delight is bound to be a feast of the senses, tailored to cater for your every need, and to take you down the path of exquisite simplicity: in both taste and living. Mark these dates, because between 21-25 May 2020 you’re in for quite a treat!

Cook like a local

Roll up your sleeves for some serious cooking classes and copious dinners courtesy of Signora Letizia, our long-time collaborator and Alla Madonna Del Piatto perfect host near Assisi (trust National Geographic, Food and Wine Magazine or The New York Times on this).

One of a kind tours

It’s been 5 years since we’ve been creating the Porchetta Tour experience, and we couldn’t be more proud! We make it our job to offer you an unforgettable trip, filled with beauty and genuine connection, staying clear of beaten tracks and impersonal approaches. We have a strong passion for all things Umbrian and we want you to get a taste of how it’s like to truly live like a local!

Get the inside scoop

When was the last time you had an Italian chef teaching you how to cook, while also just casually having an amazing time in his kitchen? With Salvatore Denaro you’re bound to have your cake and eat it, too, as he’s definitely someone you’re not likely to forget anytime soon. Yes, singing is involved and there’s a high risk you’ll be falling in love.

Stick to the recipe

Porchetta [porˈketta] is one of Italy’s most popular street foods, a whole roasted pig with crispy skin and an unmistakable rich, herbal flavor. Even though there are many regional variations, Umbria prides itself with being the birthplace of such mouthwatering stuff, so this porchetta is stuffed with the pig’s chopped livers and generously seasoned with garlic, salt, pepper, wild fennel and sometime rosemary or lard. After being slowly roasted in wood ovens, like tradition has it, it is then sliced and served sandwiched in a crusty bread roll. Yes, it’s the closest thing to taste buds heaven. Yes, even the New York Times wrote about it.

An ode to joy and simplicity

 You can get 4 days of tasting it from the best makers all over Italy, learn how to do it yourself, visit family run wineries and authentic trattorias, visit Assisi with a professional guide and generally just have a wicked good time in an intimate group, bent on enjoying life’s simple pleasures. After all, it’s all about reconnecting: to land, to food, to people, to yourself and to the very fabric of life. Trust us, it’s all a lot easier with a glass of good natural wine and some really tasty porchetta!
Or, better yet, trust our reviews 

L'articolo Porchetta Tour in Umbria May 2020 proviene da Wine Link Italy.

Back from a three-days trip to the Oltralpe Fair, placed in the much-loved region of the Loire, west of Paris, Nord of France, I can’t help but feel like I fell in love with these previously unknown places. I am definitely far from being the first, or the last to fall for this places’ charms, as it has long been a prized choice for the fortunate French kings and noblemen. During their heyday they chose to build their summer houses, better known as castles, right in this light-infused valley, 2 hours away from Paris. France and its sacred wines have always had a hold on me and I dare anyone who claims differently; this was my first time coming to know the Loire Valley and its wines, and even though it was a short trip, this wine-growing region with its weightless, fine and velvety wines has won me over. My trip was all about going to the natural and biodynamic wine fairs held each year in the charming small medieval towns of Angers and Saumur; besides, I also had the pleasure to help out Valentina Passalaqua, my wine producing friend from Puglia, at Salon St. Jean.

Most of the participants were French wine makers from the Loire, who were given the greatest part of the fairs, but generally there were also producers from other wine-growing regions in France along with a good share of amazing Italian ones as well. All of them joined by a high number of international wine professionals.

These independent wine fairs are located in vibrating places, rich in history and all emanating a sacred vibe. Here are some of them: 

• The Sant Jean Salon in Angers was organised inside St John’s Hospital complex, the oldest gothic French hospital, standing as a remarkable example of Medieval civil works, with its chapel, cloister and barn all built by order of King Henry II.
• Salon 1 Grenier St. Jean (XII-XVI) was the place where all food commodities were kept all the while it was a military medieval hospital, turned into a halfway house during the 1598’s Great Plague; Salon 2, at the Hopital St. Jean, now hosts the amazing Jean Lurçat museum and the Contemporary XX Century Tapestry museum, but in the XIII century it functioned as a hospital for the poor and the sick, managed by 30 monks, sisters and lay brothers.

The Grenier St.Jean & Hospital St. Jean events in Angers were organised, as per every year, by the Madavin Association volunteers, also raising funds during the fairs; this non-profit association was created by a group of biodynamic and biological winemakers aiming to contribute to the reforestation of the Madagascar highlands. Its scope of work ranges from offering direct support to the villagers, to planting and upkeeping the lands, or distributing solar panels or general assistance. 

Still in Angers, the Les Pènitentes Salon was taking place at Hotel Les Pènitentes, a XV century mansion that takes its name from the religious community founded there in 1640 to host women condemned to prison; so it was basically a womens’ prison and hospice for poor old women, often victims of so many of the times’ prejudice and narrow minded thinking.

The Salon Les Anonymes, at l’Abbaye du Ronceray was placed in the Ronceray Abbey, an all-female abbey built in the XII century. It was the only women run monastic settlement in Angers, and also one of its most important dioceses. The nuns were later on forced to move as the Abbey became a war hospital during the XVIII century.

Moving to Samur, at the Salon La Dive Bouteille, the 20th edition was being properly celebrated with all glasses signed with the following statement: “Nul n’est censé ignorer la Loire, 20 Dive”, 

meaning that no one’s supposed to ignore the Loire. What’s more to say? The event was probably one of the most spectacular ones, as it was also held inside the 1811 Ackerman Caves.

This small trip to the Lore really got me to appreciate the famous Vins de Soif, literally wines for thirst, those glou-glou wines, remarkably drinkable with a low alcohol degree: so much so that you can easily drink a bottle in 20 minutes; some of these wines get their weightlessness, their fresh, mineral, at times even salty taste from the river lowlands or the alluvial soils they usually come from.

I got more familiar with the chenin grapes, an amazingly fragrant type that gives somewhat tannic salty wines, with a vibrant tartness and a bittersweet heart, but also with the Breton grapes (Cabernet Franc), typical for the western Loire; the eastern area got me enjoying wines coming from Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Gamay e Cot (Malbec) grapes, the latter particularly fresh, with violet and spicy notes, far from the condensed Malbec, the typical commercial interpretation of this wine.

The Pinot D’Aunis e Grolleau grapes were a true revelation: the Pinot D’Aunis wines are a white pepper explosion, touched by hibiscus plants, ginger, grapefruit and spicy citrus. On the other hand the almost disowned Grolleau grape is usually used for rose wines or Gamay blends and now that I had the chance to taste it in its entirety, I took note of the herbal, dark hints, touching on wet soil, the kind of “rustic” acid grape with a low alcohol content.

Wrapping it all up, I’m very grateful to return with a better understanding of the Loire region & of its food-friendly wines, after having bathed in its fairytale-like landscape and its light-infused valleys. I’m always happy to expand my horizons and to grow my expertise: after all, these experiences build confidence and shape my understanding, an essential key to a judge-free knowledge.

This article was originally published on SlowFood.it

L'articolo Natural, biodynamic and biological wine fairs in Loire proviene da Wine Link Italy.

Mid-autumn, from 15-19th October 2020, we invite you to discover the ancestral rites of the olive harvest in a gourmet getaway with Umbria’s finest. You’ll get the inside scoop on how the famous “Olio Nuovo” gets to be made, you’ll celebrate the taste of the freshly pressed olives and revel in all its wonderful nuances. You’ll understand why it’s called “Umbria’s liquid gold“. You’ll discover the local olive mill, you’ll have fun with cooking classes, you’ll explore vineyards and groves, and you’ll get to drink some of Umbria’s finest natural wine, all in a warm, cosy atmosphere. Just like a local.

And then, there’s more: aside from local olive groves and winery visits, a saffron farming experience is included on our menu as well! Get to harvest one of the world’s most prized spice and discover its many delightful uses in the kitchen, with yet another tasting. For a final, delicious touch, you’ll get to see how chocolate gets made in a small, craft chocolate factory.

Our hosts will be the B&B Agriturismo and Cooking School Alla Madonna del Piatto, managed by Letizia’s family (our longtime collaborators) and located near the medieval town of Assisi and its world-famous Basilica of Saint Francis. Alla Madonna del Piatto cooking school is listed by National Geographic among the 500 places where to eat around the globe. The B&B has had many press mentions over the years including, among others, Food and Wine Magazine, and The New York Times. So, rest assured you’re in good hands.

It will be a five-day feast of the senses, of slow-paced, personalized adventures, of vineyard filled hills basking in the warm autumn sun. You’ll hear locals sharing their stories, you’ll meet new friends on ancient routes. We’ll reconnect with the land and its offerings, we’ll laugh, we’ll eat, we’ll drink and get to rediscover the simple pleasures, with a fairytale-like scenery all around us.

You don’t have to worry about a thing. Except that you might not want this trip to ever end.

This is a small, intimate tour intended for 8 to 10 persons, with a price of €1695/person with all but transportation included. For more details and reservations, please don’t hesitate to contact Barbara D’Agapiti or Letizia Mattiacci.

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L'articolo Olive Harvest Tour – join us in the green heart of Italy! proviene da Wine Link Italy.

The origin dates back to some decades before 1000 and its hegemony at that time extended along the San Clemente valley.

Its external shape shows the three amazing apsis corresponding to the three naves. Inside the church is one of the few still keeping the three different parts of the Romanic architecture: the Aula, dedicated to people, the Presbytery in gothic style, reserved for the monks, almost a church inside the church, and finally the Crypt accessible through a narrow stair.

On the first light of the 25th of May, day of patron Saint Urbano, a lighting ray entering by a hole above the apsis, shines through the darkness and perfectly enlighten a circle engraved in the stone of the wall on the left side of the entrance.

Informative material from the Region of Le Marche

L'articolo Abbazia Benedettina di Sant’Urbano. Apiro, Marche. proviene da Wine Link Italy.

The small National Museum on two floors is based in the Ruspoli Castle of Cerveteri, it showcases an important collection of Etruscan vases and terracotta, extraordinary workmanship with different shapes and decorative style. Small jewels, statues and numerous Villanovan remain, coming from the Sorbo burial grounds. Others from the necropolis of Banditaccia and the surrounding areas. In the above floor are exposed the most important finds such as the Crater of Euphronios (or Euphronius, from the name of the artist ceramographer who painted it), a large vase of 45 cm high and 55cm of diameter, found in the Etruscan necropolis of Banditaccia and dating back over 500 years BC, stolen in 70’s and exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC until its return in Italy in 2006.

L'articolo An immense heritage of a highly refined civilization proviene da Wine Link Italy.