Sustainability Is The Theme Celebrating Valpolicella's 50th Anniversary by Philip S.Kampe

                                               50 Years of Valpolicella                 
                                                                            
To celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the Valpolicella applellation,the Valpolicella Consorzio Tutela Vini prepared a special educational program that communicated the idea that terroir and sustainable farming practices attributed to both quality and value to the brand.

Hosts Andrea Sartori, President of the Consortium and Olga Bussinello, Director of the Consortium shared their views on the themed conference that focused on ‘Sustainability, Education, Internationalization and Made in Italy.’ The program highlighted the innovative, international and sustainable direction the appellation, with the help of the Consortium for the Tutelage of Valpolicella wines is taking.

”The commitment of the Consortium for the Tutelage of Valpolicella Wines is to achieve excellence in the vineyards, above all from sustainability and prosperity for the territory. The RRR-‘Reduce, Respect, Retrench’ program, which certifies environmental protection by companies, thanks to the adoption of innovative techniques in the vineyard and beyond. The Protocol began, in fact, both to respond to the increasingly determined consumer demand for wines that express the territory, as well a cleaner environment by the inhabitants of Valpolicella. The project in the first year involved 30 companies (wineries) and 1250 acres. In the second year, the number grew to 114 companies and 2300 acres. The next objective of the Consortium is to get 60% of the area planted in the next two years to follow the RRR, in Italian, ‘Reduci, Risparmia, Rispetta’ program. We hope, therefore, that as happened in recent years, more and more wineries in Valpolicella will decide to join this project that wants to make a whole green area, cutting edge with the main countries and certification bodies dedicated to sustainability throughout the world”  Olga Bussinello, Director of the Consortium

The Consortium for the Tutelage of Valpolicella Wines was founded in 1924. It is an association of grape growers, winemakers and bottlers of the Valpolicella region. The Consortium represents more then 80% of the producersand promotes activities to enhance the value of the territory. Promotion, such as the Anteprima Amarone event, help protect and promote the four PDO wines of the region, Valpolicella DOC, Valpolicella Ripasso DOC, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG and Recioto della Valpolicella DOC.

The ‘Sustainable Winegrowing Summit (SWS) took place during my visit, as well as the Valpolicella Education Program, in collaboration with the University of Verona and the University of Milano. Candidates who passed rigorous tests will collaborate with the Consortium during the ‘Valpolicella 50^th Anniversary Tour; as well as future projects. .In a sense, they are Valpolicella Wine Specialists who can speak about Valpolicella, the territory, sustainability and the area halfway between Verona and Lake Garda. 80% of Valpolicella is exported and wine ambassadors are truly necessary to help promote the wines from the appellation.

Regarding the Sustainable Winegrowing Summit, leading figures from around the world discussed sustainable viticulture, with the goal of establishing an ethical model for wine production. Sustainable management of natural resources to the innovation of management practices and the need to adapt cultivation techniques for pedoclimatic changes are the three key issues explained Olga Bussinello. She went on to say that it has become urgent to reach a production model that takes account of these aspects, with the aim of increasing the protection and conservation of the resources and the environment. Following the RRR initiative, as mentioned earlier, is the goal. Monitoring the use of plant production products by producers is the key to environmental balance in the Valpolicella region. The host of the summit will change every year, in order to constantly encourage the dialogue between the certification bodies and the players in the wine world, in order to create an International Sustainable Winegrowing Network (ISWN)

To learn more about Valpolicella contact the Consorzio Tutela Vini Valpolicella at: info@consorziovalpolicella.it
Press: areastampa1@consorziovalpolicell.it

Via Valpolicella 57-37029 San Pietro in Cariano VR
Telephone +39 0457703194

Director: Olga Bussinello
President: Andrea Sartori

Abbye de Valmagne: Languedoc's Homage To Wine by Philip S. Kampe

        
                                 

                                      Abbaye de Valmange: Languedoc’s Homage To Wine

Visiting Languedoc, in south central France, has always been an adventure that I dream about year round. One of the reasons that I love the region is that Languedoc's wine history is important to all of France. 

In a small village near Villeveyrac, Herault lies a former Benedictine monastery that has influenced the wine world for many centuries. Built in 1138, the monastery, now known as the ‘Abbaye de Valmagne’,  converted from a religious order into a wine cave.  Maturing wine in large barrels or vats was the only way of saving the order from destruction. 

On the large property is a vineyard that was originally established by the Cistercian monks in the 12^th century. Vines have been growing on the property ever since. Today, the vineyard covers 190 acres (75 hectares) , of which 75 acres (30 hectares) are classified AOC.

The property is an architectural treasure and easy to reach, as it lies in-between Beziers and Montpellier, only seven miles from the Mediterranean sea.

The property was close to destruction and was ingeniously saved from destruction by becoming a winery,  The large abbey was a perfect place to store the huge casks that store wine. Cool conditions exist, hence the storage and aging of wine was safe from external conditions.

As a guest at the Abbaye, I had the opportunity to meet the present owner, Philllippe d’Allaines and his lovely wife.  He explained to me that the abbey has been in his family since 1838 and wine growing, which saved the monastery, has been going on for eight centuries, with little interruption.

The families grape of choice is mouvedre, also known as monastrell, a grape known for its explosion of dark fruit, full-bodied, big and bold. Mr. d’Allaines explained that the grape is used primarily as a blending grape in his cuvees.

All of the abbeys wines were served at a gala event that I attended thanks to a trip with a group of journalists sponsored by Terroirs & Millesimes.

There were many wines to sample at the event, but, the wines from the Abbye de Valmagne were the ones that I focused on. It was hard to imagine that this huge abbey, 300 feet long and 100 feet wide was not a church. No seating, just a sandstone soil floor and massive vats of wine. It was a different kind of religious experience, at least for me. I closed my eyes and imagined centuries before-how, a brilliant idea of using the abbey as a wine storage facility saved the church from serving as a stone quarry, which is what happened to deserted churches hundreds of years ago.

This trip to the Abbye de Valmagne has altered my life in many ways. Since wine has been my life for many years, finding salvation in a church for refuge and the human spirit has always meant a lot to me-but, realizing that wine storage saved a church from destruction is the larger story for all of mankind.

Languedoc is a wonderful area to visit. It is France’s wine country.
The Abbye de Valmagne is a wonderful place to start your journey.
Once at the Abbye, you should realize how important and sacred wine is to the residents of Languedoc and the rest of the world.

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 


                                                          Abbye se Valmagne


                                     

                                                    Mr. & Mrs. Phillippe d'Allaines

      

April Cullom & Robin Kelly O'Connor Make D.O. Navarra--One of Spain's Most Intriging Regions by Philip S. Kampe

                               Navarra presenters, April Cullom and Robin Kelly O'Connor

Having never been to Navarra, I could only imagine the beauty of this region in northern Spain. April Cullom and Robin Kelly O’Connor led a Masterclass on the region and both painted visual pictures associated with its location and proximity close to the Bay of Biscay, near the Atlantic Ocean, to the Pyrenees Mountains, bordered by the Ebro River in the south. The world knows this area as the ‘Basque’ region.

This region is well known for moderate temperatures creating the perfect ‘Mediterranean Climate.’ Due to its vast size from east to west, Navarra has been divided into five sub-zones: Baja Montana in the northeast; Valdizarbe in the north, Terra Estrella in the northwest, Robera Alta in the center, north of the Ebro River and Ribera Alta, in the south and below the Ebro River. In total, over 25,000 acres of vineyards thrive in this region.

Investment in modern, state of the art winemaking equipment coupled with non-native grape styles has given rise to the Navarra D.O.(granted in 1933), as an innovative region whose profile is on the rise. Traditionally, the region was known specifically for crisp, fruit-driven rose (rosada) wines using the Garnacha grape. Today, at the tasting that followed the Masterclass, there were examples of numerous international grapes, such as, Chardonnay, Moscatel, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.

The white wines that I sampled were good, sound, long lasting wines that impressed the palate with strength and long lasting finishes that remained in your mouth for several minutes. The reds were bold, deep, and dense with exploding fruit that clung to my palate. The same is true for the addictive dessert wines.These wines are not for lightweights, but, are for wine drinkers who want to taste wines that explode in your palate.

After sampling a large number of the ‘food friendly’ wines from D.O. Navarra, I have come up with a list of my favorite producers.

This is the list-wines that you should sample are made by the following Bodegas:

Bodegas Camilo Castilla
Bodegas Vega de Castillo
Bodegas Principe de Viana
Bodegas Castillo de Monjardin
Bodegas Inurreta
Godegas Piedmonte
Bodegas Pago de Larrainzar
Bodegas Marco Real
Bodegas Nekeas
Bodegas Pago de Cirsus
Bodegas Ochoa

To learn more about the Wines of Navarra, visit: www.navarrawine.us

Philip S. Kampe

philip.kampe@thewinehub.com