The estate’s vineyard Poggio Bertaio was born in 1972 when Fabio, father of the current owners, moved from Castelli Romani to Castiglione del Lago and bought the first part of the soils.  Here he planted some hectars of vineyards, in order to keep his passion for wine alive.

The two sons grew up and while Ugo dedicated himself to the management of the family’s winery, Fabrizio undertook the career of oenologist and cooperated with important estates.

The increasing of his success encouraged Fabrizio to take a stab at his own vineyard in order to test different methods and check some ideas with the aim of achieving the “ideal wine”. His work was driven by his previous experience.

At last, with the vintage 1998 the new cellar was ready and from the winemaking of the grapes of the old vineyards the brothers decided to to make the first bottles of “Cimbolo”.

The estate’s vineyard is located in Castiglione del Lago, close to Perugia, at an elevation of 304m (997 ft). It consists of 40 hectars of soil, 20 of which cultivated with grapevine. The vineyards are on the south and the breeding is a cordon spur which has 1600 blocks per hectare in 1972 and 5000 blocks in the new vineyard planted between 1998 and 2004. The grapes yield is 500 kilos per hectare.  It is a carbonate-array soil.

This wine, called Stucchio, which means field maple in the local dialect because this is where the vines first clung to, is made from 100% Sangiovese, and aged for 12 months in 4 to 5 year old oak, then for additional time in the bottle.  Try it with Bolognese pasta, pizza, lentil soup.  Drink now – 2010.

Yalumba was founded in 1849 by Samuel Smith, British migrant and English brewer, who had brought his family to Angaston seeking a new life. After purchasing a 30-acre parcel of land just beyond the southern-eastern boundary of Angaston, Smith and his son began planting the first vines by moonlight. Samuel named his patch “Yalumba” – aboriginal for “all the land around”.

Five generations and 160 years later Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family owned winery, has grown in size and stature, embodying all that has made the Australian wine success story the envy of winemakers the world over.

This wine is made from Shiraz from 25-30 year old vines.  Some of which is co-fermented with Viognier to help fix the color and intensify the aromatics.  The wine is medium-full bodied, with intensely fruity aromas and flavors, and hints of cedar and spice from the moderate oak treatment.  Try this with pork chops, sweet potatoes, or barbecue ribs.   Drink now – 2011.

The Village of St. Marcel d’Ardèche, home to Domaine de Couron, lies along the boundary at which Provence is said to begin.  35 miles northwest of Avignon, lying on the limestone plateau that seperates the northern Rhône from the southern Rhône, at St. Marcel the climate changes from continental to Mediterannean, the skies turn blue, and the light becomes limpid.  Olive trees begin to dot the landscape, and the grapes switch from the near monoculture of Syrah in the North, to the patchwork of varieties that makes the southern Rhône valley such an exciting wine region.

St. Marcel in general, and Domaine de Couron in particular, have been planted to grape vines since Roman times.  The vineyards of the domaine were owned by the family of a Roman soldier until the dissolution of the Roman Empire in the area (around 476 AD) after which they passed to the church, and were given as tribute to soldiers returning to the crusades.  Since then the vineyards have passed through many hands.  The Domaine is currently owned by Jean-Luc and Marie-Lise Dorthe.

This wine, from the exceptional, and soon to be legendary 2007 vintage, consists of Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah in nearly equal proportions.  It is a great example of its kind, full of spice and black fruit, and dried herbs: full-bodied, but not heavy.  Try it with fish of all sorts, ham, or goose with kumquat stuffing.  Drink now – 2012.