Events / Tastings

Always a favorite event - all the best producers, all the best wine:

Preparati a conoscere i nostri produttori, uno a uno.

 

Firenze, mercoledì 18 febbraio 2015

10.00 - 19.00 (ultimo ingresso ore ore 18.00)

 

Stazione Leopolda V.le F.lli Rosselli, 5 (Porta al Prato).

Degustazione in anteprima delle annate 2014, 2013, della Riserva e Gran Selezione 2012 con la presenza di oltre 140 produttori

Assaggio oli DOP Chianti Classico raccolto 2014

This event seems to be changing direction a bit this year - two new locations and a little different spin on things. It is also wrapped up into the larger DILADDARNO in Festa (PDF).

One of the locations is the Barthel showroom on via Serragli:

Here is the full schedule in Italian:

Coming up soon - 43rd Edition, September 5th to 8th, 2013!

Expò del Chianti Classico from 20inchianti.com on Vimeo.

This 4 day wine event starts this Friday, June 7th. More info on their website: http://www.divinoetrusco.it

Chianti Classico E is a several weekend event celebrating the Chianti Classico zone: wine & food events, seminars, tastings, excursions and games to get acquainted with Chianti Classico producers and their beautiful territory! Visit their website for details and reservations.

There is a new edition of Wine Town Firenze happening this May 17th and 18th. We have written about this event before, but this edition seems very organized, and their website is up to date, with maps and information (unfortunately, it seems to be only in Italian at the moment however).

This event works with a charged card (you buy an initial card for 15 euro that has 5 points on it) and you can refill the card as needed. Some wineries charge several points for their wines, but there are plenty that are a single point or two. It is also usually more than just a taste - it is a small glass of wine to enjoy at the various events and "palazzi" - where there is usually music and some other types of performances going on.

And of course, there is always some kind of food to be found! Here are some photos from past editions:

June 8, 9, and 10 will see the 2012 edition of the Florence Wine Event in the Ammannati Courtyard of Palazzo Pitti. Full details on their website: http://www.florencewinevent.com

The event has been updated (read shortened) a bit this year - but I am looking forward to going for the day. Here is the main info page (hours, prices, etc.) in English.

L'Eccellenza di Toscana 2011 at Villa Castelletti, Signa

While austerity programs in many European countries are currently proving to the wrong course or action for economic recovery, the Tuscan wine world may want to start thinking about some austerity programs of their own - especially when it comes to the character of their wines.

Just as a credit glut preceded the current economic crisis, it seems that all the investment in the wine making industry in Tuscany in the last decade (new vineyards, better machinery, advancement in scientific analysis, etc.) may have sowed the seeds for a similar problem - too much excellent wine (or the capacity to produce a lot of excellent wine) but much of it too much the same. Some austerity in the process and on the palate would perhaps make an event like this, celebrating the best of the region, a bit more interesting and diverse.

Far too many of these wines, especially the IGTs and those made with French Varietals (funny how people don't seem to say "Super Tuscan" so much lately) suffered from the same type of profile: fruit forward (and too much of it), loaded middle, and a disappearing act on the finish. They were in a word - boring. Delicious? Many of them. Drinkable? Of course. These are all award winning wines. But as a group they were lacking - lacking austerity, mystery, curiosity, staying power. It really does seem to be an effort on everyone's part of trying to make the "same" wine - a very drinkable, ready when opened, "easy" wine. Is this the victory of the 90 + points or bust culture? I hope not - but maybe with todays economic conditions (i.e. the difficulty of selling) some producers will start to experiment and find that different can be better too, and perhaps some of these fine wines will take off in new and more exciting directions.

Sorry for the late notice - this event is tomorrow! I have been meaning to post about it forever...

Typically a fantastic tasting with wines of a very high level, it was held at the Grand Hotel Winter Garden in Piazza Ognissanti for many years until the hotel was recently updated to the St. Regis and that space became a lounge/restaurant. Last year I think it was at the Four Seasons Florence, but this year it is outside of Florence in Signa.

Here is the vineyard/producer list (PDF! - Italians love their PDF files still...).