Branchini | Bressan | Casalone | Casa Zuliani | Domaine Jammes
Jasci | Marchesi Cattaneo di Belforte | Pietro Rinaldi
Tenuta Santomè | Terra D’Arcoiris | Terre Dominici

Branchini

The winery  is located in Dozza, in the center of Emilia Romagna region. It covers 120 acres cultivated with vines.

In 1858 the Branchini family commenced its agricultural activity on these lands. Since then, the Estate continues to be managed by the family which has, over the years, refined it’s techniques in order to continually improve the  “Character” of the territory’s wines.

This choice has given way to experiments in the vineyard including new ways of planting, new varieties, selected harvesting and continuing research on the characteristic  vines of the area.

The vine growing operations are geared to avoid “forcing” the biological process and to maintain the physiological balance of the wine itself.

The Land, author and seal of our wines, owes its characteristics to the three rivers that flow through the Estate. The Sabbioso, Sillaro and Sellustra, over the centuries, have created the geological characteristics of this area. The alchemy of sand, clay and lime together with the microclimate of this location confer to the wines their own distinct character.

Bressan

The Bressan Mastri Vinai winery , located within the town of Mariano del Friuli, Gorizia province, Italy, date back to the 1600’s . Their vineyards are surrounded by rich Celtic history in the strategic landscape of Farra d’ Isonzo and founded on solid family values and ancient land, where limpid horizons a lways capture sensations, colors, scents and flavors most effectively.

Here, the centuries-old spirit of the Bressan family lies . Where the slopes of the Collio region fade gently and open up on to the Isonzo river valley, in a slice of land protected to the north by the Julian Alps and open t o the hot winds of the Adriatic Sea from the south , where a rare mixture of natural elements (geographic, geological and climatic) have created a unique and inimitable “terroir.”

With the protection from these geographic luxuries, extreme climate conditions are avoided, and moderate weather permits early development of the entire growing cycle by several days with respect to vineyards that are farther from the river, thus granting grapes with excellent levels of maturation.

Over ten generations of Bressan family dedication has gone into producing wines exclusively of grapes grown from the family’s 25 hectares of vineyard.

Casalone

One of the oldest wineries in Monferrato, Casalone started officially operations in 1734 and the first bottles of wine were sold in the market in 1776.  Land and vineyards extension are pretty mych  the same from then and the family still control 100% of their production, making them as one of the top wine experts in dealing with typical grape varieties from Piemonte such as Cortese, Barbera, Freisa, Grignolino and international varieties such as Pinot Noir.  They also grow the Monemvasia an old clone of the greek malvasia imported by the Venetians in 1700 in Italy.  From that grape they make one of the most interesting Passito (dessert wine from withered grapes).

Casa Zuliani

Casa Zuliani is located in one of the traditional vineyards of Italy, where grape vines have been grown long before the Roman domination. Extending over two viticultural sites – In the DOC (Controlled Denomination of Origin) areas of “Collio” and “Isonzo del Friuli”.

Founded by Zuliano Zuliani in 1923, and managed today by his heirs, Casa Zuliani produces wines of unforgettable taste and outstanding qualities, which beautifully and tastefully typify the generous nature of the land.

The careful selection of vine clones – done with the collaboration of the most important cultivators of Friuli – and the choice of the most suitable lands give life to an amount of 100.000 bottles per year. These are mainly marketed in Europe, North America, and the Far East.

Casa Zuliani appeared with a new image in 2000: it underlines the international markets of the firm and the high standard of its products – both for their reliability and organoleptic characteristics.

Domaine Jammes

In past times, Saint Marcel, a hill-top village surrounded by fortifications, comprised just a few modest houses huddled around the church and the castle. The development and the prosperity of the village date from the beginning of the 1900’s due to the continued success of the region’s wine trade.

It was in 1957 that Jean and Marie-Thérèse Jammes took over the family Domaine. The 50 hectare estate had been built in 1880 in the heart of the village, on the right bank of the river Aude. The highly fertile land, situated between the river and the Canal du Midi, made for a rich vineyard, producing a powerful wine, much sought-after by local people.
The new owners brought in many improvements to ensure the survival of the vineyard and adapted new and innovative technologies. The real revolution came in the mechanization of the business: the horses were sold to be replaced by tractors. The cellar and the wine-making process also changed in that hydraulic presses enabled the grapes to be pressed more economically and with more precision. In 1979, the grapes started being harvested completely mechanically and the Domaine acquired what was considered in the region to be a real novelty: a harvesting machine!

In 1983, the ageing plantations (some of which dated back to the 1920s) were renewed, with an emphasis on grape varieties such as Merlot, Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The wheat and apple harvests were now too low to be developed profitably, so production was stopped.

In 2001, the Domaine was passed down to Pierre Jammes, the son of the previous owner. He decided to steer the production in another direction. From then on, in addition to producing wine in bulk and for the mass market, ‘vins de garage’ (so called because of the small production) would be bottled at our cellars. These wines are made from carefully tended, distinct grape varieties and benefit from a characteristic method of wine-making.

This wine is produced for us to sell directly from our cellar and offers an alternative to blended and badly proportioned ‘assembled’ wines. Particularly carefully made and developed, thanks mainly to strictly controlled yields, our ‘vins de cépage’ (single variety wines) are well balanced and of good quality.

Jasci

The generous vineyards of Jasci have been handed down from generation to generation, forming an irreplaceable heritage and tie to the Earth. Located in the Abruzzo region, the sunny rolling hills between sea and mountain coupled with old fashioned techniques and modern technology have resulted in wines synonymous with quality and genuineness.

The Jasci family personally participates in every stage of their wine production throughout the art of their viticulture, while respecting Mother Earth and her best products. The wines are tenderly cared for throughout creation, then are stored in the Jasci cellar, which was constructed and prepared in part by using modern and functional organic architecture, where they rest and mature with close attention.

Since 1980, Jasci wines have been certified organic by the Soil and Health Association, which guarantees the organic production of their grapes in the Colli in Vasto and the Masseria Martina in Pollutri, as well as all the vinification processes.

The vineyards are cared for daily in order to identify prevention measures needed in each of the winemaking phases, which reserves the genuineness of the fruits of that delicate balance between technology and tradition that is Jasci.

Marchesi Cattaneo di Belforte

This winery is owned by the Marchesi Cattaneo family one of the oldest noble families of Italy.

From the estate in Chianti they produce two Chianti Classico Riserva with two different styles: traditional italian (white label) international (blue label). As well from Montalcino they produce a Brunello Italian style (where the tannins will make your mouth pucker… the white label) and an international smooth one (black label). The quality of their wines is underlined by their entry level wines like Chianti Colli Senesi or their Rosso di Montalcino.

L’Unico is a classy SuperTuscan blending of the Sangiovese Grosso of Montalcino with the Sangiovese (clone 56K) of Chianti Classico: the plum of Brunello and the violet of Chianti Classico are tied together by a mere 5% of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pietro Rinaldi

In the Piemonte region of Italy, in the hills of Madonna di Como, where in Roman times Como referred to the chorus of young dancers who performed to honor Bacchus, the Rinaldi vineyards were born.

In 1920, Pietro, Paolo and his son Constanzo, began working the family land in Madoona Di Como producing and aging Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto and superb Mocato wines. Four generations later, inspired by a family’s love for the old winemaking traditions and a passion for thus land, the granddaughter, Monica Rinaldi along with her husband Paolo Carlo Tenino, began to cultivate and vinify grapes form the family’s land.

Working in collaboration with enologit Beppe Caviola, vineyard manager Franco Domenico and winemaker Wlater Veglia, the couple is devoted to making distinctive wines fo the highest quality. Through the careful cultivation of its native varietals: Dolcetto, Barbera,Nebbiolo, Arnesi and Mosato.

Rinaldi Vineyards is  committed to research, innovation and tradition in producing great Piemontese wines.

Tenuta Santomè

The origin of this winery is as interesting and historical as its name. Tenuta Santomè (St. Thomas) was chosen when a missionary who was born and bred in what is now the farmhouse on the Santomè estate, wrote to the Spinazzè family from far away Brazil to suggest the name. He felt that the figure of this Saint was ideally suited to “seal” the events and products of this farm.

Located very near the towns of Treviso and Venice, the Santomè vineyards cover an area of 60 hectares, 30 of which are located within the main estate in Biancade, and the other 30 situated on “Grave di Papadopoli,” an island on the River Piave between the villages Cimadolmo and Maserada.

Tenuta Santomè is run by the Spinazzè family with the consultancy of the well-known winemaker Marzio Pol. The winery is a model in the modern production of wines with close planting—the scrupulous selection of the grapes, first on the vines, then in the cellar, and for the use of innovative wine-making systems.

St. Thomas, whose fingers are shaped like a square, an instrument for measuring, represents the history of the Spinazzè family and Tenuta Santomè, its land, and the excellent wines that come from it.

Terra d’Arcoiris

A pure biodynamic producer (followers of the permacolture way) Terra D’Arcoiris makes Chianti of outstanding level.  Paola Leonardi and Walter Loesch started their adventure awhile back.  In their words:  “In the Autumn of 1987 we took over the Caselle farm at the very gates of the Chianciano Terme, on the Val di Chiana’s western hills in Siena province. At the time, we knew nothing about vines nor how wine was made.  We had been involved with bee-keeping around southern Tuscany since 1981.
 
As soon as we started we converted to ecological cultivation methods; a little fertilizer was used for the very first years and then, since 1993 we have stopped fertilizing our vineyards altogether.
From 1990, we maintain a complete and spontaneous grassing.  Grass grows, ripens and sows by itself and we use it in order to naturally manage the vineyards:  before working the vines we press and shred the grass that protects in this way the vines from peronospore and oidium.  Therefore we could reduce copper doses down to 75-100 grams for treatment per hectare. With 4-5 treatments per year, we keep the use of copper at very low levels (400 grams of CU for hectare  for year).  

Our oldest vineyard, 8 acres, planted in 1968 is composed of a typical Chianti mixture: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, white and black Malvasia, Trebbiano and a wee bit of Grechetto, called Pulcin, in addition to some Mammolo, Foglia tonda and Ciliegiolo vines.

In the new vineyard, 10 acres,  planted form 1999 to 2001, the majority of vines belong to Sangiovese to which we added small quantities of  Syrah, Merlot, Ciliegiolo, Foglia tonda, Mazzzese and black Malvasia.  Apart from Syrah and Merlot, there are indigenous vines at there best in our territory”.

Terre Dominici

In a wild and majestic land covered in mountains and forests that extend to the horizon, the Adige River meanders through a valley infused with thriving vineyards.  The breathtaking landscape, cut by the typical pergola and spalliere trellising system of grape vines, is interrupted here and there by small villages and castles.  Welcome to Vallagarina!

This picturesque land of today resembles the land of yesterday in many ways; not only does it continue to connect Trentino, South Tyrol, with Veneto, but the locals continue to work and be one with the land as they have done for centuries.

According to the chronicles of this robust land, the Armani Family settled in the village of Chizzola di Trento, and Domenico Armani started the family tradition of great vine growers and winemakers in the seventeenth century. Today the Armani family continues to work this land and love its vines. In keeping with family tradition, the Armani’s continue to select the most desirable land and the heartiest vines for their wines.

For centuries, the Armani family has continued to expand its vineyards into three different regions: Trentino-South Tyrol, Veneto, and Friuli. The wines produced in these three regions, such as the Refosco Dal Peduncolo Rosso or the Müller Thurgau, express their unique flavors and local flair in their taste.

The Armani Family is passionate and protective of its vines, and, as a result, the Terre di Gioia brand has been born from a selection of the best vines in Chizzola (Trentino), Sequals (Fruili), and Dolcé ( Veneto).  This new brand is a tribute to the forefather Domenico who believed that in order to have a bright future one must have deep roots in the past.

Terre di Gioia wines are noble wines that are easy to drink and have an elegant style.  Their smooth, fruity tastes are a direct result of their land and an expression of its beauty.