29 June 2023

Tenuta Mazzolino’s Oltrepò Pavese conquers the ‘Eternal City’

The winery of excellence in Corvino San Quirico landed in Rome for the first time for a press lunch attended by 14 journalists. Francesca Seralvo, the third generation at the helm of the winery in the province of Pavia, and Stefano Malchiodi, the estate’s oenologist and agronomist, recounted – with the passion that has always distinguished them – the wines and the history of the winery, involving the guests in a journey from the winery’s beginnings to the present day. It all began in 1980 when Francesca’s grandfather set up this beautiful winemaking adventure, hiring a French oenologist of Greek origin – Kyriakos Kynigopoulos – after reading wonders about his work in the vineyard in Le Figaro.Then the estate was taken over by Francesca’s mother and finally by Francesca herself who took it over – after an official investiture by her grandfather (chosen from dozens of grandchildren) – in 2015, when she left the legal profession to get her hands dirty in the vineyard. Today, the estate’s wines stand out qualitatively in the Oltrepò panorama. At the lunch in Rome, journalists had the pleasure of tasting theCruasè 2018, Pinot Noir Spumante Rosé, the Blanc 2021, Chardonnay, the Terrazze Alte 2021, Pinot Noir and the Noir 2019, Pinot Noir. Everything was held in the splendid setting of Palazzo Velabro, an elegant 18th-century residence – back in its renewed version as a mixed-use hotel: it is located between the Palatine Hill and the Forum Boarium, in the shadow of the Arch of Janus, a stone’s throw from the Mouth of Truth. To accompany the wines of the Mazzolino estate, the menu of chef Penelope Musolino – a chef from the experience at Heinz Beck’s three-starred ‘La Pergola’ in Rome.

22 June 2023

Castellina in Chianti Winegrowers’ Association tells its story in Florence 

Castellina in Chianti Winegrowers’ Association has chosen Florence for the final event of the tour that, after Rome and Milan, made a stop in the Tuscan County Seat to tell the story of this splendid Chianti Classico territory through the words of Armando Castagno, writer and great wine professional, who collected the interviews of 37 producers in the book “Castellina in Chianti – territorio, vino, persone” presented on Monday 19 June at the Astra cinema in Florence. Interviewed by Luciano Ferraro, deputy editor of the Corriere della Sera and wine expert journalist, Castagno recounted anecdotes, behind-the-scenes stories, passions and curiosities that emerged during the interviews with the producers, revealing the most human and authentic side of those whose work has succeeded in making the wines of this Chianti Classico area so extraordinarily suited to quality wine-growing great. After the presentation, 37 producers from Castellina in Chianti served their Chianti Classico wines for tasting to the journalists and trade operators who attended the event.
16 June 2023

A press trip to discover Tenuta Mazzolino

A premium winery in the Oltrepò Pavese area, a rich story to tell: one of wine, vines and life. That of Francesca Seralvo, third generation, who in 2015 left the law and threw herself wholeheartedly into this adventure. The aim? To carry on the work done by his grandfather first and then by his mother, that is, to make excellent wines – a few labels but all of the highest quality – and to turn Mazzolino into a reference hub for wine culture, for initiatives linked to the world of wine, but also for open-air cinema evenings and wine tastings. Here on these hills of Pavia stands the family villa, recently renovated, from which 12 rooms have been obtained. “A conservative renovation that wanted to keep intact the old-world charm of the family home,” says Francesca, “among old prints and works of art, collected over the years”. Now with this restoration and the creation of 12 rooms, the winery is opening up to a niche tourism “for wine enthusiasts and events”. These were some of the ideas that emerged during the press trip on 18 May: a dozen or so lifestyle journalists were able to immerse themselves in the magical atmosphere of Mazzolino, which bears its name – from mansiolinum, meeting point – in its nature: and indeed the winery is a crossroads of suggestions that fascinates those who visit it. Even in an almost autumnal May that suddenly gives the colours of spring: the sun, the blue sky and an Italian rose garden that is made to be instagrammed.
14 June 2023

Chalices in the air! Pentecost is celebrated in Castellina in Chianti

Tastings, wine tours, and wine games. On 26, 27 and 28 May, the 25th edition of ” Pentecost in Castellina in Chianti” took place, a much-awaited event organised by the Associazione Viticoltori di Castellina in Chianti (SI). Kicking off the event was the most evocative event: “Dining with the Classico”, an evening of fine food and great wines that brought together under the iconic medieval vaults of Castellina around 170 guests, including Italian and foreign food and wine journalists, to taste typical traditional Tuscan dishes accompanied by the best Chianti Classico wines offered by the 40 winegrowers of the Association. On Saturday and Sunday, again along the mediaeval walkway, almost a thousand people, including wine enthusiasts, tourists and the merely curious, stopped by the wine tasting counters to sample the best Chianti Classico wines in the area, accompanied by Tuscan street food prepared by the restaurateurs of Castellina in Chianti. For the more advanced, there was also an entertaining seminar-survey, conducted by Armando Castagno, a wine professional and profound connoisseur of the area, who led a blind tasting of eight red wines, challenging participants to guess the wines of Castellina. During the event, a troupe of Japanese journalists from the lifestyle magazine Crea Traveller explored the village, visiting Castellina’s artisan workshops and the historical and cultural beauties of this delightful Tuscan village.