From 22 to 25 July 2024, a residential course at the VINE LODGE ACCADEMIA in Capriva del Friuli (GO) to learn the innovative technique that saves the plants and keeps the quality of the grapes intact.

Dendrosurgery , a real surgical operation on vine plants thanks to which the white decay that colonizes the woody structure of the plants and causes infection is eliminated with specific equipment, keeping the quality of the grapes intact. The results that the SIMONIT&SIRCH Team has achieved in 14 years of work and experiments are surprising and of great importance both for the quality of the wines and for the economic savings on the part of the company: 90% of the treated plants have in fact returned to being fully productive . Dendrosurgery is, at the moment, the only valid technique to stop esca disease and avoid extirpation .

For those wishing to learn the basics of this technique, a residential course led by SIMONIT&SIRCH technicians will be organized from 22 to 25 July 2024 on the Mario Schiopetto Campus in Capriva del Friuli . Aimed at everyone, the course is a unique opportunity to learn this technique capable of prolonging the productive life of the vineyards. The maximum number of participants is 10 people .

The course will be divided into 3 days of training for a total of 3 practical lessons and 1 theoretical one . The venue of the course will be the ACCADEMIA VINE LODGE in Capriva del Friuli , where the students will stay and the theoretical part will be held, while the practical lessons will take place in the neighboring vineyards of the Mario Schiopetto Campus. The participation fee is €1,480 per person and includes, in addition to the course, 3 nights’ accommodation with breakfast, welcome aperitif, 1 light lunch, 2 dinners, 2 tastings, and final toast at the ACCADEMIA VINE LODGE, 3 snacks and 2 light lunch in the vineyard, rental of clothing and equipment, insurance and a visit to the Mario Schiopetto Campus (where the SIMONIT&SIRCH Method took embryonic shape more than 30 years ago), to the company’s cellars. At the end, participants will receive a certificate of participation in the course and the PRUNINGUY/PRUNINGIRL T-shirt.

Dendrosurgery by SIMONIT&SIRCH
SIMONIT&SIRCH technicians subjected more than 15,000 plants of 12 varieties (Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Malvasia Istriana, Sangiovese, Gruener Veltiner, Carmenere, Malbec) to dendrosurgery, in vineyards of 12 Italian and foreign regions: Collio, Franciacorta, Montalcino, Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Mendoza, Kamptal, Steiermark, Pfalz, Istria and Maipo in Chile. Analyzing the data collected – and also validated by the University and the INRA Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique of Bordeaux – it is clear that dendrosurgery slows down the progression of mortality symptoms of infected plants and that the quality of the grapes is comparable with that of healthy plants. This is not the same for unoperated infected plants. In 14 years of work and experiments, 90% of the treated plants have returned to full production.

The Umbria Wine Tourism Movement invites all enthusiasts to join the summer events which will see a succession of tastings, walks and cultural meetings in the Umbrian vineyards.

Perugia, 8 July 2024 Aperitifs in the vineyard, sensory workshops, picnics, visits and guided tours in the vineyards, dinners with the winemaker, DJ sets and much more. The Umbria Wine Tourism Movement continues to announce the summer events of the 2024 edition of ” Open Vineyards “, a widespread event which throughout the summer season transforms Umbrian wineries into real centers of cultural and tourist attraction. During the summer season, wine enthusiasts, wine lovers and visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a unique experience, exploring the beauty and traditions of one of the most fascinating wine regions in Italy.

Here are the proposals of four local wineries:

At the Terre de la Custodia farm, located in the hills of Gualdo Cattaneo, just 5 km from the historic center of Montefalco, the Farchioni family has been producing excellent Umbrian wines Montefalco Bianco Plentis, Montefalco Rosso Riserva and Sagrantino Exubera for centuries based on native grapes such as Sagrantino, Sangiovese and Grechetto. Every day, upon reservation, picnics will be organized in the cellar with a view of Sagrantino and (except Wednesday and Sunday) tastings and visits to the cellar are organized with the brand ambassador Daniele Sevoli, from 10am to 6pm continuously. Finally, every day, upon reservation, horseback and e-bike rides are organised.

A rich and complex wine with aromas such as Lucardo, intense and colorful Verzaro merlot, cabernet sauvignon, grechetto from Umbria, chardonnay and pinot grigio: these are some of the proposals of the Baldassarri winery , a young company located in Collazzone , in the province of Perugia. On Saturday 27 July at 8.30 pm the winery opens its doors to wine enthusiasts for a dinner under the stars in the vineyard with a DJ set to follow and also on Friday 2 August at 8.30 pm the winery is organizing a dinner in the cellar with a DJ set.

The beauty of the medieval palace, the charm of the place and excellent wines welcome you to Locanda Palazzone : 24 hectares of vineyards on the hills, in a landscape setting of rare beauty, cultivated with the traditional grapes of Orvieto, namely Procanico and Grechetto mainly, then Verdello and Malvasia to complete the blend. But also international vines Sauvignon for the Noble Rot and Viognier among the first to grow it in Italy. And to complete the wines produced Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon for the Reds. On Friday 12 July Locanda Palazzone organizes a guided excursion on the hills surrounding the palazzone among vineyards, historic buildings and the Musco cave. Followed by an aperitif in the pool from 5pm. Finally, the Locanda offers the possibility of booking a stay and experience package.

Discovering the Roccafiore winery and the vineyards that surround it is possible by booking visits and tastings as well as reserving a table on the outdoor terrace and tasting the traditional recipes of Umbrian cuisine based on Cinta Senese pigs from the small internal breeding farm. The Roccafiore winery is located on the green hills surrounding the Umbrian city of Todi, owned by the Baccarelli family since 1999. Roccafiore, which was born as an environmental sustainability project, is not only a wine producer, but also hosts a resort with spa, wellness center and restaurant. The winery is a 90 hectare green space set among the gentle and magical Umbrian hills that breathe the country air. Among olive trees, animal breeding and legume and cereal crops, there are 15 hectares dedicated exclusively to the cultivation of native vines. The selection of wineries that will lead visitors to their vineyards is particularly rich and varied, reflecting the diversity and richness of the area’s wine heritage. Each winery offers a unique experience, inviting participants to completely immerse themselves in the winemaking and cultural traditions of Umbria, making Vigneti Aperti 2024 an unmissable edition for all lovers of Italian wine and culture. Through the Social Movement of Umbria Wine Tourism channels it is possible to find out about the proposals in detail of the participating Umbrian wineries.

Sandro Bottega: “It would be important for the world of Prosecco to have a new vintage with adequate quantities both because the sparkling wine market requires it and because 2023 was particularly poor.”

«In the Prosecco area, if the climatic conditions of the next two months remain within the parameters of the period, there should be a vintage of exceptional quality».

Word of Sandro Bottega , wine entrepreneur at the head of the historic Bottega SpA company of Bibano (TV) , among the leaders in Italy for the production of Prosecco, who is therefore optimistic about the next harvest, which should also respect the traditional times. «In the Prosecco area, despite there having been persistent rain and lower than average temperatures in recent weeks, a delay in the harvest is not currently expected, which should take place around the third week of September. In the month of June – explains Sandro Bottega – we enjoyed a strong temperature range between daytime and nighttime hours, which certainly determined the development of aromatic substances. It follows that, if the climatic conditions of the next two months remain within the parameters of the period, there should be a vintage of exceptional quality. Extending the analysis to the entire “Italian vineyard” we could say in broad terms that for the North it is expected that ordinary harvest times will generally be respected. In the South, the African heat could instead interfere with the ripening process of the grapes, influencing the harvest period in one direction or another”, specifies Bottega, who adds: “It would be very important for the entire Prosecco world to have a new vintage with adequate quantities both because the sparkling wine market requires it and because 2023 was particularly poor”.
The owner of the winery famous throughout the world for its “Prosecco Bars” also confidently analyzes the climatic conditions: «I underline that the abundance of water is determining a luxuriant vintage, even if in some ways difficult due to the excessive humidity and related vine diseases, which required the vineyards to be monitored with extreme care. The only risk, now structural in every wine-growing area, is linked to storms or in any case to extreme atmospheric agents which could in some areas cause a reduction in production. I repeat – continues Bottega – that we are confident and believe that the quality of the grapes will be high. In our vineyards for years now we have reintroduced the classic “green manure” technique: it is a capillary grassing that strongly contributes to absorbing any excess water. In order to give the best of itself, the vine needs harmony and balance, in this case therefore it is necessary to intervene and prevent, preferably with natural methods, such as “green manure”. Regarding the excessive heat, always threatening even if this year all in all limited in the Prosecco area, we are developing an ad hoc study with our agronomists to intervene on the plants, leaving the foliage highly developed in order to protect the bunches”.
Finally, a reflection on the search for dedicated personnel for the harvest: «With regards to labor for the harvest, the general difficulty in finding available labor persists. Bottega has well-established teams of grape harvesters, who have been retained by the company thanks to a policy of continuity of collaboration, which within the context of the seasonality of this work is renewed from year to year”, concludes Sandro Bottega, owner of the company of the same name Venetian winery.

Bottega – The Bottega family, which has four centuries of history in the world of wine and grappa, founded the company of the same name, which is both a winery and distillery. It is based in Bibano di Godega (TV), 50 km north of Venice, where it produces grappa, wines and liqueurs. Among the grappas, the prized selections of single varieties and the spirits matured in barrique stand out. The range of Bottega wines includes Prosecco, including the well-known Bottega Gold, and other sparkling wines with great personality. In detached cellars, in Valpolicella, Chianti and Montalcino, Amarone, Ripasso, Chianti Gallo Nero, Brunello di Montalcino and other great reds are produced. The offer is completed by a wide range of fruit and cream liqueurs. The Bottega company distributes its products in 150 countries around the world. For many years, Bottega SpA has made an indissoluble commitment to sustainability, which has led to real and concrete results in reducing the impact on the environment, society and the economy.

SUNRISE 5, 6, 7 AND 13 JULY.

The journey of LoST EU , the European Union’s sustained promotion program on the topic of sustainability and promotion of small dairy denominations, continues.

A journey that began last year, which saw very high quality cheeses protagonists of many events both in Italy and abroad, and which continues in the second year with a busy calendar of promotional events, which have at their center PDOs of excellence such as the Murazzano , Roccaverano , Ossolano from Piedmont, Puzzone di Moena from Trentino, Strachitunt from Lombardy, Vastedda from Valle del Belice and Pecorino Siciliano from Sicily, and last but certainly not least Provolone del Monaco from Campania .

After the first event, organized in Barolo on 1 and 2 June with tastings of DOP cheeses much appreciated by numerous European tourists, the next stop of LoST will be the Collisioni Festival , the great musical event scheduled in Alba on 5, 6, 7 and 13 July with very popular artists such as Calcutta, Club Dogo, Tedua, Capoplaza, Anna .

The musical event, which in the last edition registered around 60,000 spectators, will be a new great opportunity for visibility for the Lost project, which will have a promotional corner available in the hospitality area, to talk about the characteristics and unique qualities of its basket of DOP cheeses from all over Italy to the guests of the event. Furthermore, the general public of the Festival will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of these ancient products of the Italian dairy tradition also through the dedicated video, created in the first year and projected on the big screen of the festival before the concerts. There will also be moments of storytelling and promotion on the web, via social channels, through posts, videos and pills that will be published on the project pages.

The key word of the promotion will above all be sustainability . The intent is to raise awareness among the general public, especially young people, about respect for traditions, the environment and animals, knowledge of the history of the territory and the valorisation of quality DOP cheeses, such as those of LoST , which are an example of protection and harmonious coexistence with the natural ecosystem of the landscapes that host its production.

Through storytelling and dissemination, the public will be able to appreciate the philosophy of LoST, which aims above all to stimulate people to reflect on the current food distribution systems and to learn about the good practices that we can adopt every day, as consumers, choosing fair and sustainable products.

Thanks to LoST cheeses, in fact, it is possible to rediscover the rules of ethical agriculture far from mainstream logic , where the watchwords are health, well-being and protection of the future through the protection of the natural and human environment.

Bringing the messages of the Lost project to a festival with a very high participation of young people such as Collisioni represents an important challenge for the project, and an essential educational effort towards which we must all make a commitment, if we imagine a future for the new generations where food awareness linked to health and sustainability issues becomes a non-negotiable fixed point.

LOST EU IS A PROJECT BY

ALTE TERRE DOP ASSOCIATION

In collaboration with

Consortium for the Protection of Murazzano PDO, Consortium for the Protection of Roccaverano PDO, Consortium for the Protection of Ossolano PDO, Consortium for the Protection of Puzzone di Moena PDO, Consortium for the Protection of Strachitunt PDO, Consortium for the Protection of Vastedda della Valle del Belice PDO, Consortium for the Protection of Pecorino Siciliano DOP, Consortium for the Protection of Provolone del Monaco DOP