REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT:
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: EUROPE ITALY ADVERTORIAL Converting to organic growing in Italy’s Etna region Torre Mora: one of Etna’s finest estates presents exceptional DOC wines at Vinexpo 2019 Torre Mora is inspired by the perfect match between the native varietals and Mount Etna, and is passionate about making wines which tell every sip the story of ancient grapes thriving on the slopes of an active volcano. It is one of the specialist estates belonging to Tenute Piccini, a Tuscan company owned by the eponymous family that has been committed to the wine industry for four generations and which is today one of the most distinctive, dynamic and innovative in Italy. Mount Etna is Europe’s largest active volcano, in almost in a constant state of activity. The volcanic soil, the influence of the sea, the predominance of indigenous old vines and the Alberello bush vine training system create the perfect terroir for unique wines. Inspired by his passion for terroir driven wines, Mario Piccini decided to invest in Torre Mora boutique winery to craft high quality wines. Watchwords are elegance rather than power, big barrel botti rather than small barriques, and the enhancement of Nerello Mascalese flavours and aromas in relation to its territory of origin. Mario Piccini says: “I have always been enthralled by the uniqueness and complexity of this heroic viticultural reality. We are glad to be part of the Etna wine renaissance.” There is a perfect match between the Etna Contrade, small subzones within the Etna wine region, and the two flagship native grape varieties: Nerello Mascalese for the reds and rosé while Carricante is used to produce mineral Etna whites. Each contrada has its own microclimate and lava composition, and even the colour of the lava varies in different vineyards. CLIMATE AND VINEYARD Mount Etna has its own special microclimate, much cooler than the rest of Sicily. The winters are very cold and the summers hot. Significant temperature variations from day to night, combined with the dry summer winds, allow the grapes to ripen slowly, preserving complex flavours and aromas. All of these factors combine to make this small production area in the south of Italy one of a kind in the wine world. Conversion to organic growing at Torre Mora started in 2014 and the focus is on keeping the vines healthy and strong, able to withstand pests and feed themselves naturally. Torre Mora’s philosophy is closely linked to sustainable viticulture, quality of the grapes, and respect for the local culture and traditional methods. One grape, one territory is its signature line. The two Torre Mora vineyards are located at about 650-700m in Rovitello, in the municipality of Castiglione di Sicilia and Contrada Torre, in the municipality of Linguaglossa, covering in total 13 hectares. The average age of the vines is around 15 years. Cordon-spur training is used in the small flat land areas and Albarello (bush vines) on the terraces. WINEMAKING The Nerello grapes are hand-picked in October, they are then immediately destemmed and transferred to steel vats for a 24-hour cold pre-fermentation maceration to increase their aromatic profile and colour intensity. Once both the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations have finished, the wine is ready to age in oak casks for 18 - 24 months. KEY WINES IN THE PORTFOLIO INCLUDE: Torre Mora Cauru Etna Rosso DOC A blend of two crus located in Contrada Torre, Linguaglossa village and Roviittello on the northeastern side of Mount Etna. Nerello Mascalese 85%, Nerello Cappuccio 15%. WE ARE GLAD TO BE PART OF THE ETNA WINE RENAISSANCE. Torre Mora Scalunera Etna Rosso DOC In Sicilian dialect Scalunera means “flight of steps”. Nerello Mascalese 95%, Nerello Cappuccio 5%. Torre Mora Scalunera Etna Rosato DOC Nerello Mascalese 100%. Torre Mora Scalunera Etna Bianco DOC Carricante 100%. SCALUNERA ETNA ROSSO 2015 - JAMES SUCKLING 94 POINTS “Amazing aromas of fresh basil and plums that follow through to a full body, soft and silky tannins, and a long and flavourful finish. Bright and vivid. A blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappucio. Drink or hold.” James Suckling Hall 1 / Stand AB100 32 VINEXPO DAILY / DAY 2 / TUESDAY 14 TH MAY 2019
REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: EUROPE Germany to showcase its rising Wine Stars German sparkling wines, Sekt, the orange wine movement and Generation Riesling will all be key themes of the German Wine Institute’s stand at Vinexpo. Ten producers from different German winegrowing regions will join the DWI and the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture on their joint stand. There will also be a separate stand just to showcase the wines being made by some of the country’s most cutting edge winemakers as part of its Generation Riesling initiative Wines of Portugal is offering Vinexpo visitors the chance to get a personal view of the country’s wines with a carefully selected Free Tasting area featuring 30 premium wines. Each of the wines have been individually selected by each of the producers taking part in Vinexpo with their own stands to demonstrate the best of what they can offer. that looks to bring new life to arguably the country’s biggest wine export. Klara Zehnder, a Wines of Germany ambassador, known as the ‘German wine Princess’ will also be on hand to talk through the wines and how these rising stars of German wine are looking to change its international image. The DWI stand will host a series of seminars each day covering different themes and topics. These include: License to Sparkle - German Premium Sekt; The Organic and Orange Movement in Germany; Germany’s Got Talent; Best of Portugal in free tasting area to meet the winemakers and understand more about those wines on their own stands. The range covers all styles of Portuguese wines including reds and whites, Madeiras, Ports and sweet Moscatel wines. They have also been chosen to demonstrate wines coming from different Generation Riesling; Crisp and Light – Consumer‘s Delight; and Riesling, Icewine & Co – Beware Fruit Bombs. There will also be a ‘Happy Hour’ at the end of each day where visitors can come and enjoy a range of snacks and sparkling Winzersekt in the lounge of the shared stand. 2019 marks the 16 th consecutive fair that the DWI has supported Vinexpo Bordeaux Hall 1 / Stand AB270 types of soil, from sandy to clay, varying climatic conditions, and regions most influenced by the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean and Continental Europe seas. The 10 regions covered in the Free Tasting include: Alentejo; Dão; Douro; Bairrada; Lisboa; Tejo; Península de Setúbal; Vinho Verde; Porto; and Madeira. They also feature some of the 250 native grape varieties that exist mostly only in Portugal Hall 1 / Stand BC60 LA MANCHA HIGHLIGHTS WITH BODEGAS YUNTERO Bodegas Yuntero will be showing its latest range of wines that come from one of the most influential co-operatives in Spain’s La Mancha, the largest wine producing region in the world. Its main selection of wines have received over a 100 international awards between them and include the Epilogue range, Yuntero Selection, Mundo de Yuntero and Poética. The Cooperativa Jesús del Perdón-Bodegas Yuntero, located in Castilla-La-Mancha, was founded in 1954 and originally made up of 102 small, family grape growers who decided to join forces to develop and market their own wines. Bodegas Yuntero has now grown to include 850 growers, covering 9,000 ha, and all its wines have La Mancha Denomination of Origin. The region is known for its dry weather and extreme temperatures, with lots of hours of sunshine. It is has predominantly clay soils suitable for growing a whole range of white and red grapes, both the main international varieties and some native to the region. The most planted grapes are Airén and Cencibel. Bodegas Yuntero was the first producer in Castilla-La-Mancha to be certified for organic winemaking in 1992. The Mundo de Yuntero label is both an organic wine, that comes in both white and red, and has also been certified for vegans by the European Vegetarian Union ” Hall 1 / Stand BC259 Open throughout the show it has been compiled to give buyers the chance to discover the current winemaking styles and trends taking place across Portugal in a relaxed format where they can taste in comfort and at their own speed. There is then an opportunity to take a note of the wines you like and then go on vinexpodaily.com VINEXPO DAILY / DAY 2 / TUESDAY 14 TH MAY 2019 33
